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Super Shark
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Super Shark
DVD cover
Directed byFred Olen Ray
Written byClyde McCoy
Antonio Olivas
Fred Olen Ray
Produced byFred Olen Ray
Kimberly A. Ray
StarringJohn Schneider
Sarah Lieving
Tim Abell
CinematographyBen Demaree
Edited byRandy Carter
Music byJeffrey Walton
Production
companies
Boomgates
Retromedia Entertainment
Synthetic Filmwerx
Distributed byCineTel Films
Release date
  • December 8, 2011 (2011-12-08)
Running time
87 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Super Shark is a 2011 science fiction comedy horror film directed by Fred Olen Ray and starring John Schneider, Sarah Lieving, and Tim Abell.[1] The film follows a marine biologist named Kat Carmichael, played by Sarah Lieving, who has to investigate and survive the rampage of a mutated primordial shark.

Plot

[edit]

Persistent exposure of ocean wildlife to a toxic goo used in oil drilling leads to a shark growing in size and becoming bulletproof, and even attaining the ability to move around on land. It destroys the oil rig that caused it, and then moves to Los Angeles where it eats several divers and threatens to disrupt a bikini contest.

Marine biologist Dr. Catherine Carmichael hires captain Chuck, a local drunk, to drive her out to the oil rig, owned by Traymore Industries, to investigate. Meanwhile, two female lifeguards plan to drink and have casual sex, and a kite surfer is eaten by the "super shark". Carmichael takes a water sample, then confronts the CEO of Traymore who invites her for drinks and dinner. When Carmichael interviews the sole survivor from the oil rig accident, it is disclosed that highly harmful chemicals were used to bore through the rock and that a shark pulled down the rig.

Meanwhile, Carmichael tells the CEO what she thinks happened: a "hydrolizing agent" caused the oil rig to crumble. Soon, a US Navy submarine disappears, and a search plane spots the super shark. At the bar, the two female lifeguards are joined by the male lifeguard, awaiting the bikini contest and one of the female lifeguards decides to enter the contest to impress the male lifeguard and win the prize and she gets up on stage and shows off her body but then leaves in disgust when she sees the other female lifeguard kissing the male lifeguard and then the two girls argue on the beach as the shark appears and eats them. Back out on the ocean, Carmichael and skipper Chuck are circled by the super shark until Carmichael, acting on a hunch, tells Chuck to turn off the radio, after which the super shark leaves. She speculates that the fish was attracted to radio waves and sent out signals which disturbed radio reception.[clarification needed]

The bikini contest winner and the runner-up are eaten at the beach, together with the photographer, who had had the radio playing. The CEO reveals that he knows that Carmichael has been fired from her job for harassing oil company executives. He offers her a briefcase full of money if she'll go away; she accepts. Skipper Chuck finds her drunk in a bar; she tells him that she was fired, and that her brother died when the Exxon Valdez went down. She passes out and wakes up in Chuck's boat.

Carmichael and skipper Chuck get emotionally close, and seek contact with the military, which has invented a remote-controlled tank that can walk and jump. With the help of a boombox and external speaker, the super shark is lured to a beach, where the tank is unsuccessful in shooting it. Carmichael manages to drop a bomb made of C-4 explosives into the beast's mouth, and it is blown to pieces.

Cast

[edit]
  • Sarah Lieving as Kat Carmichael
  • John Schneider as Roger Wade
  • Tim Abell as Skipper Chuck
  • Rick Cramer as Colonel Caldwell
  • Trish Cook as Captain Marshall
  • John L. Curtis as Brody
  • Jimmie Walker as "Dynamite" Stevens
  • Kylee Nash as Bikini Contestant

Release

[edit]

The film was released on DVD on February 7, 2012.

