Deep Water
The brief
Renny Harlin turns a plane crash survival story into a relentless shark attack thriller that feels like "The Meg" meets "Alive" with none of the charm of either. Aaron Eckhart and Ben Kingsley bring surprising gravity to what could have been pure schlock, but the film gets bogged down in tedious character dynamics when it should be feeding people to sharks. The underwater sequences are genuinely tense, though the CGI sharks look about as convincing as the international accents. Perfect for anyone who thought "Snakes on a Plane" needed more water and less self-awareness.
The verdict
If you crave underwater tension and can overlook dodgy CGI for the sake of shark-fueled mayhem, this delivers exactly the B-movie thrills Renny Harlin promises. If you need convincing special effects or can't stomach tedious character drama interrupting your creature feature, you'll find yourself checking your watch between shark attacks.
Watch with
- 👥 Friends who love cheesy disaster movies
- ⚠️ Skip if you fear drowning or sharks
Heads up
- Multiple shark attack deaths with blood (moderate)
- Plane crash with injuries and panic (moderate)
- Drowning scenes in confined spaces (moderate)
- Jump scares from underwater attacks (frequent)
Credits
- Director
- Renny Harlin
- Cast
- Aaron Eckhart, Molly Belle Wright, Kelly Gale, Ben Kingsley, Angus Sampson, Rosie Zhao, Richard Crouchley
Official synopsis
A group of international passengers on a flight from Los Angeles to Shanghai is forced to make an emergency landing in shark-infested waters. The terrified group is forced to work together and overcome their differences if they hope to escape their sinking plane and the frenzy of sharks drawn to the wreckage.
The Double
Make a night of it
Pair this with Beast (2026)
Both feature deadly predators stalking trapped survivors in remote locations.
