- Director: Xavier Gens
- Writer: Yaël Langmann, Olivier Torres
- Stars: Bérénice Bejo, Nassim Lyes, Aurélia Petit.
REVIEW
Sharks films have always had the large spectre of Jaws cast over them. Obviously there have been plenty of imitators but post 2000 at least, the shark film was used as a comedy/thriller (Sharknado, Amityville Shark et al), and the serious shark films were few and far between. Under Paris is a refreshingly dead serious yet still kinda ridiculous but thrilling shark film.
The cold open for Under Paris takes us to the 7th continent, the collection of plastic that has multiplied to disgusting levels in the Pacific Ocean (we as humans absolutely deserve to be eaten by sharks), we meet a shark scientific team looking for their subject shark they have been following. The divers get dispatched quickly and viciously by the shark they have been tracking called Beacon 7, leaving only one survivor Sophia (Bejo). Three years later, that same survivor gets dragged into a guerilla conservationist group who have found Beacon 7… in the Seine River. The group want to help Beacon 7 find a way out of the Paris catacombs, and when the police find out the situation, they of course want to destroy it. The clock is ticking though, The Seine has been cleaned up, and a triathlon is starting there in a few days, so Sophia knows how dangerous Beacon 7 is, but at the same time, the conservationists want to lead her out of the river back to the ocean.
Xavier Gens films have a certain look, and Under Paris is no exception. When colours are involved, they pop on screen, and the scenes when underwater in the murky Seine are very well done. Gens’ direction is, unsurprisingly great, building tension by only showing the monstrous shark sparingly, which makes the two ‘big’ scenes in the film work that much better. Those two scenes are the real meat grinders of the film, multiple victims in close quarters. The only disappointment is over use of CG effects, that aren’t very rendered and the amount of gore was minimal, and I think the film would’ve benefitted from it being a little harder and willing to go there (which is a surprise given Gens’ previous films).
The logistics of a giant shark in the river and catacombs aren’t really meant to be thought about in detail. The third acts big ending is quite ridiculous and almost derails the film, as in what happens and how it happens. However, this is a nature run amok film, and these things happen with this sub-genre, which is not a knock on the film at all. The film hits on climate change, man made disasters, activism, and even slacktivism.
Under Paris is a fun time. It will not change your life perspective, but it has been a long time since a shark film was genuinely this entertaining. To be completely honest, it is probably the best popcorn film of the year so far.
Under Paris is available now on Netflix
Ryan Morrissey-Smith
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