The Shallows

The Shallows was released on June 24th of this year, starting summer off with a sensational hype. Starring Blake Lively, this intricate movie revolving a shark attack in the shallows of Mexico is full of intensity from beginning to end.

Plot

Nancy Adams is still in mourning over her mother's death. Previously a medical student, she begins to question going back, especially since she resents herself for the death of her mother who succumbed to sickness. Regardless, Nancy abandons everything in her life and searches for the beach her mother had gone to back in '91. With a more spiritual meaning behind this adventure, Nancy basks on the sands of this beach before going off on a surf.

Meeting two other surfers that she shares some interactions with, Nancy otherwise is alone in the deep blue. She watches the horizon while waiting for another wave, but is captivated by the sudden appearance of a whale carcass twenty yards from her. Slightly appalled, Nancy tries returning to shore before the sudden attack of a great white knocks her off her board. And with a nasty wound on her leg when he tries to drag her down for a kill hinders her ability to do anything but stay stranded on a reef.

As the day turns into night and night into day, Nancy is forced to fight back against the great white who awaits her every move.

Overall

I'm a sucker for shark movies, so you can imagine I was relatively interested when I saw the trailer starring Blake Lively. Of course, this movie isn't something I'd recommend for people to watch in the theaters unless you're with a friend as I was. I feel like if you're with perfect company, the most rubbish moments within a shark movie (and trust me, there are always many) become the most memorable.

Maybe it's just the sadistic parts of myself that make me root for the shark, but it's very obvious throughout the movie that Nancy is definitely going to survive, especially because she's the only kick-ass female lead while all the males seem to get the boot. Talk about female empowerment.

There's nothing completely unique nor special about this movie. To be a bit of a nitpicker, I guess I can go on with a small list:

1. How did you not lose your leg when he first bit you? This is a great white shark that tore some other guy in half, but for some reason he realized that Nancy was a girl and that instead, he was going to be a gentleman and let her have it?
2. Why were you friends with a seagull, Nancy? I have a lot of questions regarding your sanity, but I guess this movie needed to see some kind of friendly relationship being that your plus one left you for a guy and forgot about your existence.

If you're free on a night where impulse-control seems to be on your side and all you want is a movie so bad it's good to pass the time with a bud, The Shallows is quite possibly your cup of tea.