One of my earliest fears was of bodies of water that may or may not be hiding a people-eating shark beneath their calm surfaces. Shark movies fueled this paranoia, constantly reminding my younger self that nature's predators could strike at any moment.
While the concept of shark movies—vacationers, boaters, or divers being hunted by one or multiple sharks—might seem straightforward, many films fail to capture the thrill. However, when done right, these movies deliver an adrenaline-pumping experience that can make you wary of any body of water for a long time.
So, prepare your Shark Spray. Here are our picks for the 10 best shark movies of all time. For more creature thrills, check out our guide to the greatest monster movies.
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10. Shark Night (2011)
The landscape of shark movies is often dominated by less-than-stellar entries, making films like Shark Night stand out for their basic competence. Set in the Louisiana gulf, vacationers are terrorized by backwoods maniacs who take their Shark Week obsession to the extreme by attaching cameras to ferocious sharks. It's over-the-top—a Great White even jumps out of the water to decapitate a man on a WaveRunner. Marketed as "Shark Night 3D," it captures the early 2010s horror vibe perfectly, offering popcorn entertainment. Credit the late David R. Ellis for this "better with booze" bite of jawesomeness, even if it's not the most polished film in the genre.
Jaws 2 may not surpass the original, but it holds its own in a genre with few strong sequels. Roy Scheider returns to protect Amity Island from another Great White that targets water skiers and beachgoers. The film leans more into action, which led to the original director John D. Hancock being replaced by Jeannot Szwarc, better suited for such sequences. While it has its flaws, it offers familiar storytelling, exploding boats, and underwater carnage executed with skill. If it ain't broke, why not turn it into a franchise?
Yes, there are two Deep Blue Sea sequels. Deep Blue Sea 3 significantly improves upon the franchise's second installment, returning to the original's thrilling essence. Scientists on the artificial island of Little Happy, tasked with protecting Great White sharks, face threats from mercenaries and bull sharks. It's a full-on B Movie with martyrdom explosions, action-packed brawls featuring aerial Bull Shark tag-team action, and character deaths inspired by comical memes. This film delivers an unexpected victory in the realm of shark cinema, exceeding expectations for direct-to-video sequels and embracing its entertainment value.
Jason Statham battles a 75-foot-long shark from the Mariana Trench in The Meg. While the film could have benefited from a more mature rating and tighter storytelling, it delivers as a blockbuster aquatic horror spectacle. The Megalodon's massive chompers threaten dive cages and underwater research facilities, with Statham using his diving expertise to combat the ancient predator. A talented cast, including Li Bingbing, Rainn Wilson, Ruby Rose, and Cliff Curtis, attempts to prevent the Megalodon from treating beachgoers like snacks. The film blends Kaiju Lite elements with soap opera dramatics, making a grand splash despite its flaws.
2023 saw the release of The Meg 2, but the sequel didn't meet the original's standards, described as "bigger and badder in all the wrong ways" in our review. Consequently, it doesn't make our list of the best shark films.
Unlike Jaws, which used a mechanical shark, and other films that relied on CGI, Open Water opts for real sharks to achieve authenticity. Filmmakers Chris Kentis and Laura Lau, both avid scuba divers, aimed to capture natural shark behavior. They also served as cinematographers, leveraging their diving passion to ensure the film's realism. Open Water stands out from more entertainment-focused shark movies, telling the harrowing story of an American couple left stranded in shark-infested waters. It may not be the most action-packed, but it's suspenseful and gripping.
Before Crawl trapped family members in a flooded crawl space with alligators during a hurricane, Bait trapped supermarket patrons and workers with Great White sharks during a tsunami. Australia delivers one of the better recent shark films, as survivors use shopping carts to rig diving gear and parking lots become hunting grounds. The film blends effective effects with tense, bloody action. A robbery interrupted by the tsunami adds a twist, forcing criminals and clerks to unite against the aquatic predators. Bait holds its own in the niche genre of "When Animals Attack in Trapped Locations During Freak Weather Incidents."
47 Meters Down adds a ticking clock to an already tense underwater escape scenario. Mandy Moore and Claire Holt play sisters trapped on the ocean floor after a disastrous shark diving expedition, unable to move without attracting sharks. The film uses the vast, dark underwater landscape to heighten tension, with sharks lunging into frame from the shadows. It's a nerve-wracking, white-knuckle experience that showcases the best of shark cinema.
A film that inspired an LL Cool J song, Deep Blue Sea captures the 90s' flair with its story of genetically enhanced Mako sharks and pharmaceutical greed. The cast, including Samuel L. Jackson, fights to escape their own creation, but not even Jackson can avoid becoming shark bait. Despite some dated CGI, the film features practical shark effects in flooded hallways and kitchens. Deep Blue Sea embraces creature-feature absurdity in the best way, showcasing karma's sharp teeth.
Blake Lively faces off against a formidable shark in The Shallows. Director Jaume Collet-Serra masterfully builds tension using minimal locations—a rock formation, water, and a buoy. Lively's performance against a convincingly terrifying CG shark elevates the film. The Shallows delivers relentless intensity, aging like fine wine and leaving no room for excess.
Steven Spielberg revolutionized the summer blockbuster with Jaws, the undisputed king of shark cinema. Despite challenges with the animatronic shark, the film's success, grossing $476.5 million, speaks volumes. Jaws masterfully builds suspense, culminating in the reveal of the iconic shark, Bruce. This New England tale of summer chaos highlights the dangers of prioritizing tourism over safety, with the memory of Alex Kintner's fate still haunting viewers. Decades later, Jaws remains the best shark movie ever made.
AnswerSee ResultsLooking for more horror movies with teeth? Take a look at our guide to the best vampire movies of all time next or dive into our favorite dinosaur movies.For those looking for even more shark movies to watch, there are quite a few currently in the works or announced. Here are some of the biggest upcoming shark movies we know about:
Shark Week 2025 will take place from July 6 to July 13, 2025, with the Discovery Channel set to air a whole host of shark-related content.
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