I'll start with positives, a few cool shark shots, not terrible CGI, and try's its best to work with an obviously low budget. For the negatives, a lousy storyline and very unrealistic shark activity (why was it roaring?!). The people are useless and paddle aimlessly and can't for the life of themselves just stay in the damned raft.
226 Reviews
Bare-bones killer shark film
kuarinofu18 May 2021
Great White is as basic of a killer shark film as possible. Everyday people surviving a pack of ordinary sharks, not super-enhanced, not vengeful, nothing like the Deep Blue Sea or Jaws IV, or Meg, whatever.
My guess is that they were aiming at a more grounded approach, and it worked ok until a certain point. I think that real sharks probably wouldn't jump out of the water and intercept you mid-air in a bloody fashion, but this kinda takes away the interest from the film. They provide a bare minimum of information about the characters, but this is still a killer shark film and you expect something different from the very basic and tired concept.
My biggest problem with it was that up until 50! Minutes into the film, nothing really happens, they just wrap up the set-up. There is also a very awkward racial or ethnic conflict which I did not understand at all, it just felt super forced.
It's not spectacular, it's not gory and fun, it's not original in any way, so while I can say that it was a film, I can't think of a reason for anyone to watch it.
My guess is that they were aiming at a more grounded approach, and it worked ok until a certain point. I think that real sharks probably wouldn't jump out of the water and intercept you mid-air in a bloody fashion, but this kinda takes away the interest from the film. They provide a bare minimum of information about the characters, but this is still a killer shark film and you expect something different from the very basic and tired concept.
My biggest problem with it was that up until 50! Minutes into the film, nothing really happens, they just wrap up the set-up. There is also a very awkward racial or ethnic conflict which I did not understand at all, it just felt super forced.
It's not spectacular, it's not gory and fun, it's not original in any way, so while I can say that it was a film, I can't think of a reason for anyone to watch it.
Don't, just don't.
gabbafella-761999 September 2021
There are so many things wrong with this film.
The CGI is laughable at times, the acting is wooden, the story is flimsy and has been made with no research or facts involved and you will want the main characters to die from the start.
I reckon you could make an entire film purely from the scenes where people are looking at other people, not saying a word, just staring or pulling odd expressions that you may or may not be able to work out because the acting is so poor.
My advice, watch Jaws or The Shallows.
The CGI is laughable at times, the acting is wooden, the story is flimsy and has been made with no research or facts involved and you will want the main characters to die from the start.
I reckon you could make an entire film purely from the scenes where people are looking at other people, not saying a word, just staring or pulling odd expressions that you may or may not be able to work out because the acting is so poor.
My advice, watch Jaws or The Shallows.
Worth A Watch For Comedic Value Only
JICNZ21 May 2021
This was so dreadful it's worth watching to laugh at. Sure, it's got nice scenery. But that's it. The acting is absolutely woeful. In fact, you could play a drinking game with expressions. The cast give long meaningful looks at each other, the only trouble is the specific meaning of the look is utterly lost due to bad acting and worse writing. Take a drink every time they did this and you'd not last to the end of the film. The shark action is very minimal. Mostly the movie consists of people in a raft being utterly dumb. Seriously, they don't unpack the survival box until the second day in the boat. They don't conserve the water when it rains, despite having no bottled water left. Every single time the shark attacks they all stand up, the women scream and then they all fall overboard because they are standing. Even when they get to some rusting hulks in the water which are entirely stable, when they see the shark the women scream and fall over into the water. That was my favourite bit. I actually skipped the last five minutes of this. By that stage I didn't care if they lived or died. I was rooting for the shark.
Even the shark was bored
imcaufieldholt25 May 2021
Avoid "Great White"! It is just boring. The characters just bicker 90% of the time, I think even the shark was bored as it only turned up every now and then, before going off to probably watch paint dry or something. In fact it probably just ate people to stop then whining at each other as that is what seems to pass as "character development".
Total junk movie
divealanya14 May 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Bad CGI and rubbish story. Really!!!
The female lead drowns and then is brought back to life underwater by another female blowing into her mouth. The female lead miraculously comes back to life and fights the shark again without taking a breath of air. Zzzzz.
