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15 Best shark movies of all time: From Jaws to The Shallows
Here is an assortment of the best shark films listed according to their IMDb ratings and more. Go on take a deep dive for a watchlist of shark-based thriller movies.
There is a reason all the best thriller dramas start with a delightful day and hit you with something unexpected for a satisfying yet seat-gripping experience. That said, we are here to introduce y’all to a riveting compilation of the best shark movies. Right from underrated gems to hit thrillers, every movie in the list below is a complete entertainer. Fuelled with mortal paranoia or rather a question, what lies under the calm waters, these movies featuring human-eating sharks will certainly be a nail-biting experience for all.
Although pretty much all of them will start with a most awaited vacation finally happening and the plot will steer towards people actually struggling to save their lives, they will manage to encapture you with their cinematic landscape and brilliant action sequences. So, without further delay, go on and dive into the depth of the best shark films.
The best shark movies according to their IMDb ratings
1. Jaws (1975)
- Movie Genre: Adventure, Mystery, Thriller
- Running Time: 124 min
- Movie Star Cast: Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw, Richard Dreyfuss, Lorraine Gary
- Director: Steven Spielberg
- Writer: Peter Benchley, Carl Gottlieb
- Year of release: 1975
- Where to Watch / OTT Platform: Amazon Prime Video
- IMDb Rating: 8.1/10
The list of best shark movies had to begin with the most loved thriller movie of all time. Released in the year 1975, Jaws received an IMDb rating of a whopping 8.1 out of 10. Featuring the best of Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw, Richard Dreyfuss, and Lorraine Gary, the plot of this movie revolves around how a killer shark creates chaos on a beach. The movie is available on Amazon Prime video to stream.
2. Sharkwater (2006)
- Movie Genre: Documentary
- Running Time: 79 min
- Movie Star Cast: Rob Stewart, Paul Watson, Erich Ritter
- Director: Rob Stewart
- Writer: Rob Stewart
- Year of release: 2006
- Where to Watch / OTT Platform: Amazon Prime Video
- IMDb Rating: 7.9/10
Available to stream on Amazon Prime Video, this is certainly one of the best shark movies. The documentary features the best of Rob Stewart who has written directed and starred in the film along with other actors Paul Watson and Erich Ritter. Watch the movie to witness a movie that takes you through beautiful water bodies while busting through myths about sharks. The movie for once doesn't portray sharks as an enemy but rather talks about why they are important for the ecosystem. The movie is available on Amazon Prime video to stream.
3. Ocean of Fear (2007 TV Movie)
- Movie Genre: Documentary
- Running Time: 85 min
- Movie Star Cast: Richard Dreyfuss, Simon Lee Phillips, Philip Rosch, Christopher Mack
- Director: Richard Bedser
- Writer: Richard Bedser
- Year of release: 2007
- Where to Watch / OTT Platform: Vudu
- IMDb Rating: 7.2/10
Another highly-rated shark movie that made it to our list is titled Ocean of Fear. The TV movie is actually a documentary but is indeed full of thrills. Watch the movie on Vudu to witness how a Japanese submarine sank in July 1945, in the Philippine Sea and how hundreds of men survived a dangerous attack.
4. The Shallows (2016)
- Movie Genre: Action, Drama, Horror
- Running Time: 86 min
- Movie Star Cast: Blake Lively, Óscar Jaenada, Angelo Josue Lozano Corzo, Joseph Salas
- Director: Jaume Collet Serra
- Writer: Anthony Jaswinski
- Year of release: 2016
- Where to Watch / OTT Platform: SonyLiv
- IMDb Rating: 6.3/10
This Blake Lively starrer features the best of Óscar Jaenada, Angelo Josue Lozano Corzo, and Joseph Salas. The movie is available on SonyLiv to stream and revolves around the story of how a surfer struggles to protect herself after she is attacked by a shark.
