Finally a shark movie that is well-worth diving into, if you don't mind swimming with great white sharks.
I sat down to watch the 2021 movie "Great White" from writer Michael Boughen and director Martin Wilson with no expectations. I was dreading that it was going to be just another run-of-the-mill shark movie, you know, the ones that come a dime a dozen. But still, I've always enjoyed shark movies, ever since watching "Jaws" as a child. So of course I sat down to watch "Great White".
I have to say that the movie's cover/poster definitely was helping to win me over and make me have an interest in watching the movie.
Right, well on to it. "Great White" is a movie that you should treat yourself to watching, especially if you enjoy shark movies. Because this 2021 movie is a movie that is driven by a good story, well-rounded characters, excitement and also a sense of despair from the marooned people adrift. So that was a major accomplishment on director Martin Wilson's behalf.
The storyline is as interesting as it is exciting. Sure, it is a rather generic storyline if you look at it objectively. I mean, you have a shark that accidentally causes five people to become marooned at sea, with hundreds of miles to the shoreline, as it causes their airplane to sink - gee, now where have we seen that before? Duh dum, duh dum, dum, dum, dum, dum.... get it? But at the same time, it is also a storyline that is well-written as it managed to snatch you up and bring you along right there in the raft alongside the marooned five. So writer Michael Boughen definitely made things work.
There is a good amount of excitement and thrills in the movie, as there should be in any good shark movie. And it worked so nicely in this movie, especially because there was such a good balance between the hopelessness of being marooned so far out at sea and the feel of being stalked by a great white, knowing it is there in the water but rarely see it come to the surface. I most certainly enjoyed that aspect of "Great White".
Something else that made the movie work out so well was the impressive character gallery. Sure, the movie have only five people in it, essentially, but these characters are so well-rounded and nicely fleshed out, given personalities, quirks, traits, etc. Which made for a very lively movie, and you get sucked in right away, taking an instant liking to some character and a dislike to another. That was really nice work from writer Michael Boughen. And also a big thumbs up to the cast in the movie. They had casted some really talented actors and actresses for this movie, with the likes of Katrina Bowden (playing Kaz), Aaron Jakubenko (playing Charlie), Te Kohe Tuhaka (playing Benny), Tim Kano (playing Joji) and Kimie Tsukakoshi (playing Michelle). Great cast choices and great individual performances by the cast in this movie. And it should be said that the cast definitely made this movie more than watchable.
The sharks in the movie were definitely good and felt very real, especially since it was a combination of real footage and a prop. And the prop looked really realistic, which added so much to the movie. The only downside here, was the sound that they added to the sharks, sort of a growling thing going on. That was just idiotic. Sure, I get it for terms of thrills and entertainment for the movie. But no, it just dumbs it down. Sharks are silent predators, keep it realistic and keep them soundless. But it was a minor annoyance in the movie, which didn't really impact the overall enjoyment of the movie. It was just a stupid little thing that sat like a thorn in the side of me.
If you are only going to watch a single shark movie this year, make it "Great White", because this movie is so well-worth taking the time and effort to sit down and watch. I was more than genuinely entertained by what this movie offered, and it is one that I can warmly recommend.
My rating of "Great White" lands on a seven out of ten stars. This is one of those instances when it is a shark movie done right.
I sat down to watch the 2021 movie "Great White" from writer Michael Boughen and director Martin Wilson with no expectations. I was dreading that it was going to be just another run-of-the-mill shark movie, you know, the ones that come a dime a dozen. But still, I've always enjoyed shark movies, ever since watching "Jaws" as a child. So of course I sat down to watch "Great White".
I have to say that the movie's cover/poster definitely was helping to win me over and make me have an interest in watching the movie.
Right, well on to it. "Great White" is a movie that you should treat yourself to watching, especially if you enjoy shark movies. Because this 2021 movie is a movie that is driven by a good story, well-rounded characters, excitement and also a sense of despair from the marooned people adrift. So that was a major accomplishment on director Martin Wilson's behalf.
The storyline is as interesting as it is exciting. Sure, it is a rather generic storyline if you look at it objectively. I mean, you have a shark that accidentally causes five people to become marooned at sea, with hundreds of miles to the shoreline, as it causes their airplane to sink - gee, now where have we seen that before? Duh dum, duh dum, dum, dum, dum, dum.... get it? But at the same time, it is also a storyline that is well-written as it managed to snatch you up and bring you along right there in the raft alongside the marooned five. So writer Michael Boughen definitely made things work.
There is a good amount of excitement and thrills in the movie, as there should be in any good shark movie. And it worked so nicely in this movie, especially because there was such a good balance between the hopelessness of being marooned so far out at sea and the feel of being stalked by a great white, knowing it is there in the water but rarely see it come to the surface. I most certainly enjoyed that aspect of "Great White".
Something else that made the movie work out so well was the impressive character gallery. Sure, the movie have only five people in it, essentially, but these characters are so well-rounded and nicely fleshed out, given personalities, quirks, traits, etc. Which made for a very lively movie, and you get sucked in right away, taking an instant liking to some character and a dislike to another. That was really nice work from writer Michael Boughen. And also a big thumbs up to the cast in the movie. They had casted some really talented actors and actresses for this movie, with the likes of Katrina Bowden (playing Kaz), Aaron Jakubenko (playing Charlie), Te Kohe Tuhaka (playing Benny), Tim Kano (playing Joji) and Kimie Tsukakoshi (playing Michelle). Great cast choices and great individual performances by the cast in this movie. And it should be said that the cast definitely made this movie more than watchable.
The sharks in the movie were definitely good and felt very real, especially since it was a combination of real footage and a prop. And the prop looked really realistic, which added so much to the movie. The only downside here, was the sound that they added to the sharks, sort of a growling thing going on. That was just idiotic. Sure, I get it for terms of thrills and entertainment for the movie. But no, it just dumbs it down. Sharks are silent predators, keep it realistic and keep them soundless. But it was a minor annoyance in the movie, which didn't really impact the overall enjoyment of the movie. It was just a stupid little thing that sat like a thorn in the side of me.
If you are only going to watch a single shark movie this year, make it "Great White", because this movie is so well-worth taking the time and effort to sit down and watch. I was more than genuinely entertained by what this movie offered, and it is one that I can warmly recommend.
My rating of "Great White" lands on a seven out of ten stars. This is one of those instances when it is a shark movie done right.