The female lead drowns and then is brought back to life underwater by another female blowing into her mouth. The female lead miraculously comes back to life and fights the shark again without taking a breath of air. Zzzzz.
My expectations were "Sharknado" low
PsychoBeard6662 August 2021
What about "it"?
nogodnomasters26 May 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Luke doesn't make it through the opening scene. We then jump to Charley (Aaron Jakubenko) and Kaz (Katrina Bowden) who own a charter sea plane company. They take a couple to an island along with odd man out Benny (Te Kohe Tuhaka) who is slightly dark skinned so we know he will be first to go. Kaz is pregnant so she must be the final girl by "B" movie code. The plane has an issue (it sinks) and we end up with five people in a rubber raft who somehow keep falling out.
Katrina Bowden did well against flying piranhas so a Great White shouldn't be too much of an issue. This was a cliche shark film. Nothing new.
Guide: F-word. No sex or nudity.
Katrina Bowden did well against flying piranhas so a Great White shouldn't be too much of an issue. This was a cliche shark film. Nothing new.
Guide: F-word. No sex or nudity.
Good popcorn fun, don't expect any realism here
PennywiseFA17 May 2021
Five people on a rescue mission in shark infested waters, what could go wrong? Listen, don't expect awesome CGI here, the plot is half baked and I couldn't give two squirts of squirrel pee less about the characters, but the film packs some nice thrills and overall, I was entertained. This isn't trying to be a great movie, but just one for the shark horror fans - and let's face it guys, we've had just 1 fantastic sharkfilm. Ever. Until the next one comes, if it ever does, movies like these are enough to still the hunger.
Great white load of crap
pjkaustin22 May 2021
What a load of rubbish, acting was bad, story line was bad, the sharks were , bad. Unbelievable and so unrealistic. Please don't waste your time or your money. I unfortunately just bought the dvd forv7 quid and I'm sticking it straight into my get rid of pile.
Not Bad
margarida-4431114 May 2021
I don't get all the terrible reviews for this movie. Especially because lots of people talk incredible bad of the special effects. It's not Oscar worthy, but is not terrible. It's quite good for such type of movie.
It lacks some quality on the script, but which shark movie doesn't?
There's some other little mistakes, but overall is watchable. If you are a fan of this genre, o recommend you check it out this one.
Ignore the below 4 scores. It's unfair for those who work in this project.
It lacks some quality on the script, but which shark movie doesn't?
There's some other little mistakes, but overall is watchable. If you are a fan of this genre, o recommend you check it out this one.
Ignore the below 4 scores. It's unfair for those who work in this project.
Terrible story, dialogue, and CGI
Horror_Flick_Fanatic14 May 2021
Terrible story, dialogue and CGI. The film has a predictable outcome. But I did like the cinematic wide shots and the overhead birdseye view shots with the sea plane that were done for the first act. Even in SDR, the seascapes were impressive. I can only imagine how much nicer it would have looked in HDR. The rest of the camera work, not so much. I didn't like the rapid closeup edits for the rest of the film.
Great White=Jaws Lite
nebk13 May 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Great White is not the worst way to spend 90 minutes but it does have issues. In the film seaplane tour operators Charlie and Kaz with their cook Benny take out a wealthy couple Joji and Michelle to Impervious Reef. There they find a victim of a shark attack and head back. On the way back they see an overturned boat, go to check it out and their plane sinks. They end up in a raft and get stalked by a a couple of great white sharks which are hunting together.
There is some tension in the film and the characters don't feel like cheap cardboard cutouts. All of them were fleshed out just enough that the viewer actually cares about what happens to them. The CGI is not great though and this was clearly done on a tight budget. The filmmakers tried to keep the sharks in the darkness and shadows as much as possible and this helps. There are however a few shark scenes that look very poor and this is a problem together with the ludicrous action in the final act as it becomes very unrealistic. Overall the first 30 minutes where the characters are introduced are good, the second act has some suspense but the action in the final third of the film is both unbelievable and predictable at times.
