Pondering 'Sharknado'


"We can't just wait here for sharks to rain down on us." — Fin, "Sharknado

I think the picture above sort of sums up "Sharknado," the latests action epic produces for the SyFy channel. By now, at one point or another, we've all seen one of these over-the-top shlock epics. But when "Sharknado" blew up the Internet, I decided to give it a try.

I am no stranger to "B" movies, especially "B" horror movies. I also love shark movies. I have seen almost all of them, and while they leave me fearful of the ocean, lakes, and rivers, it's still usually a good time. So I was curious as to what this film would be like.

That curiosity ended on Saturday when I made it through the whole presentation. This film has developed a cult following. SyFy is working on a sequel, Regal Cinemas plans to air the original in theaters this coming weekend, and "Sharknado" GIFs dominate the Internet.

And why not? It's a ridiculous concept done with ridiculous joy. It stars Tara Reid and Ian Ziering, the latter of "Beverly Hills 90210" fame. It has plenty of sharks, plenty of mayhem, and a plot you could drive a city through...

"B" movies work because they're so bad that they're fun. This movie has the bad part down, but I don't know if it was fun as much as it was sad. Following "Sharknado," I caught "Lake Placid" on HBO. That would best be described as a "B" horror movie, but it had a little more pizzaz, which helped me realize what "Sharknado" was missing.

Ziering does a good job, giving his all to the material and making it more light-hearted. But, sadly, he's the only one. The effects, story, and plot were too ridiculous. Of course you have to suspend disbelief with a movie like this, but "Sharknado" went too far for me. I couldn't help but think it's the kind of movie Ed Wood would watch and call over-the-top. This goes beyond "B" horror to more like "D" horror.

People are drawn to this type of movie because it's an appalling train wreck. I wanted to enjoy it for its camp, but I just couldn't. Maybe "Sharknado 2" will get the job done better.

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