Ghost Shark (2013)
In Jaws, it took an entire town — and ultimately, three men — to bring down a great white shark. In Ghost Shark, two rednecks manage to drop one with a 357 Magnum, a crossbow, a grenade, and a bottle of hot sauce. Unlike Jaws, viewers of Ghost Shark won’t have to wait for the sequel for the shark to return. In fact, the shark has already returned from the grave and claimed its first victim before the opening credits.
With a new thirst for blood, Ghost Shark begins feasting in Smallport. Unlike Jaws, it turns out ghost sharks can pretty much materialize wherever there’s water, including, but not limited to: swimming pools, Slip and Slides, fire hydrants, car washes, rain puddles, and in one very unfortunate incident, inside a guy who just happened to be drinking a glass of water.
The only person is town who seems to know what’s going on is Finch, the mysterious lighthouse keeper played by Richard “Bull from Night Court” Moll. It seems there’s a cave near the lighthouse that works a little bit like Pet Sematary, and unfortunately that’s where the great white’s corpse ended up. It also happens to be where Finch murdered his wife, but that’s another story. While the adults in the film run around disbelieving everything they’re told, it’s the kids who formulate and execute the winning plan.
The acting in Ghost Shark isn’t terrible as far as SyFy movies go, but any lack in urgency by the largely teenage cast is made up for by Moll, who yells and slams his fists down enough for everyone. For the most part the film is played seriously, although a few lines delivered a genuine chuckle. (“We don’t need to chum. We are the chum!”)
While the movie’s premise is obviously ridiculous, it’s played pretty much straight throughout the film. The special effects are obvious CGI but surprisingly good, and the kills, and there are many, are better than you would expect from cable fodder. There aren’t any huge plot holes, and it keeps things moving along. It’s no Jaws and it’s not trying to be, but it is a fun 90 minute romp with a few jumps and a few laughs hidden in the belly of the beast.
Tags: halloween2020, horror