Overall this wasn't great given the story line and the budget constraints but was watchable. The acting is mostly decent. The film is not realistic especially in the final third but overall it is better than many shark themed thriller horrors. There are some cool shots and suspenseful moments but it could have been much better if the story was better developed.
There is some tension in the film and the characters don't feel like cheap cardboard cutouts. All of them were fleshed out just enough that the viewer actually cares about what happens to them. The CGI is not great though and this was clearly done on a tight budget. The filmmakers tried to keep the sharks in the darkness and shadows as much as possible and this helps. There are however a few shark scenes that look very poor and this is a problem together with the ludicrous action in the final act as it becomes very unrealistic. Overall the first 30 minutes where the characters are introduced are good, the second act has some suspense but the action in the final third of the film is both unbelievable and predictable at times.
Overall this wasn't great given the story line and the budget constraints but was watchable. The acting is mostly decent. The film is not realistic especially in the final third but overall it is better than many shark themed thriller horrors. There are some cool shots and suspenseful moments but it could have been much better if the story was better developed.
Melodramatic nonsense
elliotjeory6 August 2021
Just a bunch of people "in their feelings" with a shark in the background. It's boring and done many times before. If your thinking about making a shark film I have some advice:
1. Watch Jaws 2. Recognise the bar set 3. Aim for the bar.
1. Watch Jaws 2. Recognise the bar set 3. Aim for the bar.
A boring one
Leofwine_draca30 October 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Another awful modern shark flick. Barely any shark action here, just a bit of blood in the water at times, so the lack of money is all too obvious. The actors never show any particular talent and the dialogue they've given to play with is less than riveting. The whole thing quickly becomes boring and that feeling never alleviates.
its raft fever...
ops-5253514 May 2021
At least well 2/3's of the movie, its grumpy men and voulnerable women, not as old as me though, but quarelling just like theyve always done in castaway movies since the birth of cinematology.
Its a trip to the gbr area of australia, a paradise turns into hell due to a great white dork of a shark, sinking their main transportation vehicle, and and do the spagat move into the saafety of a rubber dongi,rolliing the perpendicular waltz rythm of the great pacific ocean. Some small attacks occurs, accompanied with a terribly loud sound and musical effects... and thats it. Will they survive?? I shall not reveal anything...
i am modestly speaking extremely disapointed by the poor ingenouity by the makers, and i wont mention all the breakwaters and sandbottom and shifting sky that the editor has had to work with, the obvioiously moored rubber dingy is pretty bad obscured, and my compulsive answer to everyone wanting to see a good shark film, just forget this one. The script is written in the sand at the nearby beach, and of course they are pregnant with a wow
sharknado concept is actually far better thinks the grumpy old man, even though i dont like them either. This is just to draw a good slump of pocketmoney outta your drawers.
Its a trip to the gbr area of australia, a paradise turns into hell due to a great white dork of a shark, sinking their main transportation vehicle, and and do the spagat move into the saafety of a rubber dongi,rolliing the perpendicular waltz rythm of the great pacific ocean. Some small attacks occurs, accompanied with a terribly loud sound and musical effects... and thats it. Will they survive?? I shall not reveal anything...
i am modestly speaking extremely disapointed by the poor ingenouity by the makers, and i wont mention all the breakwaters and sandbottom and shifting sky that the editor has had to work with, the obvioiously moored rubber dingy is pretty bad obscured, and my compulsive answer to everyone wanting to see a good shark film, just forget this one. The script is written in the sand at the nearby beach, and of course they are pregnant with a wow
sharknado concept is actually far better thinks the grumpy old man, even though i dont like them either. This is just to draw a good slump of pocketmoney outta your drawers.
Michael Boighen, please never write screenplays again.
fmtebay2 August 2021
The characters are so shallow.
The stereotypical White heroes are shallow AF.
The stereotypical non-White villains are shallow AF.
The characters' decisions and actions make no sense.
What kind of narrow, unrealistic world view gave birth to this garbage?
Please find a different occupation, Michael.
The stereotypical White heroes are shallow AF.
The stereotypical non-White villains are shallow AF.
The characters' decisions and actions make no sense.
What kind of narrow, unrealistic world view gave birth to this garbage?