5. Deep Blue Sea (1999)
- Movie Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
- Running Time: 105 min
- Movie Star Cast: Thomas Jane, Saffron Burrows, Samuel L. Jackson, Jacqueline McKenzie
- Director: Renny Harlin
- Writers: Duncan Kennedy, Donna Powers, Wayne Powers
- Year of release: 1999
- Where to Watch / OTT Platform: Amazon Prime Video, Vudu, Redbox. or Apple TV
- IMDb Rating: 5.9/10
Starring Thomas Jane, Saffron Burrows, Samuel L. Jackson, and Jacqueline McKenzie, this movie is directed by Renny Harlin. It was released back in 1999 and is indeed one of the best shark movies of all time. When it comes to the plot, it revolves around how a group of scientists researches the cure for Alzheimer's disease. The action drama takes an interesting turn when the scientists are in danger from three sharks. The movie is available to rent or buy on Amazon Prime video.
6. Jaws 2 (1978)
- Movie Genre: Adventure, Horror, Thriller
- Running Time: 116 min
- Movie Star Cast: Roy Scheider, Lorraine Gary, Murray Hamilton, Joseph Mascolo
- Director: Jeannot Szwarc
- Writers: Peter Benchley, Carl Gottlieb, Howard Sackler
- Year of release: 1978
- Where to Watch / OTT Platform: Amazon Prime Video
- IMDb Rating: 5.8/10
Directed by Jeannot Szwarc, this movie features the best of Roy Scheider, Lorraine Gary, Murray Hamilton, and Joseph Mascolo. The sequel to an iconic action adventure featuring sharks, this thriller movie revolves around Police Chief Brody who strives to safeguard the residents of Amity from a man-eating shark. The movie is available on Amazon Prime Video to stream.
7. Open Water (2003)
- Movie Genre: Adventure, Drama, Horror
- Running Time: 79 min
- Movie Star Cast: Blanchard Ryan, Daniel Travis, Saul Stein, Michael E. Williamson
- Director: Chris Kentis
- Writer: Chris Kentis
- Year of release: 2003
- Where to Watch / OTT Platform: Google Play, iTunes, and Vudu
- IMDb Rating: 5.8/10
This 2003 thriller drama features the best of sharks and adventure. Written and directed by Chris Kentis, this movie stars Blanchard Ryan, Daniel Travis, Saul Stein, and Michael E. Williamson. The plot of the movie titled Open Water revolves around a real-life story of two scuba divers who find themselves stranded in a shark-infested water body. The movie is available on Amazon Prime video to stream.
8. The Reef (2010)
- Movie Genre: Adventure, Drama, Horror
- Running Time: 94 min
- Movie Star Cast: Damian Walshe-Howling, Gyton Grantley, Adrienne Pickering, Zoe Naylor
- Director: Andrew Traucki
- Writer: Andrew Traucki
- Year of release: 2010
- Where to Watch / OTT Platform: Tubi TV, CanelaTV, Amazon Prime Video, Vudu or Apple TV
- IMDb Rating: 5.8/10
Starring Damian Walshe-Howling, Gyton Grantley, Adrienne Pickering, and Zoe Naylor, this adventure drama is written and directed by Andrew Traucki. This 2010 adventure drama titled The Reef is indeed one of the best shark movies of all time. The plot of the movie revolves around a magnificent white shark that endangers the life of a crew at a toppled sailboat near the Great Barrier Reef. The movie is available to rent or buy on Amazon Prime video.
9. 47 Meters Down (2017)
- Movie Genre: Horror, Mystery, Thriller
- Running Time: 89 min
- Movie Star Cast: Mandy Moore, Claire Holt, Matthew Modine, Chris Johnson
- Director: Johannes Roberts
- Writer: Johannes Roberts, Ernest Riera
- Year of release: 2017
- Where to Watch / OTT Platform: Amazon Prime Video, DIRECTV, Apple TV, Vudu, Redbox
- IMDb Rating: 5.6/10
Written and directed by Johannes Roberts along with Ernest Riera as a writer, this thriller drama features the best of actors including Mandy Moore, Claire Holt, Matthew Modine, and Chris Johnson. When it comes to the plot, this is indeed one of the best shark movies that revolve around two sisters on a vacation in Mexico and how they get entrapped in a shark cage in the depth of the ocean. Watch the movie on Amazon Prime Video to witness how they manage to survive with a lack of oxygen and plenty of sharks preying on them. The movie is available to rent or buy on Amazon Prime video.
