5 Shark Movies That Are 10/10, No Notes

Shark movies have had a largely divisive reputation over the years, often being associated with brainless, low-effort, low-budget horror films that rely on the inherent fear of sharks to draw in audiences despite their lackluster filmmaking. Whether it be over-the-top nonsense like Sharknado or middling blockbusters like The Meg, shark movies are often the butt of the joke when it comes to overused and often ineffective horror or action movies. However, not all shark movies are as egregiously terrible as the worst of the bunch, as there are a select few truly great shark movies deserving of praise and respect.

From pioneers of the genre to top-notch execution that makes the most of the concept, there is a genuine reason that stories about killer sharks have compelled audiences for so many years, with these truly great films almost making it worth sifting through the mountains of garbage shark movies. Especially compared to the rest of the genre, these shark films make the absolute most out of the concept and make for some of the most compelling, gruesome, and overall effective shark films to ever exist.

5 'The Shallows' (2016)

When director Jaume Collet-Serra isn't creating entertaining action-thrillers, he's lending his directorial talents to some of the biggest horror hidden gems of the 21st century, including the likes of Orphan, House of Wax, and even last year's The Woman in the Yard. The Shallows takes his inherent talents within the horror genre and brings them to a classic shark movie premise, seeing Blake Lively as a surfer fighting for her life in dangerous, shark-infested waters. The film combines the shark movie concept with that of a classic single-location thriller, seeing Lively's character being injured by a shark and left to plan a route of escape after being stranded on a lone rock in the middle of the waters.

The genius of The Shallows comes from the fact that its tension and horror don't entirely rely upon the presence of sharks as its only source for scares, as the very situation of being stranded and alone in the face of danger amplifies the impact of the sharks. With a minuscule cast and a singular major location, the film makes the absolute most out of every little detail, as even the smallest mistake can spell out death at the hands of deadly sharks. It's far from necessarily reinventing the wheel when it comes to shark movies or single-location horror thrillers, yet it's an undeniably compelling time that understands the simple effectiveness of a dangerous shark and the dread of isolation.

4 'Dangerous Animals' (2025)

One of the latest notable attempts at finding success within the shark movie genre, Dangerous Animals combines the danger and bloodlust of both sharks and a sadistic serial killer to create a wild and shocking shark torture film. The film follows a free-spirited surfer acting as the latest captive to the ruthless and sadistic Bruce (Jai Courtney), a deranged killer who ritualistically feeds his victims to local sharks to prune the world of those he deems to be lesser people. The torture film adds a great layer of twist to the fear and tension of sharks, simply utilizing their danger as a tool and source of danger for the true evil of its commanding central villain.

Director Sean Byrne makes great use of his distinct style of comedic yet ruthless and overly gory horror to create a horror experience that manages to be just as electrifying and entertaining as it is sickening to watch unfold. The characters feel much more layered and impactful than a traditional horror film, making their demise via sharks that much more painful and impactful to the viewer. The very essence and appeal of torture horror films largely align with the impact and strengths of shark films, so it makes a lot of sense to combine the two distinct horror subgenres together, making the best of both worlds and standing out as a great addition to both respective subgenres.

3 'Deep Blue Sea' (1999)

Easily among the most popular and immediately recognized shark movies of all time, Deep Blue Sea is often the go-to example of what a great shark film can be (aside from that other shark film, you know the one, just wait a bit, you know it's coming). While the film is often associated with its legendary unexpected death scene, the rest of the film surrounding it proves to be just as impactful and compelling as an action-horror film. The film follows a team of scientists in a research facility in the middle of the ocean, experimenting on sharks in hopes of creating a cure for Alzheimer's disease. However, when their testing has the unexpected side effect of giving the sharks hyper-intelligence, it doesn't take long before the sharks begin destroying the facility and force the scientists to fight for their lives.

The inherent appeal of Deep Blue Sea, compared to the vast majority of other shark films, is that it isn't trying to simply be yet another tension-fueled shark horror film, but instead combines the conventions of shark horror films with the no-nonsense chaos of a 90s action blockbuster. It certainly shares its stylistic similarities to shark films of before and after, yet its usage of wild explosions and striking action makes it feel like a shark take on Twister or The Rock. This emphasized focus on 90s action allowed the film to completely go all out in terms of the absurdity and goofiness of its premise, knowing that while it may not make for a better horror film, it certainly makes for a better action film. More than any other high-budget shark film, it understands the blockbuster appeal of sharks and fully embraces its own ridiculousness in the best way possible. Films like The Meg wish they could recapture a fraction of the campy brilliance of Deep Blue Sea. Just be sure to ignore the terrible sequels.

2 'Open Water' (2003)

It's an inherent facet of the overwhelming majority of shark movies that realism is largely thrown out the window, with the spectacle and excitement of dangerous sharks feasting on unsuspecting victims largely being more compelling to general audiences. However, the massive exception to this rule is Open Water, a low-budget masterclass of horror thriller filmmaking that strives for realism above all else for its loose adaptation of a real-life disappearance. The film follows a duo of divers who are accidentally left out at sea without a boat, with nothing but water around them for miles, as they soon find themselves the target of sharks and other dangerous sea life within the area.

Open Water perfectly encapsulates the fear and dread of the ocean better than any other shark film could hope to replicate, with its minuscule $500,000 budget only adding to the authenticity and fear factor of the film as a whole. Also compelling is that the film only utilizes real-life sharks for its filmmaking, not using any sort of animatronics or CGI to bring its sharks to life. As such, the behavior of the sharks is portrayed as realistically as possible, emphasizing the dread and pain of the characters as their slow but inevitable deaths make for one of the most harrowing and bleak shark movies out there. The film is still a one-of-a-kind among shark movies, not attempting any sort of exciting filmmaking with its horror, and creating an experience defined by tension and dread.

1 'Jaws' (1975)

At the end of the day, there really is no other choice for what could be considered not just the greatest shark movie of all time, but easily the greatest movie about any aquatic creature laying waste to large swaths of people in glorious bloody fashion. Steven Spielberg's original blockbuster masterpiece, Jaws, has stood as the definitive icon of shark movies ever since its debut just over 50 years ago, almost single-handedly inventing the genre of shark films as it is known today. The film is often cited as one of the biggest reasons why sharks are viewed as deadly killing machines of the ocean by so many people, as its filmmaking and influence were simply so effective that it forever changed the perspective on these real-life creatures.

No other shark film comes close to the effective filmmaking brilliance that Spielberg utilizes in Jaws, bringing together exceptionally written characters and some of the best, most heart-pounding horror sequences of the era to create a definitive masterpiece of horror. Even after the wide array of lackluster attempts to follow up and recreate its success (even in the form of its own sequels), Jaws is the undeniable king of shark movies and will continue to stand as such until the end of time itself. Even outside of shark movie standards, Jaws is a climactic accomplishment of cinema that forever changed blockbuster filmmaking as a whole, so while it may be obvious that it's the best shark movie ever made, that doesn't make that fact any less true.