Reception

[edit]

The Lexikon des internationalen Films - Filmjahr 2012 found that the special effects in the film were too poor for it to compete with Godzilla productions.[2] The Geman book Die 100 schlechtesten Filme aller Zeiten-Das große SchleFaZ-Buch included it in its list of the 100 worst films of all time.[3]

However, various reviews found that precisely because of its extremely unconvincing production, the film remains entertaining.[4][5][6]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Super Shark

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Super Shark is a American film directed by . The movie centers on an accident that awakens and releases a massive prehistoric , which proceeds to terrorize a seaside town during a contest. Produced by Retromedia , it features low-budget CGI effects for the titular creature and runs for 90 minutes. The film stars Sarah Lieving as marine biologist Kat Carmichael, John Schneider as Roger Wade, and Tim Abell as Skipper Chuck, with supporting roles by Jerry Lacy and Jimmie "J.J." Walker. In the story, the shark, capable of moving on land, rampages through the community, prompting the protagonists to confront corporate interests and military involvement to stop the beast. Released directly to video on December 8, 2011, Super Shark exemplifies the creature feature subgenre popular in low-budget horror cinema. Critically, the film received poor reviews, earning a 2.6 out of 10 rating on from over 2,600 users and a 25% score on . It is often noted for its campy tone, absurd plot elements, and Ray's signature style in producing quick, entertaining B-movies.

Overview

Premise and Genre

Super centers on an accident that unleashes a giant primordial mutated by , granting it extraordinary abilities including the capacity to walk on land, fly short distances, and withstand bullets, as it rampages through a coastal amid a contest. The film falls within the horror genre, characterized by its campy, exaggerated elements such as the shark's implausible superpowers, which amplify the over-the-top absurdity typical of the 2010s subgenre—a surge of low-budget movies exploiting public fascination with aquatic monsters following successes like Jaws. Directed by , known for his prolific output of B-movies produced on tight schedules and modest budgets, Super Shark exemplifies his approach of merging horror tropes with unintentional comedic flair through practical effects and rapid pacing. The production involved collaborations among Retromedia , Boomgates, and Synthetic Filmwerx, entities specializing in genre fare.

Plot Summary

The film opens with an offshore oil drilling operation releasing toxic goo that awakens and mutates a primordial shark into a super-powered beast, which promptly destroys the rig and escapes into the ocean. This mutated , enhanced by the chemicals, gains unnatural abilities such as short-distance flight, the capacity to walk on land using its fins, and resilience to gunfire, allowing it to terrorize coastal areas beyond typical aquatic confines. As the attacks escalate, the shark rampages along coastal beaches, devouring swimmers and sunbathers while leaping ashore in chaotic assaults. It then sinks multiple boats at sea, demonstrating its aerial leaps to strike from above the waves, before targeting a crowded bikini contest on the shore, turning the event into a as it crashes through the festivities. Kat Carmichael, investigating the anomalies, analyzes samples from the spill and discovers that certain radio waves inadvertently attract and agitate the creature, drawing it toward populated zones. In response, Kat collaborates with a local boat skipper, a , and to devise a plan, constructing a sound device to broadcast the attracting radio frequencies and lure the onto dry land. The climax unfolds in a frenzied confrontation where the team positions C-4 explosives along the ; as the shark pursues the signal and waddles ashore, they detonate the charges, obliterating the beast in a massive explosion and resolving the threat to the coastline.

Cast and Characters

Main Cast

Sarah Lieving stars as Kat Carmichael, the protagonist and from the Oceanic Investigation Bureau who investigates the accident that mutates a prehistoric , ultimately devising strategies to lure and defeat the creature. Lieving, a staple in low-budget sci-fi and horror cinema, frequently collaborated with director on projects like Frankenstein Reborn (2005), The Beast of Bray Road (2005), and King of the Lost World (2005), bringing a grounded intensity to her action-oriented roles in such fare. John Schneider plays Roger Wade, the slick corporate executive leading the oil company responsible for the accident; he acts as the main antagonist by obstructing the investigation to protect his interests, though his charm hints at underlying complexity. Best known for portraying in the long-running series (1979–1985), Schneider transitioned into a prolific phase of B-movies post-series, including titles like (2007) and (2008), where he often embodied authoritative figures in genre thrillers. Tim Abell portrays Skipper Chuck, the resourceful boat captain who allies with Kat to navigate dangerous waters and assist in confronting the shark during its rampages. Abell, a former U.S. Army Ranger, embodies the action-hero archetype in direct-to-video productions, with notable appearances in series like Soldier of Fortune, Inc. (1997–1998) and films such as Sniper: Special Ops (2016) and Rapid Assault (1997). The lead actors' deliveries amplify Super Shark's blend of earnest action-heroics and comedic absurdity, as Lieving's resolute scientist drives the investigative plot while Schneider's suave villainy provides antagonistic flair, and Abell's rugged skipper adds practical muscle—creating a tonal mix of high-stakes monster hunts and campy B-movie tropes in this sci-fi comedy horror outing.

