J-Bang Reviews Present: The Shallows

The Shallows, or I like to call it "The Revenant with a shark," stars Blake Lively as a surfer girl named Nancy, who happens to go to Med school and has a mother who died of cancer. But enough of the exposition. When Nancy goes surfing alone, she is attacked and severely injured by a Great White Shark and it is up to her to find a way back to shore without getting eaten alive.

After finishing my initial viewing of "The Shallows," I have come to the conclusion that it is a very tense psychological thriller that is WORTH the price of admission. Blake Lively proves that she is more than just a pretty face (and a hot body) and showcases her acting skills by virtually carrying a film all by herself. She portrays a protagonist that we can root for while her antagonist (the shark) proves to be especially sinister in its approach. To my surprise, the shark looked convincingly realistic, which is rare now a days with the over-reliance of CGI in the film industry. Plus, rather than being a "dumb eating machine," the shark showcases its own sense of determination in trying to eat Nancy as opposed to Nancy trying to escape the shark. Both play off each other's actions very well.

Just like "the Revenant," the Shallows does take a moment to give screen time to the nature and beauty that surrounds the situation ensuing between Nancy and the shark. Numerous money shots include a swarm of jelly fish, vibrant coral reefs and the sandy beaches of... well, who knows, they never really give the beach a name. Apparently, "it's a secret." The visual effects help create a stunning yet terrifying atmosphere that helps put the audience into the movie along with Blake Lively. And who doesn't want to be alongside Blake Lively? I mean...honestly?! Plus, I give huge props to the creators and writers of this film for just giving the movie a simple plot. "Girl gets attacked by shark. Girl is stranded and has no help. Girl must out-think and fight shark in order to survive." That's It. For a movie that is an hour and a half long, the simple plot helps moves things pretty quickly and prevents itself from dragging on and getting dull.

But the real question is "Does she survive?!" Go see the movie and find out for yourself. "The Shallows" gets a score of 4.2 out of 5. HAPPY SHARK WEEK!