Shark Killer (2015)
Directed by: Sheldon Wilson
Written by: Richard Beattie, Sheldon Wilson
Starring: Arnold Vosloo, Derek Theler, Erica Cerra, Paul Du Toit
With the plot and characters of a SyFy creature feature of the week, Shark Killer is an action/crime caper with a few sharks thrown in. As far as plots go with these sort of films, it’s not the silliest of stories. Chase Walker is a womanising beach bum who happens to specialise in man-eating shark disposal. When a South African gangster (who turns out to be his brother) comes calling to ask him to deal with a certain shark, he’s given little option but to comply. The catch is, this particular shark has ingested a large diamond worth a significant amount of money. If that wasn’t challenging enough, a rival mobster is also after the diamond, leaving the charismatic ladies man between a rock and a hard place.
As far a shark films go, there’s as much shark action as there is in Jaws The Revenge (i.e. not a lot), however it seems they’ve tried to cram as many references to Jaws in as they could in the opening 5 minutes. The main bulk of the film seems to be the surprisingly ass kicking Chase squaring up against either sides’ goons, charming the ladies, or fighting some more. The surprising thing is, the fighting and his charm come across brilliantly and are surprisingly enjoyable. Derek Theler, who plays Chase really makes the character his own and shows he’s more than capable of the charming leading man we’ve seen from the likes of Chris Pratt recently. The supporting cast put in a good shift too, as everyone just seems to be having a great time, without any of the awful wooden performances you get in this type of film. Chase’s brother soon forgets he’s South African however, as his accent slips more and more through the film.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWrJPu4WB9Y[/youtube]
Shark Killer is a much better film than it has any right to be. The plot seems like nothing other than a reason to see what can be thrown at the hapless Chase, in his mission just to get everyone off his back. The lack of actual shark activity is a bit disappointing, so if you’re looking for the next Sharknado or Shark Attack you’ll be out of luck, but it’s actually compensated with the central performance being so much fun. There’s also some great opening credits to the film which really sets the tone of what kind of movie you’re in for.
It’s a genuinely fun action film, but won’t give any blockbusters a run for their money and the actors really seem to be having a great time, which makes it all the more enjoyable. Seek out Shark Killer if you’re in the mood for some daft, ass-kicking tom foolery, with the occasional shark thrown in for good measure.
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