Sink your teeth into these terrifying movies all about shark attacks

Sometimes, shark attack movies can be a little cheesy. From the likes of the campy cult-classic Sharknado series to even the cast of Jersey Shore creating a shark attack movie (no, we wish we were joking. Search it up . . . ), we have to admit that sometimes these kinds of movies are just pure trashy. 

However, this certainly doesn’t stop shark attack movies from being made. After all, considering just how popular these types of films are, it’s safe to say that these kinds of action films are truly our guilty pleasures. We definitely can’t deny this, since some thrilling suspense, lots of gore and blood, and of course a terrifying shark, makes for one epic heck of a ride. 

While most shark attack movies may be a bit too cheesy, there still have been some that have been as well-loved with the critics as it has been with the general public. Want to check them out? Well, we’ve got you covered. Without further ado, check out some of the best shark movies according to the critics here. 

The Reef (2010)

If you have a thing for shark movies, then this Australian horror flick from 2010 is surely for you. Directed and written by Andrew Traucki, the movie did not do that well in the box office, only making a little over $100,000 in Australian ticket sales in contrast to a budget worth millions. However, it makes up for it with a very high critics’ rating, as The Reef currently boasts a strong eighty percent on Rotten Tomatoes. 

The terror in The Reef officially begins when a group of friends is stranded while sailing to Indonesia. They decide that in order to survive, the best idea is to swim for survival to a nearby island. However, this is actually when the trouble begins, as the group soon finds themselves stalked by a terrifying great white shark. This film has all the factors of usual shark movies from blood, gore, to tons of jump scares. 

Jaws (1975)

Of course, we can’t create a list of all the best shark movies to watch without adding Jaws to it. This film is considered to not just be one of the best shark attack movies ever created, but also noted as one of the greatest movies to ever exist of all time. It’s considered a Steven Spielberg classic, as this was the film that truly launched the director’s career and skyrocketed him to fame and fortune. 

The trouble in this movie first begins after a young woman is murdered by a shark while skinny-dipping near a tourist town called Amity Island. From there, police chief Martin Brody is called on to investigate, and wants to close the beaches. However, the town mayor refuses in fear that this will lose tourist revenue. 

This, of course, is a horrendous decision, as the evil shark only begins to wreak more havoc on the town. Ichthyologist Matt Hooper and ship captain Quint are eventually called on to take care of this horrifying situation, and it soon turns into a brawl between man vs. shark. While this movie was created in the 70s, we assure you that it holds up and remains a terrifying classic. 

The Shallows (2016)

The Shallows is the final film on our list of shark movies we think you’ll enjoy, and it even boasts a pretty high score of seventy-three percent on Rotten Tomatoes, which isn’t too shabby for a shark attack film. What’s even better is that the lovely and talented Blake Lively plays the starring lead role in this movie. 

So what’s it all about? The story centers on med student Nancy Adams, who takes a trip to a secluded beach after the loss of her mom. While surfing alone, Nancy is attacked by a great white shark, which forces her to struggle and swim to a giant rock. While injured and stranded a good distance from shore, Nancy must fight for her life against the shark waiting to eat her alive. Watch this film for all the terrifying scares.