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Click here to return to the main site. DVD Review
A Great White shark attacks a fishing boat, when it is repeatedly shot at. It kills two of the three individuals on board, before slowly moving off to a nearby cave to die. Soon afterward, a group of teenagers witness a horrific attack in the sea close to the shore of a small community called Harmony. A girl is torn apart by what appears to be a glowing, translucent shark. Nobody believes them, least of all the mayor, who just wants to play down any troubles with the forthcoming 4th July celebrations. One person who does believe them is the old drunken hermit who lives in the lighthouse. He knows the power of the cave, and has his own reasons for keeping people away... There is a very obvious attempt here to emulate an amalgamation of Jaws and the remake of Piranha. Of course, you’ll notice immediately this has a lot lower budget, particularly in terms of special effects. Producing a wavering blue glow in the basic shape of a Great White shark, and telling everyone it is a ghost, is a more than convenient way of covering-up the shortfalls of the movie, and specifically a rubbish monster threat. The fact that the shark becomes a vengeful spirit within the first minutes of the film – with little or no explanation, apart from dying in a plastic-looking cave with symbols on the walls – paves the way for a series of ridiculous situations for the creature to make its appearances and coat the respective locations in blood and body parts. It not only materialises in its natural habitat of the sea, but anywhere else there is water present: through a fire hydrant, garden sprinklers, a swimming pool, a sink trap, and even an office water dispenser. I had to laugh when kids began water-sliding along a mat and through the inflatable head of a shark. It was a foregone conclusion what would come happen next! The plot (and I use the word advisedly) is extremely hackneyed, and the characters very much stereotyped. Nobody believes the teenagers’ story. The sheriff is controlled by the mayor, who is only concerned about the upcoming elections (ring any bells?). The key character is a sensible girl, balanced by a younger wayward sister. There is a budding boyfriend, and a son of the mayor. Then – wait for it – there is the old crazy man, who warns the authorities in vain, and conveniently knows how to see off the monster. As you would expect, there are lots of bikini-clad eighteen year-olds; if fact, the little sea shanty town seems to be full of them. It’s rather strange, there’re no fat and ugly fifty year-old women in existence. Perhaps the major has fed them all to the shark. Now, there’s a plot! So, move along, please. There’s nothing (new) to see here... 4 Ty Power Buy this item online
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