10. 12 Days of Terror (2004 TV Movie)
- Movie Genre: Drama, Horror, Thriller
- Running Time: 87 min
- Movie Star Cast: Colin Egglesfield, Mark Dexter, Jenna Harrison, John Rhys-Davies
- Director: Jack Sholder
- Writer: Richard Fernicola, Jeffrey Reiner, Tommy Lee Wallace
- Year of release: 2004
- Where to Watch / OTT Platform: Apple TV
- IMDb Rating: 5.5/10
Another movie that we’d like to consider, one of the best shark movies is 12 Days of Terror. Starring the best of Colin Egglesfield, Mark Dexter, Jenna Harrison, and John Rhys-Davies, this movie is directed by Jack Sholder. The plot of the movie revolves around a story set in 1916. Watch the movie to witness how a shark patrolled the Northern New Jersey waterways. The movie is available on Apple TV to watch.
11. Bait (2012)
- Movie Genre: Action, Fantasy, Horror
- Running Time: 93 min
- Movie Star Cast: Xavier Samuel, Sharni Vinson, Adrian Pang, Yuwu Qi
- Director: Kimble Rendall
- Writer: Russell Mulcahy, John Kim, Duncan Kennedy
- Year of release: 2012
- Where to Watch / OTT Platform: Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, Netflix
- IMDb Rating: 5.2/10
Bait is another underrated shark movie titled Bait. The 2012 movie features the best of Xavier Samuel, Sharni Vinson, Adrian Pang, and Yuwu Qi among others. The movie is directed by Kimble Rendall and revolves around a plot that features a gigantic white shark endangering shoppers at a supermarket near an Australian coast after a fatal tsunami.
12. Dark Tide (2012)
- Movie Genre: Adventure, Drama, Thriller
- Running Time: 114 min
- Movie Star Cast: Halle Berry, Olivier Martinez, Ralph Brown, Sizwe Msutu
- Director: John Stockwell
- Writer: Amy Sorlie, Ronnie Christensen
- Year of release: 2012
- Where to Watch / OTT Platform: Apple TV
- IMDb Rating: 4.3/10
Another movie that we’d like to mention on this list of best Shark movies is the 2012 drama titled Dark Tide. Just as the name suggests the movie showcases pretty dark experiences in the water when a professional diving tutor makes a comeback for deep diving after one whole year. Unfortunately, only to encounter a fatal run-in with the enormous white shark. The movie is available on Apple TV to stream.
13. Open Water 3: Cage Dive (2017)
- Movie Genre: Adventure, Drama, Horror
- Running Time: 80 min
- Movie Star Cast: Joel Hogan, Josh Potthoff, Megan Peta Hill, Pete Valley
- Director: Gerald Rascionato
- Writer: Gerald Rascionato, Stephen Lister
- Year of release: 2017
- Where to Watch / OTT Platform: Google Play, Amazon Instant Video, and Vudu
- IMDb Rating: 4.2/10
Another shark movie we like to vouch for is Open Water 3: Cage Dive. The movie features the best of Joel Hogan, Josh Potthoff, Megan Peta Hill, and Pete Valley. Written and directed by Gerald Rascionato along with Stephen Lister, this movie revolves around the tale of three pals and how shooting an audition tape for a radical reality TV leads to a fatal circumstance. Watch the movie to witness what a bunch of people do after they are stranded in shark-infested waters. The movie is available to rent or buy on Amazon Instant video and Google Play
14. Shark Night (2011)
- Movie Genre: Action, Adventure, Horror
- Running Time: 90 min
- Movie Star Cast: Sara Paxton, Dustin Milligan, Chris Carmack, Katharine McPhee
- Director: David R. Ellis
- Writer: Will Hayes, Jesse Studenberg
- Year of release: 2011
- Where to Watch / OTT Platform: Amazon Prime Video
- IMDb Rating: 4/10
Another movie we highly recommend watching is Shark Night. The movie is available on Amazon Prime Video and is directed by David R. Ellis. The movie features the best of Sara Paxton, Dustin Milligan, Chris Carmack, and Katharine McPhee. The plot of the movie begins with a fun weekend at a vacation home near a lake located in the Louisiana Gulf. Watch the movie to witness how one innocent weekend leads to fatal shark attacks. The movie is available on Amazon Prime video to stream.
