Shark Season

The movie seemed like an earnest newcomer effort to create a suspenseful shark attack movie (not over-the-top silliness like Sharknado (2013)), but now I see that several cast and crew have a list of credits behind them. They couldn't do better? Several crew members are credited in both movies; both movies are from The Asylum.

The basic premise is straightforward: Three people get stranded in rising waters while a shark circles them. Will they survive? That's the story.

The writing was amateurish. At a few points, it seemed like the screenwriter was thinking, "I looked up some stuff for background, so dang it, I'm going to squeeze it into somebody's dialogue somewhere." For example, the distraught father is on the phone with his frightened daughter, who had just indicated that she and her cell phone might die at any moment. Did he really need to go into an extended explanation of king tides, instead of quickly telling her what to do before her phone shut down?

The characters repeated themselves a few times unnecessarily too, which felt like padding. They also flip-flopped a few times (for no apparent reason) about what they should or shouldn't do next.

There were a few disjointed topic changes in the dialogue, as if the screenwriter decided to shoehorn an arbitrary subplot or two into the script -- but only in the form of dialogue, not activity. Whether it was the writing, the direction, or the acting that was inadequate, they couldn't make up their minds about each character's attitudes toward the subplots.

The performances weren't great. Paige McGarvin had the least amateurish performance, although this included screaming "What do you want?" at the shark. Seemed to me that the shark was pretty clear about its intentions. Michael Madsen just phoned in his performance, literally. Almost all his screen time had him, by himself, on the phone.

One ludicrous bit was when the operators of a small boat told the girl treading water -- water that was entirely too deep for her to stand in -- that they couldn't come to her because the water was too shallow.

The title "Shark Season" seems pretty arbitrary. How was this shark season, really? I guess they were desperate to find a shark title that hadn't been used previously.

Wow just wow - how can the acting be so bad from everyone concerned in this? Surely there are some good actors in Hollywood who would act for peanuts or nothing just to get their names known? I surmise the actors; and I use the term loosely in this, have either given the producer a few... ahem... casting couch favours or are family members!

Michael Madsen - well what can we say but that syrup was just a laugh-a-minute especially when he is on the phone it literally starts moving back exposing his real grey hair underneath I couldn't stop laughing and sorry Mike but when you are past your best it is time to give it up and you are 10 years past your best but he was obviously thrown into this calamity just to add a name to the cast list! He actually looks like my gramps with a dodgy black syrup, some dreadfully bad blusher on his cheeks and the turkey neck of doom. Watch the end sequence closely - he is so frail he cannot put his sunglasses on with his hands shaking or was he inebriated? Either way what a poor old sod, i actually started to feel sorry for the old fella, how very, very embarrassing to go out in your career this way - better to grow old gracefully!

As for the movie? Well it is Asylum and a tv movie so you should really not expect much and try and review it in that context but even so the shark effects were pretty basic. The problem is the acting, it really takes away a lot from the movie and makes it hard to watch and just adds another Shark Turkey movie to the seemingly endless list!

This ranks alongside Snow Shark Ancient Snow Beast and House Sharks as the worst shark movies ever made.

I love shark films. Even the cheesy low budget ones. But this was garbage.

Michael Madsen literally phones his performance in. And in the most wooden way possible.

He has phone conversations with some random guy in a boat who has no relevance to the movie whatsoever. And most of the time you see this guy from his back. It was obvious that this guy was not an actor. The conversations he has with Michael Madsen are hilarious. Each conversation has them repeatedly say the same things over and over but with some dialogue changes. It is extremely bizzare.

Now to the blonde lead of the movie. You will see her space out of lot with some really strange facial expressions. You don't know if she is trying to look shocked, struggling to remember her lines or holding in a fart.

Not too mention the out of place 10 minute conversation she has with the other girl about love and drama while stuck on a rock escaping the shark. There are more important issues for them to be concerned about then that crap in their situation.

The shark is the typical z grade quality CGI. In some cases each time you see the shark you hear some weird wooshing/growling sound. And ironically, the shark is the best actor in the film.

The only good thing about this movie is that it's funny. And that was not the intention of this film.

Make sure to listen to Michael Madsens horrible phone message to his characters daughter 'This is me....calling you..... something along the lines like that. Awful

UPDATE - Changing the movie title to DEEP BLUE NIGHTMARE on Lifetime is not going to change how bad this movie is. I don't know why they bothered changing the name

What irony. The "NAME ACTOR" who has been in good movies was the only bad actor in this. The acting by the lesser known actors was acceptable. Madsens was awful. He literally phoned it in. All he did was talk on the phone a few times. He looked like crap. He is said to be 63, he looks 73. He looked like he just woke up.... Haggard, disheveled, uncombed hair. His voice sounded sick, and he only cared about a small paycheck here. For a shark movie it wasnt too bad. Bad special effects but thats expected. Madsens resume is; Good Tarentino movies, or low budet garbage. No middle ground

This movie did have some positives, upping the rating from a 1, and in this case even a 2. Now this movie isn't great, but their are some stuff in here to enjoy. The movies premise is actually quite good for a survival thriller and getting away from a Great white Shark. And it does add stakes and entertainment value.

The movies soundtrack is awesome, It's groovy and has some songs that makes you want to get up of your feet and even dance, and foreshadowing what the actual reality is and what it will become. But, I do enjoy the music and it doesn't overstate it's welcome. The water is absolutely stunning to look at, lots of cool camera shots to look at, and some great views on the island. And clever wide shots. Creating more of an atmosphere due to the characters surroundings. However that's where the positives end.

The acting for the most part was hammy and cheesy, and did feel phoned in. For example, the father doesn't really look all that interested in the movie role, heck I Don't really blame him, I'd rather play snooker. And talk to a wall. But, I Don't know maybe that's just me. Or he genuinely is phoning it in and doesn't want to be their. And the script is so poor, there is nothing worthy about it. Most of the characters Don't even look at each other even if their talking to each other half the time. And it wouldn't be a horror movie without the characters making dumb decisions, there's even an entire list of them on display here!

The man decides to go for a swim, despite the girls being suspicious of their being something in the water, it isn't dumb but it's slightly weird. As does the Blond chick. They all stay on an isolated island, where there's an even bigger one only a few meters away. And they kiyack 3 miles out, which is in no way safe or relatable to anyone.

Those are some of the dumbest decisions that take place in this movie, it does do one thing right in all of this. And builds the tension and stakes by having the tide come in at the 2 girls, and have them stranded in the middle of the ocean with a Shark on the wearabouts. Which does make for a fast paste swim when they do see someone's trying to rescue them from Sea. Now time for my overall thoughts.

Would I recommend this film?

Nope..., I suggest you do anything else and avoid it, I watched it so you don't have to. It's not the worst film though, 3/10, 2.66.