'The Meg' is finally here - but how does it fare against these ten flicks?
For some reason, sharks are a magnet for terrible movies; some incidently, others deliberately so. After 1975, there have been very few good aquatic horror flicks, which is why when 'The Meg' was announced, we were all rightfully sceptical. And while it's not about to be a critical success, it seems audiences have taken it with a pinch of salt. After all, there have been worse.
The Meg
Here are ten popular shark flicks ranked from awful to brilliant:
10. Shark Night (2011)
Not even '2-Headed Shark Attack' and 'Mega Shark Versus Giant Octopus' can make this movie look better than it is. From the man behind 'Snakes on a Plane' and 'The Final Destination', this unfortunately turned out to be David R. Ellis' final film. The animatronic sharks might be its only saving grace.
Shark Night
9. Shark Lake (2015)
The only reason why this comes lower than some of the other tosh on this list is because it takes itself far too seriously. Come on, Dolph Lundgren, you're better than this! It's set in Lake Tahoe; yes, another flick where sharks are not in their rightful place. It's all blood and screaming with no substance.
Shark Lake
8. Bait 3D (2012)
The only thing that stops this aquatic flop being at number 9 or 10 is that it's a novel concept. But it's still chillingly awful. Directed by Kimble Rendall, it sees a tsunami trapping a crowd of people in a completely flooded grocery store, in which has washed some hungry Great Whites who will stop at nothing to finish this human buffet.
Bait
7. 47 Meters Down (2017)
It's likely to put you off cage-diving, but only while you're watching it. You'll have forgotten it by the morning. A disappointing return for Mandy Moore after a five-year acting hiatus to say the least and, to make things worse, a sequel inventively titled '48 Meters Down' is set to be released in June 2019. God save us all.
47 Meters Down
6. The Reef (2010)
Certainly not the worst film ever made but there's not an awful lot of originality in this Aussie horror-fest. A group of friends are forced to swim to the safety of a nearby Indonesian island when their boat capsizes, but of course they are soon hunted down by a... Great White Shark. Surprisingly. Most of them die, one survives, yadda yadda yadda.
The Reef
5. Deep Blue Sea (1999)
An oldie, and not too bad for its time. Directed by Renny Harlin ('Die Hard 2'), it's about a group of genetically engineered mako sharks going on the rampage, flooding the facility in which they're being kept for Alzheimer's research. There's definitely more plot there than the aforementioned movies, but it still didn't warrant the direct-to-video sequel that came out this year.
Deep Blue Sea
4. Open Water (2003)
When a couple go scuba-diving on the Great Barrier Reef, they had no idea of the horror that awaited them when their scuba party abandoned them in the ocean. Loosely based on the tragic true story of Tom and Eileen Lonergan, it is perhaps more depressing than the real story - but still worth watching.
Open Water
3. Sharknado (2013)
If you try to explain this film to someone who hasn't seen it, you're likely to get looks of disdain. Because the concept is so ridiculous that it shouldn't even be a movie. But that's why we love it so much. That's why millions haved tuned in to Syfy every year to see the newest one, and why we'll be sad after 'The Last Sharknado: It's About Time' which airs on August 19th.
Sharknado
2. The Shallows (2016)
'127 Hours', 'Cast Away', 'Gerald's Game'... Films with one principal setting and one main character trapped there often prove to be intensely gripping when done right and this shark thriller starring Blake Lively is no different. She plays a surfer who finds herself trapped on a buoy as a Great White threatens to rip her to pieces. As is customary with this particularly sub-genre, she is armed with very few resources, but manages to survive nonetheless.
The Shallows
1. Jaws (1975)
It goes without saying that there is no shark movie out there that even comes close to matching the legendary prestige of this epic. It's one of Steven Spielberg's greatest triumphs and has one of the most recognisable soundtracks in the world. It's based on the 1974 book of the same name by Peter Benchley and was the deserved winner of three Oscars. If only the three painful sequels hadn't happened.
Jaws
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