Please find a different occupation, Michael.
Liked it !
rotini-5258614 May 2021
Nothing Great about this
Ckn484 October 2021
Nice Shark movie!
Novelwolf17 May 2021
A decent effort
NickyDee0793817 May 2021
Whilst the 'shark survival' sub genre has plenty of contributors it's probably fair to say that many, if not most, are really let down by either sub standard vfx or by really non committal performances. The few that stand out, including the Reef, The Shallows, and Open Water, do so because they don't skimp on those two very important components. As far as stories go it's very hard to offer much in the way of differentiation. By its very nature the sub genre puts people, mainly young adults admittedly, at the mercy of the ocean's top predatory fish, which through over reliance on the biggest and most recogniseable, as opposed to the most voracious or scheming, becomes a little predictable and trite at times. Great White for me sits firmly in the middle of all these shark movies. It's a predictable story with a predictable setup and outcome. Like many horror movies do, it invites, through its simplicity, audiences to predict who will die when, based on stereotypical characters and character traits. That said, Great White is entertaining enough, blending good performance with live shark footage and enough 'below water, above water' cinematography to induce suspense. What lets it down rather badly are the few occasions where the VFX sharks fall into the Sharknado realm of shoddy and ineffectual. And that's a pity, as with The Shallows level of CGI this could quite easily have avoided the one major pitfall of films in this sub genre - it's too dangerous to get real up close footage to convince. So if you have to fake it - don't appear to be faking it. KONTIKI is your reference if you need to see VFX sharks done seamlessly. Anyway, this is certainly not a bad film, it's entertaining and passable as an entry alongside the films already mentioned. Those who have slammed it unashamedly really are doing it a disservice and frankly their critiques or opinions are little more than the chum that minor characters in this type of film become.
Starts stupid and gets worse.
LordCommandar27 May 2021
A dumbass aussie pilot decides to play search and rescue with his pregnant girlfriend one crew member and a couple who charted a plane to scatter a family members ashes off the coast. I never wanted so much a bunch of idiots to die in a film in all my life until I watched the beginning of this POS. A movie full cute faces, a dumbass story and a horrible shark premise. Dont bother.
A Shark Version Of Black Water: Abyss
vengeance2024 May 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Had a feeling this film was going to be bad but still decided to give it a watch anyway.
The film follows a group of 5 who become stranded in the sea & find themselves floating on a raft while trying to survive Great White Shark attacks.
I found the film to be boring for the most part, while there were some decent shark shots a lot of them looked really fake looking (Poor GCI) & made even Jaws: The Revenge seem more realistic! The characters were alright, aside from one which really annoyed the crap out of me! The film however was short at 1 hour & 21 minutes, but felt longer due to it mostly being the group moaning & talking to each other while floating endlessly.
But my main hate towards this film is the sexism. All the Male characters die & all the females live (how original), once again it's typical in the 2020's that men can't be hero's & save the day, cause women apparently don't need men (who are treated as useless in films like this) to save them from danger, how typical! How EmPowErInG! How Wo0Ke! Seriously? Why do films have to be like this? Can't good films be made anymore? Apparently not in 2021 or the 2020's for that matter...!
Overall, terrible film! 1/10.
The film follows a group of 5 who become stranded in the sea & find themselves floating on a raft while trying to survive Great White Shark attacks.
I found the film to be boring for the most part, while there were some decent shark shots a lot of them looked really fake looking (Poor GCI) & made even Jaws: The Revenge seem more realistic! The characters were alright, aside from one which really annoyed the crap out of me! The film however was short at 1 hour & 21 minutes, but felt longer due to it mostly being the group moaning & talking to each other while floating endlessly.
But my main hate towards this film is the sexism. All the Male characters die & all the females live (how original), once again it's typical in the 2020's that men can't be hero's & save the day, cause women apparently don't need men (who are treated as useless in films like this) to save them from danger, how typical! How EmPowErInG! How Wo0Ke! Seriously? Why do films have to be like this? Can't good films be made anymore? Apparently not in 2021 or the 2020's for that matter...!
Overall, terrible film! 1/10.
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