PLOT: When their boat is sunk while crossing the Timor Sea during World War II, a young troop of Australian soldiers must find a way to survive the harsh seas on a quickly shrinking life raft. Hundreds of miles from anywhere, they must confront interpersonal conflicts, enemy attacks, and the advances of one very large, very hungry great white shark.
REVIEW: It’s unfortunate that so many shark movies have just been relegated to being filled with cheap CGI jump scares. The Jaws 50th Anniversary release was a reminder of what is truly possible when you care about the product. And I hope that Beast of War is an indicator of the kind of shark film that we can expect going forward; where the creature is simply a tool for storytelling. That’s not to say that the Great White featured isn’t the main event, as it’s absolutely the grand spectacle of the movie. But there’s so much more to the film and the story than that.
The first act is not your typical shark movie, as it mostly introduces us to the Australian soldiers we’ll be spending our time with. There’s obviously some conflict going on between them before their boat gets blown up, but they mostly band together to try and survive this harrowing situation. We actually don’t get our first real appearance from the Great White until the 33-minute mark. It allows us to stew in the tension of the first appearance. But just because it’s introduced, it doesn’t mean the tension dissipates in any way. These guys are still on a raft in the middle of the ocean with a hungry shark after them. There’s always the question of when the shark is going to strike and where it actually is.
The special FX are extremely impressive, with the filmmakers going the practical route for the shark. It really helps the shark actually feel like a part of the world versus something that the actors are simply reacting to. There are some abstract shots of the shark in the water that are true nightmare fuel. That doesn’t mean it’s completely void of CGI, as there’s still some used, especially for some of the shots of it swimming underwater. But more often than not, it’s practical and absolutely terrifying. There’s one moment in particular, when one of the soldiers is in the water and just barely gets away from the shark, yet it’s not even acknowledged outside of a brief look beneath the surface.
That’s not to say that there isn’t usage of CGI, but it’s mostly to build the world around them. Whether it’s an upward shot, looking at the raft from underwater, or the fog covering their surroundings, it’s all handled with such technical precision. The performances from all the soldiers are great and make it easy to feel for them in this terrible situation. There were a few deaths that felt a bit like “we need to get a body count going,” but thankfully, it never takes the mystique of the shark away. Writer/Director Kiah Roache-Turner knows exactly when to bring the creature back, and when to give us a breather.
I really enjoyed Beast of War and how visually stunning it was. This is easily the best-looking shark movie we’ve gotten in some time, and so much of that has to do with the practical nature of the shark. There were some plot advancements that I didn’t love, as I felt the shark and the survival of being stranded were more than enough for drama. But I was completely invested in the story of these misfit soldiers. Here’s hoping other filmmakers take note when making a shark movie: CGI isn’t always the answer.
Beast of War is In Theaters and On Digital on October 10th, 2025.
