MANEATER
(director/writer: Justin Lee; cinematographer: Eamon Long; editor: Eamon Long; music: Daniel Figueiredo; cast: Nicky Whelan (Jessie), Shane West (Will), Trace Adkins (Harlan Burke), Eddie Marrone (Cat. Wally), Kelly Lynn Reiter (Brianna), Branscombe Richmond (Sheriff Kua), Jeff Fahey (Harlan), Porscha Coleman (Sunny); Runtime: 89; MPAA Rating: R; producer: Daemon Hillin; Saban Films/Hillin Entertainment/VOD; 2022)
“Is as bad as it gets for a shark exploitation film.”
Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz
The Justin Lee (“Hellblazers”/”Hunters”) written and directed low-budget Jaws-like killer shark film is as bad as it gets for a shark exploitation film. The special effects are shoddy, the story is a bore, the dialogue is trite and the acting like the artificial sharks have no bite.
A tourist group in Hawaii become the targets for a killer white whale. Disgusting graphic shots, even if the gore is minimal, of shark attacks are commonplace.
The shark hunter, armed with a pump-action shotgun, Harlan Burke (Trace Adkins, a bad actor but decent country singer) tries tracking the shark on his own after his daughter is killed and he feels the authorities are not doing enough to get it. The film ends with him surviving to make this a possible franchise film, with his character going all over the world to kill killer sharks. My suggestion if this inane film becomes the start of a franchise they get a new writer, director and cast as starters.
The main story features Jessie (Nicky Whelan), who has just gone through a troubling break-up with her ex, so her friends to get her mind off that, suggest she go on the same tour she was to take with her ex. Her close friend Will (Shane West) organizes a group tour with her friends to party at a secluded island in Hawaii, hiring the party boat of Captain Wally (Ed Marrone). One the travelers is bleeding from a bad cut and keeps his hand in the water. That’s not a good idea, as the visitors get trapped on the island by the white sharks.
The scenes that were not tedious included the touristy shots of Hawaii as a paradise (probably the only shots not from the soundstage). As for the film’s sharks, they looked as fake as were the dry conversations the tourist characters had about their day jobs.
Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz
The Justin Lee (“Hellblazers”/”Hunters”) written and directed low-budget Jaws-like killer shark film is as bad as it gets for a shark exploitation film. The special effects are shoddy, the story is a bore, the dialogue is trite and the acting like the artificial sharks have no bite.
A tourist group in Hawaii become the targets for a killer white whale. Disgusting graphic shots, even if the gore is minimal from the shark attacks.
The shark hunter, armed with a pump-action shotgun, Harlan Burke (Trace Adkins, a bad actor but decent country singer), tries tracking the shark on his own after his daughter is killed and he feels the authorities are not doing enough. The film ends with him surviving to make this a possible franchise film, with his character going all over the world to kill killer sharks. My suggestion if this inane film becomes the start of a franchise is that they get a new writer, director and cast as starters.
The main story features Jessie (Nicky Whelan), who has just gone through a troubling break-up with her ex, so her friends to get her mind off that, suggest she go on the same tour she was to take with her ex. Her close friend Will (Shane West) organizes a group tour with her friends to party at a secluded island in Hawaii, hiring the party boat of Captain Wally (Ed Marrone). One the travelers is bleeding from a bad cut and keeps his hand in the water. That’s not a good idea, as the visitors get trapped on the island by the attracted white sharks.
The scenes that were not tedious included the touristy shots of Hawaii as a paradise (probably the only shots not from the soundstage). As for the film’s sharks, they looked as fake as the conversations sounded from the tourist characters about their day jobs.
REVIEWED ON 9/5/2022 GRADE: D