Blake Lively's 86-minute Shark Horror Movie Blows Up Netflix's Top Charts

Sony Pictures Releasing

There's nothing quite like the thrill of a good creature feature, seeing nature's deadliest predators (and even unnatural ones) terrorize puny humans and remind us that our place in the food chain is extremely fragile. And within the creature feature genre, there's one creature that reigns supreme: sharks. Ever since Steven Spielberg changed cinema forever with "Jaws," the shark has haunted the nightmares of countless moviegoing audiences.

The shark attack movie, therefore, can feel a lot like the zombie movie — overdone, tired, and predictable. That means that whenever we get a shark movie that does something new, it feels like a miracle. It doesn't matter how long it's been since "Jaws," audiences will still show up for a good shark attack movie.

Such is the case with this 86-minute shark horror movie starring Blake Lively that's blowing up the Netflix top charts. The movie is "The Shallows," and it's directed by Jaume Collet-Serra (who gave us both the disaster that was "Black Adam" and also the enormous hit that was "Carry-On"). The film follows a medical student named Nancy (Lively) on vacation at a secluded beach in Mexico, who gets stranded in shallow waters 200 yards from shore after a great white shark attack. She's then forced to use her wits to survive, accompanied only by a seagull she names "Steven Seagull" and one relentlessly vindictive shark.

This is a high-concept thriller with a simple premise, and a single, well-utilized location that keeps the shark mostly unseen for a majority of the film. Thanks to a great Blake Lively performance, this is one shark horror movie you shouldn't miss.

Sony Pictures Releasing

"The Shallows" is one of the best shark movies of all time, with Jaume Collet-Serra making great use out of his single location, a CGI shark that actually looks good, and some effective scares.

The film is carried by Blake Lively's fantastic performance, which grounds the movie and makes this a journey worth embarking on beyond just "let's watch a shark terrorize a woman." Most of the film is comprised of close-up reaction shots of Lively's Nancy reacting in horror to the shark that stalks her, which is a compelling way of making us feel for and root for this girl to make it back home. Especially impressive is the fact that Lively is acting alone most of the movie (well, aside from her seagull companion), talking to herself to keep her sanity. She makes Nancy a smart, resourceful, and witty heroine who never becomes boring to watch, and her problems never feel repetitive.

Of course, every shark movie needs a menacing shark, and in addition to being visually impressive, "The Shallows" presents an exquisitely-written monster. This is not a regular shark, but a horror movie villain that hunts Nancy aggressively and relentlessly. There's no reason, no logic, no emotion behind the shark's actions, it just never stops trying to kill this girl for seemingly no reason. Thankfully it never feels over-the-top, with Anthony Jaswinski's script moving at a fast pace so you never have a chance to question what's happening. It helps that "The Shallows" is legitimately scary, featuring one of the scariest scenes ever in which Nancy swims through a horde of jellyfish while trying to out-swim a shark. It's visually stunning, with the beautifully colorful jellyfish contrasting against the dangerous monotone shark, and also terrifying — just like the film itself.