Plot: What’s it about?
Dr. Nick Harris (Thorsten Kaye) has been placed in command within WaterWorld, the newest aquarium attraction that opens in less than a week. He has been a good worker and keeps the place in fine order, but he has also run into some problems with his boss, Mr. Francisco (Danny Keogh). Francisco wants to do whatever it takes to have WaterWorld up and running in time, even if that means cutting corners at times. Harris however wants to make sure the animals are well cared for and comfortable, before all the crowds come in to enjoy their presence. They are at odds once again when a great white shark is found within an inlet, as Francisco wants to bring in the beast as an attraction, to boost opening week profits. Harris objects, but when Francisco agrees to some conditions, he captures the shark and brings it back to the park’s tank. Soon however, Francisco screws up and the shark kills a park worker, then escapes and Harris is blamed. Now the shark must be brought back, but when a strange series of events leads to some imposing conditions, it might take an army to return the waters to normal.
Shark Attack was a cheese laden film loaded with stock footage of sharks, that took itself too seriously from start to finish. So when Shark Attack 2 was announced, I expected more of the same, but I was in for a surprise. This turned out to be a cheese laden film loaded with stock footage of sharks, but this time around, you can tell the serious edge has been dropped. From the ham handed performances to the outlandish plot twists to the yes, rubber shark fins you can tell Shark Attack 2 was not looking to make cinematic history, at least in a good way. This one had all the elements the original needed, like ample comic relief and obvious lack of budget, which it never seems to want to hide, not in the least. The special effects range from plastic sharks to the rubber fins to some really bad computer work, all of which adds to the cheese factor and to me, make it more fun to watch and laugh at. If you’re a fan of creature features and like humorous schlock, then Shark Attack 2 would be a good choice, but be sure you’re not expecting a serious movie, or else you’ll be let down, as this one is just for laughs.
The most memorable performance here is given by Thorsten Kaye, though perhaps not for reasons he would be proud of. Kaye has the same vocal patterns as Jean Claude Van Damme, which means no matter what, it seems as if his lines have been dubbed, even though they weren’t. In truth however, all the voices seem to have been dubbed, but Kaye’s speech seems to be the most suspect of them all. His Van Damme accent aside, Kaye seems to be in decent form in Shark Attack 2, given the almost laughable situations he was forced to perform in. We know how hard it is to act against a blue screen, but imagine a modern actor working with old shark stock footage, or even a rubber shark fin, now that’s hard. So his work is by no means great, but when you think about the circumstances, I have no complaints. You can also see Kaye in such films as The Silencers, The Prophet’s Game, and Deadly Desires. The cast also includes Daniel Alexander (Shadow Hours, Bob’s Video), Danny Keogh (The Mangler, From Dusk ‘Til Dawn 3), Caroline Burns, and Nikita Ager (Pirates of Silicon Valley, Tomcats).
Video: How does it look?
Shark Attack 2 is presented in a 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. This presentation is good, but the stock footage looks very rough, as do a few of the darker scenes. The grain that’s present in some dark scenes is not extreme however and on the whole, the contrast is well balanced and properly defined. No real issues with colors either, as the hues look bright and bold, while flesh tones come across in warm, natural form. A few small flaws do surface, but I found this to be a more than solid visual transfer.
Audio: How does it sound?
This release uses a Dolby Digital 5.1 track, but I wasn’t too taken with the film’s sound design, which never really takes advantage of the potential soundscape. A few scenes do pack a nice punch, but I would have liked more subtle use also, which there isn’t much of here. The track is better than average however and in the end, I’d rather have this than an “ultra-stereo” option, to be sure. The dialogue is dead on, with rich vocals and solid clarity, while the volume always remains at a proper volume balance. This disc also includes subtitles in English, Spanish, and French, just in case you’ll need those.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes trailers for Shark Attack 2, plus three other Trimark released killer creature features.