Supporting Cast

Rick Cramer portrays Colonel Caldwell, the stern military commander tasked with organizing the government's frantic response to the super shark's attacks, including deploying experimental weaponry against the creature. His authoritative demeanor, honed through numerous appearances in action and sci-fi , lends a sense of procedural urgency to the chaos. appears as Stewart, the executive assistant to Roger Wade who aids in covering up the corporate negligence behind the shark's awakening. Jimmie Walker appears as "Dynamite" Stevens, a boisterous and self-proclaimed explosives expert who hosts the beach's contest and joins the fight with bombastic enthusiasm, delivering much of the film's through his over-the-top antics. Walker's cameo capitalizes on his iconic role as J.J. Evans from the Good Times, infusing the character with nostalgic, jive-talking humor that pokes fun at endorsements in disaster scenarios. Trish Cook plays Captain Marshall, a key member of the military team assisting Colonel Caldwell in strategic operations, while actors such as Kylee Nash fill out minor roles as bikini contestants, populating the film's lively yet perilous beach contest sequences. These supporting performances enhance the ensemble dynamics by embodying exaggerated stereotypes—rigid brass, flamboyant showmen, and carefree beachgoers—that satirize classic tropes, amplifying the humorous absurdity of the low-stakes peril through chaotic interactions and comedic timing.

Production

Development

The screenplay for Super Shark was written by , Clyde McCoy, and Antonio Olivas prior to in 2010, amid a surge in shark-themed horror productions that built on the enduring influence of Jaws and fueled a boom in low-budget "" films during the decade. The project was developed as a quick-turnaround feature produced by Retromedia Entertainment, aligning with Ray's signature approach to economical genre filmmaking where resources are maximized through efficient planning and minimal overhead. Ray, a veteran of over 150 low-budget productions, emphasized the challenges of such constraints, noting that underfunded schedules demand heightened creativity to deliver entertaining results. Principal production was led by and his daughter Kimberly Ray, with additional involvement from producers including Richard Gabai, whose experience in B-movies contributed to the film's genre-specific execution. Shooting followed Ray's typical rapid timeline for low-budget , enabling the film to capitalize on timely trends in the subgenre without extended delays. Intended as a cost-effective alternative to mainstream shark attacks narratives, Super Shark exemplified Ray's output of accessible monster movies designed for television and markets.

Filming and Special Effects

for Super Shark took place in June 2010 primarily along the coastline, reflecting the low-budget, rapid production style characteristic of director Fred Olen Ray's films. Key filming locations included Dana Point Harbor in , for waterfront and dock scenes, and the harbor in , to capture authentic coastal environments on a shoestring budget. The schedule was compressed to minimize costs, with no major stunts filmed, allowing the production to wrap efficiently despite limited crew resources. Special effects in Super Shark combined practical elements with digital enhancements, emphasizing the film's campy, B-movie aesthetic under tight financial constraints. were handled by boutique studio BFX Imageworks, which delivered 166 CGI shots featuring a Megalodon-like creature interacting realistically with —a challenging feat for a low-budget project. Basic digital compositing was used for surreal sequences, such as the walking on land, flying through the air, and battling a quadruped walking tank, though the effects were criticized for their rudimentary quality yet served the film's intentional over-the-top tone. The production, co-handled by BFX in , relied on these techniques to simulate larger-scale action without extensive on-set practical builds.

