Sharknado is a little bit like Irwin Allen's masterpiece The Swarm: it's really not a masterpiece, but they've squeezed in so many absurd situation it actually becomes a masterpiece. You follow me? Yeah, Sharknado is like most SyFy original very flawed, but also made with a lot of heart. The Asylum is known as a factory of low budget trasherpieces. There's a risk with that kind of filmmaking, that it takes away the fun from making movies. The Asylum produces so many movies it's impossible for some of them to be made without heart or passion, but like this years excellent Hansel & Gretel and 2011's Zombie Apocalypse, Sharknado is made with a lot of love for the genre - and with a violent energy to really entertain it's audience.
A storm is heading towards LA. Sharks get scared, swim to the beaches and get sucked up by the storm and the tornados. Sharknado. Ian Ziering and his pals must save his family and drenched in CGI water they fight themselves to Beverly Hills where even more dangers awaits! Ah, and John Heard has a glorfied cameo and I think we all once and for all can say that Tara Reid his her generations Shelley Winters - that's a fact!
I wonder if screenwriter Thunder Levin came up with the basic idea of this movie when he one afternoon got stuck in traffic in LA, because Sharknado is like a road movie, but set during one mail or so. There's pile-up's, screaming drivers, cops and chaos - the only thing who differs this situation from being a bad traffic day is the sharknado itself. Sharks trapped in a tornado. I love that idea even more now. I've read some jokes about what the sequel could be titled, one of them was Sharknami - but don't forget that last years Bait actually has a sharknami and ends up with sharks eating people inside a shopping mall! Also, let's not forget the Chinese blockbuster Super Typhoon brings a shark inside a house where the brave mayor battles it with his own fists!
The effects ranges from absurdly cheap to decent, but not good. Which is what to expect from a movie by The Asylum produced for SyFy on a low budget. Some of the sharks seems to change size from angle to angle and the digital added water doesn't hold up well, except a few shots when a house is swallowed by a tsunami. There's also some practical effects - some of it quite gory - which is a welcome addition to this delicious mess. Ian Ziering looks constantly surprised, but is still a competent hero (he takes some time to warm up) and John Heard disappears way to early. Tara Reid, my personal favorite of ex-superstars is good - and very Shelly Winters - as Ziering's wife. I'm happy to see a new disaster-lady taking over the genre.
At the 48 minute mark Sharknado actually takes one step from the slightly confusing first half, focuses a bit on the adventure and introduces some atmosphere. The directing by Ferrante is by the numbers, but that's good numbers. It's competent storytelling and from time to time there's a glimmer of even more ambitious talent (the scenes around the school bus, the retired folks home etc). Another nice thing is that (except a few smaller jokes) it takes itself seriously. The actors are playing it straight, that's the only way to do a movie like this. After the (smaller) disappointment of Atlantic Rim (it needs more Mechas vs Monsters) Sharknado saves the day.
Sharknado could easily have been a SharkNADA, but the frantic pace and the non-stop action - plus a couple of outrageous scenes featuring chainsaws, this is a very fun movie. It will never even come close to an Oscar, but it delivers that special SyFy flavored entertaining (which also can be quite smelly) we love so much. And hey, SyFy, here's a pitch you can't refuse:
SLOTH STORM!
"Sharknado is a little bit like Irwin Allen's masterpiece The Swarm: it's really not a masterpiece, but they've squeezed in so many absurd situation it actually becomes a masterpiece. You follow me?"
hahahhahahah....yeah, I think so.....after all, it takes a genius to come up with this kind of.....errrr...entertainment.
"Sharks trapped in a tornado. I love that idea even more now. I've read some jokes about what the sequel could be titled, one of them was Sharknami - but don't forget that last years Bait actually has a sharknami and ends up with sharks eating people inside a shopping mall!"
Ohh.....Bait(2012), I sorta liked that one......if only.....more stuff had happened, some nudity, etc.....but not bad at all, it´s not everyday you see a shark getting shot with a shotgun!
"Also, let's not forget the Chinese blockbuster Super Typhoon brings a shark inside a house where the brave mayor battles it with his own fists!"
hahahhahahha.....what now...?
I haven´t seen that one yet.
"The effects ranges from absurdly cheap to decent, but not good. Which is what to expect from a movie by The Asylum produced for SyFy on a low budget. Some of the sharks seems to change size from angle to angle and the digital added water doesn't hold up well, except a few shots when a house is swallowed by a tsunami."
No, some of the CGI, usually sucks in SyFy productions, but I don´t care.....it´s fun stuff.
"Ian Ziering looks constantly surprised,"
Hmmm..... I thought that was his acting range....hahahhahahhah....
"Tara Reid, my personal favorite of ex-superstars is good - and very Shelly Winters - as Ziering's wife. I'm happy to see a new disaster-lady taking over the genre."
I wonder when Lindsay Lohan shows up in an SyFy production...?
"After the (smaller) disappointment of Atlantic Rim (it needs more Mechas vs Monsters) Sharknado saves the day."
WHAT???!!!!
Don´t say that......that´s the movie I want to see.....
"Sharknado could easily have been a SharkNADA, but the frantic pace and the non-stop action - plus a couple of outrageous scenes featuring chainsaws, this is a very fun movie."
hahahahhaha....."SharkNADA"....?
I´m stealing that from you, muahhahhahahahhahah.....
"It will never even come close to an Oscar, but it delivers that special SyFy flavored entertaining (which also can be quite smelly) we love so much."
Yeah, just like Dragon's Breath Blue, a smelly kind of blue cheese.......but I love this stuff.
Good review and thanks.
"And hey, SyFy, here's a pitch you can't refuse:"
Yeah.....but I´m hoping they do something with Baboons first, Baboons with.....rabies!
Posted by: Megatron | July 12, 2013 at 23:14