SHARKNADO

US, 2013, 86 minutes, Colour.
Ian Ziering, Tara Reid, John Heard, Cassandra Scerbo.
Directed by Anthony C.Ferrante.


Audiences can tell by the title, Sharknado, that this is no Jaws, and not to be taken too seriously at all. But, audiences will see a tornado of sharks! (As one blogger put it, you don’t go to Burger King and expects steaks!)

Over the decades, there have been small-budget science fiction films, especially in the 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, which were serious attempts to offer monster films, alien films, wars of the worlds… However, as audiences became more sophisticated, the makers of these films veered into parody, the sendup, especially with the coming of video and DVD so that audiences could buy or hire and have an uproarious night watching, laughing (and drinking… Or more).

In 2013, word-of-mouth and popular press and media outlets were very strong on letting audiences know about Sharknado, and audiences watched it in droves, so to speak, on the Sy- Fy channel.

The plot is corny and many remarked that the science is also corny and defies any physics or engineering probability. The dialogue is that of the quick-written variety, writing by the numbers without any subtlety. And the acting is not… Even though the cast includes Ian Ziering, from Beverley Hills 2010, Tara Reid from American Pie, and a cameo as a drunk by John Heard.

There is a semi-dramatic opening at sea with a mercenary captain dealing with an Asian gentleman in a suspicious atmosphere when suddenly the sharks arrive. There is a huge funnel going up to the sky in which sharks are whirling round. In the meantime, for the human element, there are people at a bar, with expert Nova serving and chatting, friends from surfing days – but they are soon overwhelmed by sharks flying through the air, sharks getting into the bar (and pool sticks providing some means of defence!).

The sharks are in no way realistic, contrived special effects for the purpose, but audiences enjoying the film will accept that.

Further plot, with the sharks taking a break in particular areas of Los Angeles, the surfer hurrying towards his ex-wife’s house to find assorted other relations and relationships. Needless to say, she does not believe her husband, thinking the worst about him.

But, before long, there are more and more and more sharks in the air. Can Los Angeles be saved? Nova and the hero’s son are able to go up in helicopter – and with some explosives are able to drop them, no matter how dangerous the exploit is for the humans, into the midst of the sharks to destroy them.

The film does try to offer a little bit of background for the characters, especially Nova and the scars she has, going back to the story of her upbringing.

Just for the sake of more action, there are various humans caught up in the disaster, cars trying to escape Los Angeles, and the bus trapped in a sewer.

If one were looking for an example of pop-culture at the beginning of the 21st century, this would be quite a candidate.

When you’re on a good thing… There was a sequel, amply titled Sharknado 2. The Second One.