GREAT WHITE (2021) 

Five beautiful people set out on a seaplane for a day of sun and sand. What could go wrong? Fans of the genre know that whatever can go sideways, will - and that's exactly what was in store for these unsuspecting travelers. A series of unfortunate mishaps (and questionable decision-making) leaves them fighting for survival against a group of hungry sharks who are obviously out for blood.

ACTING | CHARACTERS | DIALOGUE:

Who are these people? Why do I care if they survive? These are questions I was left asking as their situation grew more dire, because the script failed to entice me to any of them. The protagonists weren't especially likeable. The increasing tension between certain characters felt contrived, at times even bordering on silly. For a thriller called Great White - a great deal of the film was, well, sharkless - and void of any real tension or excitement. Katrina Bowden and Aaron Jakubenko both gave fairly solid performances, but the melodramatic narrative simply failed to hold my attention in any meaningful way.

VISUAL EFFECTS | MAKEUP | DESIGN:

Visually, the film runs the gamut between breathtaking and bewildering. There are some absolutely stunning aerial shots that would be a knock-out for those watching on the big screen. Some of the underwater action sequences also held their own (think The Little Mermaid with a lot more blood). Where the visuals triumph in some aspects, there are other times when they fall just as hard. One CG shark in particular appears to be out of a '90s video game rather than a 2021 feature film, creating a cringe factor that could have been avoided.