The 15 Best Shark Movies Ever, Ranked

Cast your minds back to the summer of 1975, when a certain shark movie was dominating the box office and changing the world as we knew it. Credited as being the first summer blockbuster, "Jaws" not only drew in the crowds but it kicked off an entire sub-genre: the shark movie.

After "Jaws," the shark movie quickly evolved, going beyond the monster flicks that had provided inspiration for Steven Spielberg's film and coming up with its own tropes and ideas. Whether you're looking for something that plays it relatively straight, focusing on the survival aspect of man versus beast, or if you're looking for a shark movie with a totally ludicrous concept so out there you'll hardly believe what you're seeing, there is something for everyone.

Using a combination of critic and fan reviews to determine which ones to include, plus the writer's own expertise in the genre, we're here to bring you the best of the best. From the sublime to the ridiculous and everything in between, these are the 15 best shark movies, ranked.

Shark movie aficionados will know that Quint (Robert Shaw) delivers a memorable monologue in "Jaws," detailing his experiences on the doomed navy ship, the USS Indianapolis, during World War II. The true story of the sinking of that vessel also forms the basis for "USS Indianapolis: Men of Courage."

Nicolas Cage stars as Captain Charles McVay, the man chosen to lead the mission to deliver the parts for the atomic bombs that would eventually be dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. After the Indianapolis is torpedoed by the Japanese, more than 300 men are left stranded at the mercy of the elements and the sharks who have begun to circle the wreck. There is plenty of great shark action in this movie, but there is also a reverence for the real-life tragedy that occurred, and it does a great job of depicting the long-lasting impact on those who did survive.

Cast: Nicolas Cage, Tom Sizemore, Thomas Jane

Director: Mario Van Peebles

Rating: R

Runtime: 2h 8m

Where to watch: Fubo, The Roku Channel, Vix

The title should give you a hint that this movie is on the sillier end of the scale. "Sharktopus" sits in the sub-genre of shark hybrid monster movies, this time mashing together the ocean predator with an octopus to create a multi-tentacled toothy nightmare. The result of a genetic experiment, the shark-octopus hybrid — named S-11 — is intended to be a naval weapon. However, it isn't long before it starts running amok, picking off bikini-clad beachgoers and unsuspecting tourists on a frenzied killing spree.

There are plenty of original movies lurking on Syfy, but "Sharktopus" has a pedigree that sets it slightly above some lesser offerings. It has Roger Corman's name attached as a producer, which is the gold standard when it comes to low-budget, independent movies. "Sharktopus" is undeniably silly and the plot is wafer thin, but it's also packed with more ridiculous kills than you could shake a tentacle at.

Cast: Eric Roberts, Kerem Bürsin, Sara Malakul Lane

Director: Declan O'Brien

Rating: TV-G

Runtime: 1h 29m

Where to watch: Fubo, Hoopla, Fandango at Home

We really meant it when we said there was a shark movie for every occasion, and if you're looking for an alternative holiday movie to add to your line-up, then "Santa Jaws" has more than got you covered. The film focuses on teenager Cody (Reid Miller), who makes a "Home Alone"-style wish to spend the holidays alone. However, his wish comes true in unexpected ways when a festive-finned shark starts attacking his whole family.

Not only is "Santa Jaws" tremendously silly fun, it commits to its silliness from the very first moments all the way to the credits. It incorporates the anarchic spirit that makes something like the aforementioned "Home Alone" a beloved holiday classic, and succeeds in being both a great shark movie and a fun, festive watch. After all, nothing says Christmas more than a shark with ornaments for teeth that makes the sound of sleigh bells as it cuts through the water.

Cast: Reid Miller, Courtney Lane Cummings, Jim Klock

Director: Misty Talley

Rating: TV-PG

Runtime: 1h 28m

Where to watch: Prime Video, Hoopla, Pluto TV

The shark movies that shoot for straight rather than silly tend to go down the survival route, and that is the case for "Great White." In this 2021 Australian movie, a group of five tourists find themselves stranded on a seaplane. With no sign of rescue in sight, the group battle to survive while a shark — or perhaps multiple sharks — prowl nearby.

This isn't a new concept for a shark movie — indeed, "Great White" bears great similarity to movies like "The Reef" and "Open Water" — but it is still remarkably effective. With a small cast and coming in at a lean 81 minutes, this movie ramps up the tension and delivers some pretty great kills, even if the plot is a little on the predictable side.

Cast: Katrina Bowden, Aaron Jakubenko, Kimie Tsukakoshi

Director: Martin Wilson

Rating: R

Runtime: 1h 21m

Where to watch: Hoopla, Philo, Shudder

The concept of "Bait" sounds utterly ridiculous on paper but weirdly, it kind of works if you just go with it. When a tsunami hits an Australian grocery store, a disparate group of strangers must work together to survive, climbing on top of the shelves to escape the rising water. Oh, and there's a shark that has been washed into the store as well, obviously.

The drawback of "Bait" is that it suffers from having a few too many characters to care about, however, it succeeds in being unlike almost any other shark film you may have come across. Don't spend too much time thinking about the logistics of how and why only certain areas of the supermarket would flood, and just enjoy the madness that unfolds.

