My fear of the ocean is exponentially dwarfed by my love of Sharks. So whenever a new shark-based film is released I immediately know that it will have a dual effect. While I will definitely end up hating the prospect of open waters even more, my fascination with sharks will increase. What’s fun about the shark genre, particularly in my experience, is that many will follow very similar codes and conventions. However, the somewhat repetitive nature of shark movies never ceases to amuse me. There’s something about the ridiculous depths of the ocean and the unrealistic portrayal of Great White Sharks that is both exhilarating and terrifying. With the release of Altitude’s Great White, I knew I couldn’t pass the opportunity to experience that perfect concoction of fear and excitement once more.
Say hello to Great White. What should have been a trip to remember, quickly turns to a living nightmare when five passengers on a seaplane are stranded on a raft in the middle of the ocean. What follows is a desperate bid for survival as the group try to make it to land before they are taken by the man-eating sharks lurking just beneath the surface.
The issue with shark movies as previously mentioned is that the genre tends to follow a very similar recipe. So a downside to Great White is that it doesn’t do a great deal to make it stand out among the plethora of films in that genre. Having said that though, the conventions it utilities are used effectively. We’ve seen tricks like these before, these codes and conventions are what made Jaws such a success. We’re familiar with the typical stranded strangers, the fin gliding through the water, the sea turning read with blood, and the unnerving camera that bobs up and down like a lost buoy. These elements are pivotal to this genre. However, despite them being overused they are still very effective. Great White knew this and it ticks every box in relation to a shark movie.
There’s a downside to playing with those strengths and it isn’t exclusive to these types of films. The same thing has been happening in paranormal movies for years. When films become reliant on components that have previously worked, you’ll soon be ahead of the game. As a result, things become very predictable. Unfortunately, Great White also fell victim to this effect. While I still enjoyed the film overall, it was hard to be surprised by certain deaths and scenarios.
However, I found that the shark in Great White was definitely more playful rather than being an underwater stalker. So while the characters and their fates were somewhat unsurprising, the nature of the Great White seemed quite unpredictable. I knew which characters were going to be reduced to dinner very early on, but there were moments where I was purposely tricked into thinking the shark would appear. Something as simple as retrieving a paddle suddenly turned into a stressful endeavor because I was expecting the Great White to appear and it plays with that suspense and tension.
One element that I was originally worried about were the visual effects. Big Hollywood tentpole movies have the advantage of a big budget so part of me was expecting some fairly lackluster visuals. However, I was pretty impressed by all of the underwater scenes and some of the close ups we got of the Great White, which actually looked to be some sort of giant puppet like in Jaws. So, well done to the team for using a mixture of CGI and practical effects. The issues really started to emerge when the shark breached. The visuals became a lot more obvious especially in regards to how the shark reacted with the characters and the water. Luckily, that didn’t happen too often so that sense of immersion was only partially disrupted.
Great White is flawed when it comes to its characters. While I found the reasoning behind their original expedition to be quite interesting, the development comes to a halt as soon as the cast enters that raft. A struggling couple (Kaz and Charlie) who own a touring company agree to take a married couple (Joji and Michelle) to an island to pay respects to the wife’s grandfather who was once stranded on that very island.
For some reason there’s this strange connection between Charlie’s friend and cook Benny and Michelle. It comes across as quite petty but actually leads to some dire consequences. However, it appeared very much out of nowhere so it was very hard to go along with it especially when the tension between Benny and Joji escalated. Having said all that, I do think the cast performed very well. Unfortunately, for a film such as Great White the true star is the one that lurks in the ocean.
Despite its flaws and overall predictability, Great White is a very decent addition to the shark movie genre. It’s a very typical shark movie. So if you’re expecting something completely new and unique, you may be quite disappointed. While I am sure there were opportunities to be a bit more bold, Great White sticks to its guns. It knew exactly what would work and what wouldn’t.
It’s definitely no Jaws but it gave me everything I wanted. The terrifying aspect of Jaws is that you never see the shark until the very end. Great White, on the other hand, relishes in giving the audience that sweet shark action up close. As a result, that fear factor diminishes slightly since we have a visual representation. But since many films have tried to replicate that unseen horror vibe, I do appreciate that Great White just went all out. If you want an easy watch and cool sharks, Great White is ready for the taking and perfect for any evening with some decent food. Just don’t expect a genre-defying or groundbreaking thrill.
Great White will be heading to your screens on 17th May on DVD in the UK and Ireland. You can also enjoy it on Apple, Amazon, Google, Sky Store, Virgin and more.
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