It has now been 51 years since Jaws terrified a generation of cinemagoers with its tale of a murderous great white shark. Yet, despite the unsettling premise, the public's obsession with watching blood-thirsty sharks target humans remains as strong as ever. This month, Netflix added a brand-new film focusing on these creatures: Thrash, a survival thriller starring Bridgerton's Phoebe Dynevor.
Plot and Cast
Directed by Tommy Wirkola (Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters, Silent Night), the film's premise teases that a hurricane 'is only the beginning for a South Carolina coastal town.' The official synopsis warns: 'Soon a shiver of bull sharks is swimming down Main Street, and some desperate townspeople find themselves trapped in an aquatic nightmare.'
Phoebe Dynevor plays Lisa Fields, a pregnant woman trapped in her car as the storm hits, while Whitney Peaks portrays Dakota Edwards, an agoraphobic young woman who fails to leave town in time to avoid the disaster. Djimon Hounsou appears as Dale Edwards, Dakota's marine researcher uncle who struggles to return to her.
Behind the Scenes
Filmed in Melbourne, Australia, the production took an unexpected turn due to real-world events. Producer Adam McKay explained to Netflix's Tudum: 'What changed was that [global] warming accelerated. What seemed like a heightened premise when Tommy pitched it to us has now become much more of a reality. Down in Australia, they had torrential, historic, climate-fueled floods. Bull sharks love dirty water to hunt. So, they had four shark attacks in a 48-hour period.'
Critical Reception
Despite holding only a 41% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, critics and viewers have expressed enjoyment of the guilty pleasure thriller. The Hollywood Reporter noted: 'Nothing in Thrash is going to wow Steven Spielberg, and its adherence to plot logic is elastic to say the least. But as bloody, dumb shark thrillers go, it stays afloat.' Variety added: 'This is a Netflix and Chomp movie, just 80 minutes long (if you don't count the closing credits), and the compact run time does more than keep Thrash from wearing out its welcome.' Mashable commented: 'If you like shark movies, Thrash is a solid survival thriller with a talented cast and visuals that had me locked in. Wirkola's ability to balance horror, action, and comedy remains a praise-worthy feat. Dive into it.' Meanwhile, one fan called it 'five-star ridiculousness.'
Other Shark Movies on Netflix
Another shark movie recently added to Netflix is The Meg 2: The Trench, a 2023 sequel to the 2018 film. The science fiction action film stars Jason Statham, Sophia Cai, Page Kennedy, and Cliff Curtis, following a group of scientists who must outrun megalodons when a mining operation threatens their mission. Although slammed by critics (27% on Rotten Tomatoes), it was a massive box office success, grossing $397.8 million worldwide. Its audience score ranks far higher at 72%.
Slant Magazine wrote: 'If your hook is the promise of seeing Jason Statham go mano a mano with prehistoric sea behemoths, then leaning into the ludicrous is the only way to go.' Fan Richard posted: 'The Meg 2 is a really solid action flick that understands its audience and delivers accordingly. The pacing is strong, keeping the movie moving without dragging, and the action sequences are consistently entertaining. It never overstays its welcome.'
Additional shark films on Netflix include Under Paris (2024), a French action-horror disaster film starring Berenice Bejo; Shark Whisperer (2025), a documentary following conservationist Ocean Ramsey; and Deep Fear (2023), about a woman fighting for survival in the Caribbean.
Chart Performance
Since their release, both Thrash and The Meg 2 have soared up Netflix's charts. Thrash currently holds the number one spot as the most-watched film on Netflix UK, followed by The Meg 2 in second place. Both films are now streaming on Netflix.