Cast: Xavier Samuel, Sharni Vinson, Adrian Pang

Director: Kimble Rendall

Rating: R

Runtime: 1h 33m

Where to watch: Prime Video, Fubo, The CW

It's rare that a movie sells itself as being bad, then circles back around to being good, but "Sharknado" is that movie. And we're not talking "so bad it's good," either: This movie has enough fans now that it has to be considered legitimately good. (The Rotten Tomatoes critic score of 77% backs this up.)

The title sets you up pretty well: There's a tornado, there are sharks, there are sharks in the tornado ... any questions? "Sharknado" is ridiculous, cheesy, camp, and immensely entertaining with some of the wildest kills you'll see on film. This is a movie made to be seen with a raucous crowd in a theater, or if that's not possible, watched at home with some buddies and plenty of beers. The genius of "Sharknado" is that it is almost impossible to critique: It knows exactly what it is and it fully commits to the bit in spectacularly stupid ways.

Cast: Ian Ziering, Tara Reid, John Heard

Director: Anthony C. Ferrante

Rating: TV-14

Runtime: 1h 26m

Where to watch: Prime Video, Fubo, Hoopla

This Norwegian-made movie flew — or perhaps that should be swam — under the radar when it was released in 2012, but it is a surprisingly solid entry into the shark movie canon. The movie is based on a true story, and takes its name from the vessel used by Norwegian scientist Thor Heyerdahl (played in the movie by Pål Sverre Hagen). Part throwback adventure movie, part historical drama, sharks still play a major part in this film, but they're not the only threat that the group of explorers face.

Given that "Kon-Tiki" is based on a true story, there is a sense of realism that you don't get in many other shark movies. The sharks aren't whirled around by a tornado here. Instead, they are just a presence, attacking opportunistically rather than with premeditation — the opposite to the way many other shark movies portray them. "Kon-Tiki" isn't a movie with over-the-top kills or belly-laughs — far from it — but it is still one that is well worth your time.

Cast: Pål Sverre Hagen, Anders Baasmo, Gustaf Skarsgård

Director: Joachim Rønning, Espen Sandberg

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 1h 58m

Where to watch: Hoopla, Fandango at Home, Plex

Alright, if you want to get technical, "The Meg" is a megalodon movie and not a shark movie. But forget about science for just a minute and focus on what you see in this movie: A really freakin' big — gargantuan, even — prehistoric shark-like creature. It's "Jurassic Park" by way of a shark movie and it is awesome. The sheer spectacle of this film is enough, but then you throw Jason Statham into the mix and you've got yourself a winner.

"The Meg" is a movie that fully embraces the concept of "more is more" and manages to be effective as an action movie — pleasing the Statham crowd — and a shark movie with plenty of bite. "The Meg" has some fun with the genre tropes, and honestly, the sight of Statham practically astride the giant beast, harpoon in hand, is worth the price of admission alone.

Cast: Jason Statham, Bingbing Li, Rainn Wilson

Director: Jon Turteltaub

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 1h 53m

Where to watch: Amazon, Apple TV, Fandango at Home

Here is a shark movie that successfully combines several fears at once, tapping into the terror of enclosed spaces, deep water, and sharks. It also brings in many of the elements that make for an effective shark movie: A limited cast, a confined setting, and a kill-or-be-killed survival aspect.

Sisters Lisa (Mandy Moore) and Kate (Claire Holt) are talked into a cage-diving experience while on vacation in Mexico. However, their once-in-a-lifetime trip soon turns into a nightmare when their cage plummets to the bottom of the ocean. "47 Meters Down" is just shy of 90 minutes long and there is a thrilling real-time aspect to this movie with the oxygen tank levels slowly dropping. Of course, lack of oxygen is just one thing to contend, with as there are also sharks circling the area. "47 Meters Down" would arguably be an even better film if it had committed to the really bleak ending that it threatens to do, but it's still an entertaining watch.

Cast: Mandy Moore, Claire Holt, Matthew Modine

Director: Johannes Roberts

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 1h 29m

Where to watch: Prime Video

This is another shark movie seemingly inspired by the "more is more" approach that "The Meg" embraces. However, 2024's "Under Paris" interprets that strategy not with the size of the shark, but in the number of sharks and the potential casualties when those sharks collide with the swimming leg of a triathlon event in the River Seine.

There is some real-world grounding to "Under Paris" that helps the movie, even when it veers into the far-fetched territory. The French capital hosted the Olympic Games in 2024, and the triathlon featured in the film is framed as being an important event that must go ahead — sharks or no sharks — to show the world that Paris is ready to host the global sporting event. It's not a perfect movie by any stretch, but it is a recent example that proves there is still life in the genre, and the triathlon set piece is a feast for the eyes ... and the hungry sharks, of course.

