Something in the Water – Movie Review (3/5)

SOMETHING IN THE WATER is a new shark thriller out in theaters and on VOD. It’s better than most shark movies and worth checking out. Read our full Something in the Water movie review here!

SOMETHING IN THE WATER is a shark thriller with a strong core story, not too much CGI, and five interesting main characters. If you like shark horror movies or thrillers, this one is definitely for you. I enjoy shark movies, but I’ve also watched a lot of bad ones.

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Even the runtime of just 86 minutes is a plus for this one, but what makes the overall viewing experience good is the cast. Well, and also the story, obviously, but the actors are what brings it all home.

Continue reading our Something in the Water movie review below. Find it in limited theaters and VOD from May 3, 2024.

All-female survival thriller

In Something in the Water, we’re getting a survival thriller with five female characters at its core. However, rather than start with a shark attack, as most shark horror movies do, we begin with a different attack. One that is a hate crime.

Two of the five friends in this story are dating, and one night while heading home from a date, they are attacked by a group of girls. A brutal example of the violence LGBTQ+ people are still experiencing all over the world.

And before you ask, yes, there are men in this movie. All the male characters are kind and good, but this movie is simply not about them.

Instead, it’s about what happens a year after the hate crime attack when all five friends reunite for a wedding in the Caribbean. One of the girls is marrying the brother of one of the other five girls.

One last adventure

The day before the wedding ceremony, one of the girls (the sister of the groom) has planned a little bachelorette party. Or more like a getaway really, so they can have one last adventure in this exotic paradise without any of the other wedding guests around.

They head out on a somewhat shabby boat, and while trying to mend some of the wounds from one year earlier, they accidentally end up in shark-infested waters. They discover this when one of the girls is bitten by a shark. Clearly just a little “taste” from the shark’s side, but one that bleeds a lot.

So, now there are two things in the water: Sharks and blood. A terrible combination.

From that point on, the five friends are each fighting for both their own life and that of their friends. Facing brutal fears and they do whatever they can to survive in the open waters.

The five actors portraying the friends in this group are wonderfully cast. Their friendship feels natural and very organic, which is key to the story working. The actors are Hiftu Quasem, Lauren Lyle, Natalie Mitson, Nicole Rieko Setsuko, and Ellouise Shakespeare-Hart. Each one delivers a great performance!

Watch Something in the Water in theaters or on VOD

The director of Something in the Water is Hayley Easton Street with a screenplay written by Cat Clarke (Good Omens). The two filmmakers have crafted a gorgeous shark thriller that has moments of pure horror and also some biting (pun intended) dark humor along the way.

While I loved that this movie didn’t use too much CGI, we do see the shark and there is some special effects used in that sense. However, it’s used as it should be; With surgical precision. Also, I loved how there was a focus on the way a group of girls work in a situation like this.

There is so much blame, but more than anything, each of the girls ends up apologizing and feeling like the situation is somehow their fault. Sure, some less-than-great choices are made, but ending up in shark-infested waters is just terrible bad luck.

To me, this is arguably one of the better overall shark movies. Both in storyline, choice of effects, and wonderful casting. Do check it out!

Something in the Water is out in US theaters and on VOD on May 3, 2024. In the UK, it’ll be out in cinemas on July 5, 2024.

Details

Director: Hayley Easton Street
Writer: Cat Clarke
Stars: Lauren Lyle, Hiftu Quasem, Nicole Rieko Setsuko, Ellouise Shakespeare-Hart, Natalie Mitson