Blake Lively stars as a surfer girl stranded offshore when a great white shark keeps her from returning to land in this thriller, billed as "Jaws for a new generation". Only 200 metres from survival, getting there will be the ultimate contest of wills. Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra (Orphan and no fewer than four different Liam Neeson films).
78%220 reviews
I’m calling it: the most epic showdown this year isn’t between grunting titanic superheroes with petty beefs to work out, but Gossip Girl alum Blake Lively and a great white shark. Not to oversell Jaume Collet-Serra’s more-than-capable abilities, but the robust, engaging B-movie carpentry of The Shallows is one of the most convincing arguments yet to discuss, as many critical circles have, the Spanish director’s body of work in auteurist terms.
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Lively may have been cast primarily for her physique, but she proves a compelling heroine all the same.
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You're gonna need a bigger Blake (and you're going to get one) in Lively's enjoyably trashy shark-survival movie, the definition of summer fun.
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[Lively] acquits herself well here, especially in the vulnerable-to-shark-attack department.
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What could have been mere summertime chum is actually one of the more cleverly constructed B-movies in quite some time.
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It's smartly done, with just enough twists and turns in the tale to avoid the film ever quite falling into I-know-exactly-how-this'll-turn-out territory.
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It's all patently ridiculous. But Blake Lively, director Collet-Serra and a digital shark show no mercy in hooking us with the B-movie tension. And we bite.
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Director Jaume Collet-Saura had the restraint to tease the monster until it absolutely has to be on screen, a handy choice considering the CGI is often shonky.
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Jaws this is not, but that didn't stop me from a few yell-out-loud, freak-out fright moments.
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If you're looking for a quick and satisfying summer thrill... then the aptly titled Blake Lively-vs.-shark thriller "The Shallows" should serve you nicely.
Full reviewThe Shallows is available to stream in New Zealand now on Netflix and Google Play and Apple TV.
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