Cast: Bérénice Bejo, Nassim Lyes, Léa Léviant

Director: Xavier Gens

Rating: TV-MA

Runtime: 1h 44m

Where to watch: Netflix

Simplicity is the name of the game with "Open Water," but it is undeniably effective. Loosely based on a true story, this movie depicts a nightmarish scenario as two divers are left behind in shark-infested waters while on a scuba-diving excursion. The low-budget filming is just one thing that sells the realism of this movie, but it might also horrify you to learn that the sharks you see in this movie are real.

Because the filmmakers used real sharks as opposed to CGI or mechanical ones, their behavior is real — so don't come into "Open Water" expecting the grand spectacle you might find in other movies on this list. What you will get, however, is a taut and terrifying thriller with a bleak and heartbreaking conclusion that will stay with you for a long time afterwards.

Cast: Blanchard Ryan, Daniel Travis, Saul Stein

Director: Chris Kentis

Rating: R

Runtime: 1h 19m

Where to watch: Fubo, Hoopla, Kanopy

"Deep Blue Sea" wastes absolutely no time in getting to the sharky action and barely lets up until the very end. It also delivers perhaps one of the most memorable on-screen deaths (if you've seen it, you'll know the one we mean), and a rap song themed to the movie over the end credits — what more could you want?

The movie focuses on a team of research scientists who are experimenting on sharks to try and find a cure for Alzheimer's disease. It isn't long, however, before the brain-boosted sharks start fighting back, and the team race to escape from their ocean-based lab before they drown or end up as dinner. Even though some of the CGI effects have aged like milk, "Deep Blue Sea" is still hugely entertaining, and that's something that will never get old.

Cast: Thomas Jane, Saffron Burrows, Samuel L. Jackson

Director: Renny Harlin

Rating: R

Runtime: 1h 45m

Where to watch: Amazon, Apple TV, Fandango at Home

2010's "The Reef" sits in the sub-genre of stranded-at-sea shark movies, but what is it that elevates it above similar fare? For a start, there is palpable chemistry between the characters, and this makes them not just more believable, but more likable. They are more than just fodder to be picked off in gruesome ways by sharks, and this makes the story incredibly compelling.

Like "Open Water," "The Reef" also uses real shark footage, which only adds to the feeling of tension and unease. This isn't the kind of movie where you will see the sharks doing unrealistic things, or leaping out of the water to eat the humans, but their presence is very much felt throughout. Oftentimes, we don't need over-exposure to the threatening thing for it to feel threatening — just knowing it is there is terrifying enough — and this is partly what makes "The Reef" so effective.

Cast: Damian Walshe-Howling, Gyton Grantley, Adrienne Pickering

Director: Andrew Traucki

Rating: R

Runtime: 1h 34m

Where to watch: Prime Video, Hoopla

Many reviews — such as this one for Indiewire — declared "The Shallows" as "the best shark movie since 'Jaws,'" and ... well, they're not wrong. Really, nothing can hold a candle to Steven Spielberg's 1975 masterpiece, but "The Shallows" comes the closest. It ticks plenty of the boxes for a successful shark movie: A small but talented cast, enough kills to whet the horror hound's appetites, and a compelling survival aspect that keeps you on the edge of your seat.

Blake Lively stars as Nancy, a surfer who is doing some soul-searching on a Mexican beach following the death of her mother. After heading back in for one final wave, she is thrown from her board by a shark who has been attracted to the shallow water by a rotting whale carcass. What unfolds is a battle of wits as Nancy tries to keep herself alive and reach the safety of the shore. For the most part, this movie is just a woman on a rock while a shark circles her, but that simplicity is what makes the movie so thrilling. While the conclusion stretches the film's credibility just a little too far, "The Shallows" is saved by Lively's performance and some thrilling shark sequences.

Cast: Blake Lively, Óscar Jaenada, Angelo Josue Lozano Corzo

Director: Jaume Collet-Serra

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 1h 26m

Where to watch: Starz, Philo

We'd be shocked if the day ever comes when "Jaws" isn't considered the best shark movie of all time. The genre has gone in every direction possible since 1975, and still, audiences keep coming back to the film that started it all. "Jaws" is as fresh and thrilling today as it was back then — a lightning in a bottle moment that is impossible to replicate.

"Jaws" takes place on the fictional island of Amity, a place that thrives on summer tourism. When a shark kills a girl who had been out swimming, Chief of Police Martin Brody (Roy Scheider) tries to convince the Mayor (Murray Hamilton) to close the beaches. When the shark kills again and again, Brody has no choice but to head out to sea with visiting oceanographer, Matt Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss), and local fisherman, Quint (Robert Shaw).

Perhaps the thing that makes "Jaws" the perfect shark movie is its distinct halves. The first half of the movie sees the shark wreaking havoc on the idyllic island community, while the second is a thrilling cat-and-mouse chase of man versus beast. It has excellent shark sequences as well, but what sets "Jaws" apart from the rest is that it has so much more going for it beyond just shark stuff. The characters, the perfectly-timed pauses it takes for moments of levity to cut through the tension, the chilling score, the masterful storytelling — "Jaws" is simply a perfect movie.

Cast: Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss, Robert Shaw

Director: Steven Spielberg

Rating: PG

Runtime: 2h 4m

Where to watch: Amazon, Apple TV, Fandango at Home