Are sharks really as mean as Hollywood directors make out?
Have you ever thought that when someone is in a cage, submerged underwater, and a shark bursts into a frenzy, that maybe they’re just trying to get the person out?
No? We didn’t think so.
Still, in celebration of these mighty killing machines, we’ve dived head first into a ranking of the top ten shark movies of all time.
We’ve plumbed the deep blue to bring you the best of the best.
10. Jaws 2
At number ten we have Jaws 2 at a rating of 4.2/10 (collected from averages courtesy of IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes.) It may not have done as well as its classic predecessor, but shark-hunting sheriff Roy Scheider’s performance was enough to earn this movie a place on the list.
9. 12 Days of Terror
Taking the ninth spot is 12 Days of Terror with a rating of 4.4/10. Being the movie that inspired Jaws, it is made much more terrifying by the fact that it was based on a true story; the New Jersey shark attacks of 1916. Yikes.
8. Deep Blue Sea
Chomping its way to eighth place with a rating of 4.6/10 is 1999 thriller Deep Blue Sea. While receiving mixed reviews from critics, what earned this fishy flick a spot on this list is its surprise factor; fans enjoyed the continuous toothy action in an otherwise predictable and one-sided genre.
7. Bait
In seventh place we have 2012 movie Bait at 5.1/10. In what can only be described as an unfortunate sequence of events, a freak tsunami traps an unlucky group of people in a grocery store leagues below. Oh yeah. And bloodthirsty great white sharks are on the prowl as well. The element of being a guilty pleasure film is what earned it the seventh place spot.
6. 47 Meters Down: Uncaged
At number 6, it’s director Johannes Roberts’ 47 Meters Down: Uncaged. The 5.1/10 rated sequel to 47 Meters Down follows two girls on a scuba trip that went horribly wrong. What earned this movie a place on the list and an edge over Bait was the praise it received for its acting and suspense. Its poor CGI was what caused it to just miss out on the top five.
5. USS Indianapolis: Men of Courage
Kicking off the top five is 2016 kinda-but-not-really period piece USS Indianapolis: Men of Courage. This flick sees us follow a group of men submerged in a ship in shark-infested waters. Regardless of its fairly negative reception from critics, the Nicolas Cage-led film makes it into the top five because of its convincing CGI.
4. The Meg
Just missing out on the shark cinematography bronze medal is 2018 box office success The Meg. With a star-studded cast and great director, this movie smashed the box office but, apparently, the critics didn’t see it. Regardless, its rating of 5.6/10 earns it a respectable fourth place.
3. The Reef
Based on a true story, Australian horror The Reef (2010) claims the bronze medal with a third-place finish. A group of friends scramble to an island off the coast of Indonesia after their ship goes bottom up. All the while, a rather peckish great white shark is, unbeknownst to them, tagging along. The movie’s consistent suspense component was enough for it to earn third and a 5.7/10 rating.
2. The Shallows
Just missing out on the top spot is 2016 horror The Shallows. A mix of strong storytelling and a stellar show by Blake Lively was what earned this movie both global recognition, our respect, and an overall score of 6.2/10.
1. Jaws
We’re gunna need a bigger boat for this one. Taking the top spot as the apex predator of shark movies is the 1975 classic Jaws. A cornerstone film in shark and action movies alike, this Spielberg-captained motion picture paved the way for all of the aforementioned movies. A great cast, story and the pound-for-pound most terrifying shark in cinematic history set this movie leagues above the rest with a rating of 8.3/10.
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