Best Shark Movies

Why do we love shark movies? They are terrifying and fear-inducing, but what is it about them that makes so them so irresistibly delightful to watch? Sharks are the apex predators of the ocean and are truly fascinating sea creatures. That is probably why we cannot get enough of them and why we continue to eat up every shark movie that is made — even the bad ones.

We warn you that if you have thalassophobia (an intense fear of the ocean), we do not suggest you continue reading. Unless you enjoy frightening yourself so much that you believe sharks are lurking in every body of water. This list of the best shark movies is full of films that induce terror and fear of sharks with their sharp teeth and impressive bites, and show us that for some reason, sharks love to stalk humans!

Sharknado (2013)

Sharknado is one of those movies that is so bad, it’s good. Defying all logic, this one will make you laugh until you cry as a mystifying hurricane begins pelting Los Angeles with thousands of sharks via air and water. Never go into a Sharknado movie with expectations, each one is increasingly sillier than the last.

47 Meters Down (2017)

Not a commonly known movie, 47 Meters Down is a shark thriller like no other as two sisters find themselves trapped within a shark cage at the bottom of the Caribbean Sea. With only an hour of oxygen left and deadly great white sharks circling them, they must come up with a survival plan and fast because time is running out.

Deep Blue Sea (1999)

What happens when you begin experimenting on one of the oceans deadliest predators? Deep Blue Sea answers that question when a group of scientists and biologists tucked away in an isolated research center begin genetically modifying the brains of sharks looking for a cure to Alzheimer’s disease. The sharks soon develop heightened intelligence and begin to fight back against the researchers that made them.

Jaws 2 (1978)

Jaws 2 takes place four years after the first shark attack on Amity Island. Once again, tourists and beachgoers find themselves being terrorized by another great white. Our beloved hero, Police Chief Brody must once again hunt down the deadly creature before more lives are lost.

The Meg (2018)

Part action movie and part monster movie, The Meg stars Jason Statham as Navy Captain Jonas Taylor, who is dismissed from service after an encounter with a sea creature forces him to abandon his crew. Taylor is haunted by the incident and no one believes what he saw. But when a giant megalodon emerges from the Mariana Trench, Taylor is given a shot at redemption.

Open Water (2003)

Based on a true story, Open Water tells the tale of two divers that find themselves stranded in the middle of the Caribbean ocean after their tour boat leaves them behind. While looking for land, a desperate struggle to survive ensues when the couple swims into shark infested waters.

The Shallows (2016)

Nancy (Blake Lively) is surfing just off the coast of a secluded beach when she is attacked by a great white shark. Nancy finds herself stranded just offshore and trapped by the shark that is methodically hunting her. Nancy must fight for survival and outwit one of the oceans most deadly killers to make it back to the shore.

The Reef (2010)

Sometimes described as The Blair Witch Project of the ocean, The Reef tells the horrifying tale of four friends that are forced adrift when their sailboat capsizes while exploring Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. The friends must enter the open water in search of land, but things go from bad to worse when the group is terrorized by a great white shark.

Jaws (1975)

No list of the best shark movies would be complete without Jaws. It is the classic shark movie. Steven Spielberg terrified audiences with Jaws in 1975. We can promise you that it still delivers a sense of fear and dread even after all these years. Jaws begins with a shark attack just off the coast of the tourist town Amity Island. The locals must band together to hunt down the monster that is terrorizing beaches.

Like water-centric suspense films? Check out our huge list of tsunami movies!

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