Great White

 1.5/4

Starring: Katrina Bowden, Aaron Jakubenko, Kimi Tsukakoshi, Tim Kano, Te Kohe Tuhaka

Not Rated (probable PG-13 for Language and Shark Attacks)

Despite initial appearances, "Great White" has less in common with traditional monster movies like "Jaws" or "The Meg" and more with survival stories like the underrated "In the Heart of the Sea."  Sadly, this change in genre only serves to make the film look worse.  The shark scenes achieve some measure of tension, but there is a lot of dead weight in between them.

Kaz (Bowden) and Charlie (Jakubenko) are a loving couple who run a charter service in the reefs.  Their latest clients are Michelle (Tsukakoshi) and Joji (Kano).  They're there to spread the ashes of Michelle's grandfather.  While there, they make a horrifying discovery: the remains of a shark attack victim.  Soon this quartet, plus Benny the cook (Tuhaka), become the shark's targets.

"Great White" suffers from turgid pacing.  That's death to a movie like this.  It's fine, if not necessary, to have slow moments of respite, but the threat must remain.  When the shark is off screen, it's largely forgotten about.  When it does appear, it only does so briefly and with minimal fanfare.  This is entirely the fault of the director, who never seizes the opportunity to ratchet up the tension to acceptable levels or shock the audience.  The adrenaline he manages to generate (and it isn't much) quickly fades away as the characters wait around and trade inane babble.  Some opportunities for thrills, such as a storm, are ignored entirely.  What was he thinking?

For a no budget monster movie like this, the cast does what they need to do: not stumble over their lines and not embarrass themselves.  Katrina Bowden, who has built a steady resume over the past ten years, fares the best.  She displays a natural charm and charisma that makes her the standout.  Aaron Jakubenko (who is a dead ringer for a young, scruffy Matthew McConaughey) is solid as the ever steady Charlie.  Their co-stars don't impress.  They're annoying and not the least bit interesting.

Sharks have intrigued and terrified mankind since the dawn of existence, and the best films where they are at the center have managed to capture their majesty.  "Great White" doesn't even come close to doing this. The shark(s) in this movie are so boring that unless they are on screen it's impossible to remember they are in it.

The bottom line is that "Great White" fails because it's just not scary or exciting.  A movie like this should get the viewer on the edge of their seats.  I nearly fell asleep.  Give me Bruce or Megalodon any day.

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