Shark Encounters of the Third Kind

Jaws star Richard Dreyfuss, director Steven Spielberg and composer John Williams re-teamed two years after the shark epic of Jaws for something that was, well, out of this world.

Close Encounters of the Third Kind still stuns today, which is more than what can be said for this begger’s belief shark and alien shambles.

The story of Shark Encounters of the Third Kind, such as it is, is about a group of hostile aliens who crash land in the sea and using mind control use sharks to inflict terror on a small town. It certainly doesn't sound or look like anything E. T. would have anything to phone home about it.

I know these types of shark films are meant to be cheap and chearful, but they just aren't. For every Bait, The Shallows. The Meg and 47 Metres Down, we get lumbered with this dross that sets the shark film back. Each PS2 style shark graphic doing nothing for the evolution of shark cinema, yet at the same time showing just how effective and masterful Jaws still is.

It of course isn't the first sharksploitation film to cash in on a Spielberg hit, that doff of the cap - or should we say fedora - goes to Raiders of the Lost Shark, which - inventive title aside - is dead in the water.

Even just after a brief close encounter with the trailer, that is quite close enough for this shark film fan. I won't be making contact with the full film.

It's not even really trying, with anything. Be it effects, acting or story. And I'm not sure the filmmakers care about that fact. So, if they can't be bothered, why should I?

Shark Encounters of the Third Kind does however star the fantastically named Titus Himmelberger. It is directed by Mark Polonia, who also helmed Land Shark (2017).

By Dean Newman

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