15. 3-Headed Shark Attack (2015)
- Movie Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy
- Running Time: 79 min
- Movie Star Cast: Karrueche Tran, Jaason Simmons, Rob Van Dam
- Director: Christopher Ray
- Writers: Jacob Cooney, Bill Hanstock
- Year of release: 2015
- Where to Watch / OTT Platform: Amazon Prime Video
- IMDb Rating: 2.7/10
Another shark movie that made it to this list of action and adventure-filled shark movies is 3-Headed Shark Attack. Frankly, it's the only movie on our list with elements of comedy which is precisely why we highly recommend you watch it on Amazon Prime Video. Directed by Christopher Ray, the movie features the best of Karrueche Tran, Jaason Simmons, and Rob Van Dam.
Right from highly-rated movies like Jaws, Sharkwater, Ocean of Fear, and The Shallows to under-rated movies like Open Water 3: Cage Dive (2017) and Shark Night (2011), the above-listed assortment of movies is an all-inclusive list of the best shark movies rated from best to worse in terms of IMDb ratings.
Upcoming Shark Movies 2023 List
Here is a bonus list of upcoming shark movies releasing post-2023 that are on our radar.
- The Meg 2: The Trench
- Baby Shark’s Big Movie
- Close to Shore
- Shallow Descent
- Fear Below
- Deep Fear
- Amityville Shark House
- Bathtub Shark Attack
- Apex Predators 2: The Spawning
- No Way Up
- Sharks N Da Hood
- Shark Trap
- The Last Breath
- Something in the Water
- Invisible Shark
A bonus list of best sea creatures movies listed from best to worst
If you liked the above list of shark movies, here is a bonus list of the best sea creature movies listed according to popularity.
1. Meg 2: The Trench (2023) - IMDb rating: 5.5
2. The Meg (2018) - IMDb rating: 5.6
3. Avatar: The Way of Water (2022) - IMDb rating: 7.6
4. Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken (2023) - IMDb rating: 5.7
5. Jurassic World Dominion (2022) - IMDb rating: 5.6
6. Underwater (2020) - IMDb rating: 5.9
7. Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (2017) - IMDb rating: 6.4
8. Godzilla vs. Kong (2021) - IMDb rating: 6.3
9. Aquaman (2018) - IMDb rating: 6.8
10. The Shape of Water (2017) - IMDb rating: 7.3
11. Rampage (2018) - IMDb rating: 6.1
12. Luca (2021) - IMDb rating: 7.4
13. Godzilla (2014) - IMDb rating: 6.4
14. Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001) - IMDb rating: 6.9
15. Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019) - IMDb rating: 6
16. Godzilla (I) (1998) - IMDb rating: 5.4
17. Shin Godzilla (2016) - IMDb rating: 6.8
18. Godzilla (1954) - IMDb rating: 7.5
19. Humanoids from the Deep (1980) - IMDb rating: 5.7
20. DeepStar Six (1989) - IMDb rating: 5.3
21. Justice League: Throne of Atlantis (2015 Video) - IMDb rating: 6.6
22. Gorgo (1961) - IMDb rating: 5.6
23. The Return of Godzilla (1984) - IMDb rating: 6.8
24. She Creature (2001 TV Movie) - IMDb rating: 5.8
25. The Rig (2010) - IMDb rating: 3.2
26. Ciao Alberto (2021) - IMDb rating: 6.9
27. Sector 7 (2011) - IMDb rating: 4.7
28. The She-Creature (1956) - IMDb rating: 3.8
29. City in the Sea (1965) - IMDb rating: 5.3
30. Octopus 2: River of Fear (2001 Video) - IMDb rating: 3
31. Spore (2008 Video Game) - IMDb rating: 6.8
32. On the Comet (1970) - IMDb rating: 6.8
33. The Elaborate End of Robert Ebb (2012) - IMDb rating: 6.6
34. Mydy Rabycad: Drowning (2014 Music Video) - IMDb rating: 8.5
35. The Deep (2015– ) Episode: Here Be Dragons (2015) - IMDb rating: 7.9
36. Archie's Weird Mysteries (1999–2000) Episode: Green-Eyed Monster (2000)
ALSO READ: 15 King Kong movies and series listed chronologically that celebrate mighty ape’s cinematic journey
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