“I know you’re all pretty good divers, but this is different.”

Drake’s rating: If you’re like me, sharks never get old

Drake’s review: There’s a problem for every filmmaker who has taken it upon themselves to make a shark movie in the last 50 years, and I think we all know what it is. Here’s a hint: It’s Jaws. Because let’s face it, that movie is as iconic as they come. For many Jaws is not just a shark movie, it’s THE shark movie, and every flick that features those awesome apex predators will be compared against it until the end of time. That’s just how good Jaws is.

But that doesn’t mean intrepid writers and directors are going to give up on their dreams of finding new ways to lure their cast of characters to a toothy doom, and so shark movies keep on keeping on, with at least a few new entries into the annals of filmdom each and every year. And while some of those movies are pretty darn good, with others being a wretched waste of time, it’s just inevitable that each and every one of them will be compared to Jaws at some point. Sharknado? Jaws meets Twister. Deep Blue Sea? Smarty Jaws. Bait? Jaws in a grocery store.

No, I’m actually being serious about that last one, and it’s one of the better shark flicks out there. I promise to review it this Summer, once I can convince Justin that we need to do a Shark Movie Week this year.*

Still, that brings us to The Last Breath, which is “Jaws in a shipwreck.” Granted, that may not sound as exciting as Carcharodon carcharias swimming down the aisles of your local supermarket, but it is a somewhat easier premise to swallow. And diving down to the just-discovered wreck is an easy sell for Noah to spring on his old college friends as well, as his boating business is in the process of sinking faster than the old battleship that he recently stumbled across. From there it’s just a matter of introducing rich boy Brett, who’s funding the dive, stoner Logan, doctor Sam and panicky Riley before they and Noah suit up and hit the depths of the Caribbean to explore some wreckage.

Easier said than done, of course, because we all know that there’s something else in that shipwreck and it’s not Davey Jones. Or even Peter Tork. No, it’s a rather aggressive great white shark that’s taken to swimming through the old battleship and is now looking at the five divers like thy were just delivered by the aquatic equivalent of Uber Eats. Cue a deadly game of hide and seek, some grisly carnage and a few welcome surprises along the way.

You can tell the that the creative team behind The Last Breath were taking the movie seriously. There are no tongue-in-cheek moments here, and no whiff of anything Asylum-esque. The characters are introduced quickly but are given some time to establish personalities and relationships before they’re all thrown into the deep end and forced to swim for their lives.

While most of The Last Breath is shot underwater, you can still differentiate between the characters in their diving suits thanks to the radio communications they share, and they’re occasionally able to find air pockets so they can doff their masks and make plans on how to get out of the wreck and escape the shark.

The Last Breath is a fairly tight little thriller that stays within its limits and keeps up a good pace throughout. It’s on the predictable side, as you’re going to be able to tell 10 minutes in who’ll be a survivor and who will end up as fish food, but for all that, it’s still an entertaining shark flick that should keep you munching popcorn throughout. The effects are a nice mix of the practical (with an especially gory latex leg wound) and CGI, with the shark being more of a lurking menace than a constant threat. The soundtrack is nice and clear, a must since much of the movie relies on identifying the characters by their voices.

The Last Breath isn’t a game changer by any means, but it is a solid enough shark flick that, if you’re a sharkaholic like me, you’re going to want to catch it at some point. And you don’t even have to wait until Shark Movie Week** to watch it!

*Hey, Justin! I’ve been meaning to talk to you about doing a Shark Movie Week this Summer! No pressure, but I think everyone’s going to be expecting one now.

**I mean, we have to do it now, right?

Intermission!

• Man, that’s a pretty nasty shark bite. I hope they brought some Bactine and a few band-aids.
• Underwater emergency surgery in a submerged operating room. That’s actually pretty inventive.
• OK, they found his arm, but maybe the rest of him is still out there looking for it?
• Noah and Sam have history! Cue the CW drama!
• OK, drama’s over. Now it’s back to running from sharks.
• The sharks do not react well to being locked out of a room. To be fair, my cats are the same way.
• Swimming with one leg can’t be fun. Yet being chased by a shark while swimming with one leg is immeasurably worse.
• Shark tug o’ war! The only way to win is not to play.
• This movie’s all about the knitting. Granted, knitting wasn’t part of the Jaws lore, but I can imagine Quint knitting beer cozies.