Fine creature feature filmmaking and engaging actors propels Great White above the overcrowded slog of shark attack movies.

Great White hits all the elements needed for a thrilling shark attack movie: good looking cast, great location shots, and of course terrifying man-eating sharks. Where it surprises is in its actors. Although their characters lean more towards the tropey side of things, the five strong cast featured in Great White deliver the dramatic stakes needed to make the shark attack elements all that more thrilling.

Filmed and set in North Queensland, Australia, the Martin Wilson directed Great White begins in typical Jaws fashion with the gobbling up of a holidaying couple, whose fun in the sun quickly turns into a crimson-red nightmare.

With the danger well and truly established, we are introduced to Kaz (Katrina Bowden) and Charlie (Aaron Jakubenko), a couple who run a seaplane tourist venture that is sinking in debt. Whey they are hired by rich couple Michelle (Kimie Tsukakoshi) and Joji (Tim Kano) for a trip to a secluded beach spot known as “Hell’s Reef”, this crew of the damned (also featuring Te Kohe Tuhaka as Benny) find themselves stranded in the Pacific Ocean after a monstrous great white shark cripples their seaplane and subsequently stalks their lifeboat, waiting for whoever is brave – or foolish – enough to enter the water.

As our five survivors float across the sea, Great White resembles Hitchcock’s Lifeboat more than Spielberg’s Jaws, and it is a creative decision that works. What separates the good shark attack movies from the bad is what happens between the horror, and the actors in Great White engage not only in the portrayal of their characters written by Michael Boughen (The Loved Ones), but also in their physical appearance with Katrina Bowden especially putting butts in seats.  

When those anticipated shark attack scenes do happen, Wilson and his crew do not disappoint with tense filled sequences that hit fever pitch before the “chomping” begins. Scenes shot underwater are especially impressive as the cast brave the elements to face-off against a monstrous great white that is a blend of animatronics and visual effects.

Great White does not break the mould when it comes to the shark attack film, but it is a solid entry in the ever-growing sub-genre. Great White looks great, has plenty of intense thrilling moments of horror, and an engaging cast the kept me interested throughout.