Ever since Steven Spielberg’s Jaws terrified audiences into reconsidering every trip to the beach in 1975, shark movies have faced an impossible challenge. Not only do they have to deliver suspense, thrills, and memorable shark attacks, but they also have to compete with one of the greatest thrillers ever made. Plenty have tried. Some have become cult favorites, others have leaned into outrageous B-movie territory, and a few have featured sharks doing things that would probably confuse marine biologists everywhere.

One movie, however, came closer than most to capturing what made Jaws so effective. Rather than relying on increasingly ridiculous plot twists or massive casts, the movie succeeds through tension, clever filmmaking, and a genuinely intimidating predator. Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra, whose credits also include Orphan and Carry-On, it earned strong reviews upon release and became a surprise box office success.

Released in 2016, The Shallows stripped the shark thriller down to its essentials, focusing on a single protagonist trapped in a desperate fight for survival. Critics praised its lean storytelling and Blake Lively’s committed central performance, while audiences appreciated a shark movie that remembered suspense can often be more effective than spectacle.

Now that The Shallows has arrived on Netflix, subscribers have the perfect opportunity to revisit one of the best survival thrillers of the last decade or discover it for the first time.

The Shallows Is Now On Netflix – What It’s About

The Shallows stars Blake Lively as Nancy Adams, a medical student grieving the loss of her mother. While visiting a secluded Mexican beach that held special meaning for her family, Nancy decides to spend a day surfing before returning home.

The trip takes a horrifying turn when a great white shark attacks her far from shore. Injured and stranded on a small rock outcropping roughly 200 yards from safety, Nancy quickly realizes the shark is still circling nearby and has no intention of leaving.

What follows is a tightly constructed survival story that unfolds largely in one location. With the tide rising, limited resources, and a predator constantly patrolling the water, Nancy must rely on intelligence, determination, and a surprising amount of improvisation to stay alive.

The Shallows keeps the focus squarely on Nancy’s predicament, allowing every decision to feel consequential. Even simple tasks, such as moving between safe spots or assessing the shark’s position, become nerve-wracking challenges.

The Shallows Is A Great Shark Movie If You Love Jaws

The reason The Shallows stands out from so many shark thrillers is that it understands the lesson Spielberg mastered with Jaws: the shark is only part of the equation. Suspense comes from the characters, the situation, and the audience’s anticipation of what might happen next.

Like Chief Brody in Jaws, Nancy is an engaging protagonist whose vulnerability makes every encounter more effective. Blake Lively carries much of the movie on her own, delivering a performance that keeps viewers invested even when she’s the only human character on screen for extended stretches.

Collet-Serra also demonstrates impressive restraint. The shark appears frequently enough to feel threatening, The Shallows film never becomes a nonstop creature feature. Instead, it carefully builds tension through long stretches of uncertainty, forcing viewers to scan the water just as Nancy does.

While Jaws remains the undisputed champion of shark cinema, The Shallows comes remarkably close to recapturing its blend of suspense, survival, and crowd-pleasing thrills. It may not make audiences swear off beaches forever, but it will probably make them think twice before swimming too far from shore.

Release Date

June 24, 2016

Runtime

86 minutes

Director

Jaume Collet-Serra

Writers

Anthony Jaswinski

Producers

Lynn Harris