One of the most important subgenres of horror films is undoubtedly shark movies. A classic shark movie contains the most terrifying elements, like the deep sea and fierce sharks. If you’re looking for aquatic and monster vibe horror, don’t miss this post, which contains our picks for the best shark movies of all time.
The 10 Best Shark Movies You Must Watch
Here’s a must-watch list of the best shark attack movies.
Open Water (2003)
Run time: 1h 20m
Starring: Blanchard Ryan, Daniel Travis
Open Water is one of the best shark horror movies on Pluto TV. It tells the story of an American couple, Daniel and Susan, who travel to a tropical island to release their work pressure. They joined a diving trip but were accidentally abandoned on the wide ocean. They had to face severe climate, thirst, cold, and shark attacks.
The realistic style of the film renders a sense of isolation and helplessness, creating psychological pressure for the audience.
The movie is free on Pluto TV, Tubi, Fandango at Home, PLEX, and requires a subscription on YouTube and Amazon Prime Video.
47 Meters Down (2017)
Run time: 1h 29m
Cast: Mandy Moore, Claire Holt, Matthew Modine
47 Meters Down is one of the best shark movies on Tubi that revolves around two sisters who, while observing sharks in a diving cage, accidentally get trapped when the cage falls into 47 meters of deep water, leaving them surrounded by fierce sharks.
The film immerses the audience, making viewers feel as if they themselves are trapped in the confined underwater environment, facing the threats of sharks and suffocation.
47 Meters Down is free on Tubi and requires a subscription on Amazon Prime Video.
Sharknado (2013)
Run time: 1h 26m
Starring: Ian Ziering, Tara Reid, Cassie Scerbo
Sharknado is a horror and absurd shark movie directed by Anthony C. Ferrante. It tells a story of a disastrous hurricane that swamped Los Angeles with man-eating sharks. Although the movie’s premise is utterly ridiculous, it’s still packed with thrilling and intense scenes, such as sharks flying straight down from the sky with gaping jaws and tornadoes tearing through the city.
Sharknado is free on Tubi, Amazon Prime Video, Fandango at Home, and PLEX.
Shark Night (2011)
Run time: 1h 30m
Cast: Sara Paxton, Joel David Moore
Shark Night is also one of the best shark movies on Amazon Prime, Tubi, and Pluto TV. Although the film is not highly rated on movie review sites, but receives likes from many audiences.
The storyline is tightly paced—ever since the students arrive at the lake for their vacation and encounter the sharks, scenes of shock and suspense keep flooding the audience’s view. The director adds a final twist, subtly revealing that human greed is the true culprit behind many of the tragedies.
Shark Night is free on Tubi, Pluto TV, The Roku Channel, PLEX, and requires a subscription on Peacock, VIX, Amazon Prime, YouTube TV, and so on.
Bait (2012)
Run time: 1h 33m
Cast: Xavier Samuel, Phoebe Tonkin, Sharni Vinson
Bait is one of the best shark movies on Hulu, perfectly blending the elements of shark attack, natural disaster, and human conflict. The story starts on the shore of Australia, where survivors are stuck in the flooded buildings with a group of fierce sharks. However, these people are not united because some of them are robbers or have had conflicts in the past.
The movie is free on Tubi, Sling TV, Fandango at Home, Amazon Prime Video, PLEX, The CW, and requires a subscription on YouTube, fuboTV, Google Play Movies, and Apple TV.
The Shallows (2016)
Run time: 1h 26m
Stars: Blake Lively, Óscar Jaenada
The Shallows is a shark thriller that uses the simplest setting to create maximum tension. It is both beautiful and shocking, and is a masterpiece among films depicting the struggle between man and nature.
The story follows the protagonist, Nancy, who visits a remote beach to surf alone in memory of her mother. During one surfing session, she is injured by a shark attack. She climbs onto a coral reef 200 meters from the shore and bravely fights for survival, using her wits to outsmart the shark.
The film requires a subscription on Starz, YouTube, Hulu, fuboTV, Sling TV, Amazon Prime, The Roku Channel, YouTube TV, and so on.
The Reef (2010)
Run time: 1h 34m
Cast: Damian Walshe-Howling, Gyton Grantley, Adrienne Pickering
The Reef is one of the best shark movies on YouTube, Amazon Prime, and Google Play Movies. The movie tells the story of a group of friends accidentally stuck in a public sea area. They had to swim to nearby islands, but a swarm of hungry sharks was waiting underneath the water.
The film focuses on the unknown fears of the underwater world, immersing the audience in the experience.
The Meg (2018)
Run time: 1h 53m
Stars: Jason Statham, Li Bingbing, Ruby Rose
The Meg is a sci-fi action thriller starring Jason Statham, centered around the story of Jonas, a skilled diver who must outsmart a prehistoric megalodon shark to save his team. The film features stunning CGI effects that bring the ancient sea monster to life, making it a visual treat for fans of massive creature thrillers. With a well-paced plot, no unnecessary filler, and a solid performance by Statham, The Meg is definitely a must-watch among shark movies.
The movie requires a subscription on VIX, Philo, Amazon Prime, YouTube, Google Play Movies, Apple TV, and Fandango at Home.
Deep Blue Sea (1999)
Run time: 1h 45m
Cast: Thomas Jane, Saffron Burrows, Samuel L. Jackson
Deep Blue Sea is a classic shark movie that combines elements of science fiction, survival, and shark thrills. With its fast-paced action, thrilling setting, and unexpected plot twists, it has become one of the most iconic shark movies of all time.
The story takes place in an ocean research base deep in the sea, where scientists accidentally create smarter and more aggressive sharks. The scientists must outwit and outfight the mutated sharks in order to escape. The film features many classic scary scenes that are sure to thrill you.
The movie requires a subscription on Amazon Prime, Google Play Movies, Apple TV, and Fandango at Home.
Jaws (1975)
Run time: 2h 10m
Cast: Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw, Richard Dreyfuss
Jaws is considered the pioneer of many shark movies. Directed by Steven Spielberg, it made a huge impact on audiences during the summer of 1975. The story follows a police chief, a marine biologist, and a shark hunter who team up to battle a man-eating shark threatening a small coastal town.
The film was widely praised not only for its suspenseful atmosphere and soundtrack, especially the iconic theme composed by John Williams, but also for sparking widespread fear and curiosity about sharks at the time.
Jaws is free on Tubi and requires a subscription on AMC+, Philo, Sling TV, YouTube TV, Amazon Prime, YouTube, Google Play Movies, Apple TV, and Fandango at Home.
Other Great Shark Movies
Here is a brief list of other good shark movies recommended by Redditers.
- Jaws 2
- The Reef: Stalked
- The Life Aquatic
- No Way Up
- 47 Meters Down: Uncaged
- Sharktopus
- Under Paris
- The Meg 2
- Shark side of the moon
- The Black Demon
- Blue Water White Death
- Toxic Shark
Tip: If you can’t find any shark movies listed above in your region, try using a VPN to unblock the geo-restriction. LightningX VPN is one of the best VPNs for streaming. It has a vast server fleet (2,000+ servers in 70+ countries) and the best VPN protocols, providing you with a super-fast streaming speed. It has an affordable monthly price of $5.99. Plus, you can share the account with two other people to split the cost.
Recap
We list our 10 picks for the best shark movie. However, many other great shark movies may not be on our list. If you want to access the whole library of shark movies, try using a robust VPN, e.g., LightningX VPN.