Release

Premiere and Distribution

Super Shark had its world premiere on December 8, 2011, with limited screenings in the United States, United Kingdom, and Ireland, aligning with a direct-to-video distribution model that bypassed wide theatrical release. Retromedia Entertainment handled distribution for the limited U.S. theatrical release in 2011. In the United States, the rollout targeted video-on-demand (VOD) platforms and cable television to capitalize on the holiday horror viewing season around December. Marketing efforts featured trailers highlighting the shark's exaggerated abilities, such as land-walking and superhuman strength, alongside the bikini contest element central to the plot, aiming to attract fans of B-movie schlock. Posters evoked parodies of Jaws, depicting the massive shark menacing beachgoers and emphasizing the film's campy, over-the-top premise for low-budget appeal. Internationally, distribution expanded in 2012, with releases in —including a DVD premiere in on January 6 and a theatrical run in on May 16—and across and other regions as part of director Fred Olen Ray's network of low-budget .

Home Media

The film received a standard DVD release in the United States on February 7, 2012, distributed by Bayview Entertainment in Region 1 format, featuring the feature film on a single DVD-9 disc with video encoding and no subtitles. A limited Blu-ray edition was issued exclusively in on June 6, 2012, by Sunfilm Entertainment, marking the only high-definition physical release due to the film's low-budget origins. Internationally, DVD versions appeared in markets such as on January 6, 2012, on May 16, 2012, often including subtitles for local audiences but no additional special features beyond trailers for similar genre films. No collector's editions or bundled sets in sharksploitation collections have been widely documented, though used copies remain available through secondary markets like . As of 2025, Super Shark is accessible via digital streaming and on-demand platforms, including free ad-supported services like and , as well as subscription options on and , ensuring ongoing availability without dependency. Initial DVD sales were modest, reflecting the film's status, but sustained interest from audiences has maintained its presence on digital platforms.

Reception

Critical Response

Upon its release, Super Shark received overwhelmingly negative reviews from critics, who highlighted its technical shortcomings and lack of originality in the shark horror genre. On , the film holds an average rating of 2.6 out of 10 based on over 2,600 user votes, reflecting broad dissatisfaction with its execution. While lacks a sufficient number of professional critic reviews to generate a Tomatometer score, the audience score stands at 25% from 29 ratings as of November 2025, underscoring its poor reception among viewers. The film has also been included in compilations of low-quality cinema, such as the 100 worst sci-fi movies list by , citing its formulaic approach and subpar production values. Critics frequently lambasted the film's , particularly the CGI rendering of the titular , which was described as unconvincing and poorly integrated with live-action footage. In a review for Horror News Network, the CGI was called "bad" outright, with the climactic battle between the and a walking singled out as especially egregious, exemplifying the film's reliance on outdated and ineffective digital effects. Similarly, The Craggus noted that "the effects are very, very cheap," contributing to a overall sense of amateurishness that undermined any tension. performances drew comparable scorn, with wooden deliveries from the cast, including leads Sarah Lieving and Tim Abell, failing to elevate the material; Horror News Network remarked that lines like "they say it came out of the water and walked on fins" were inherently difficult to perform convincingly, resulting in stilted portrayals. The and plot logic faced sharp for their illogic and repetition, often derided as a knock-off of earlier mega-shark films like those from . Dread Central's review pointed out the film's tardiness to the trend—arriving three years after —and its lack of "WTF giddiness," with repetitive beach attack scenes failing to build excitement or humor. The Craggus echoed this, criticizing the "clumsy exposition" and absence of explanations for key elements, such as the shark's ability to traverse land, leading to a "frustratingly dull ." Absurd set pieces, including a disrupted contest, were highlighted by Horror News Network as emblematic of the film's tonal inconsistencies and illogical progression. Despite the prevailing negativity, some reviewers acknowledged a niche appeal as a "so-bad-it's-good" B-movie, appreciating its unintentional humor and campy elements. Horror News Network described it as "pretty damn entertaining" for its corniness, including a blaxploitation-style theme song and quippy one-liners like "Now you’re extinct!," positioning it as a superior to many peers in the ridiculous shark subgenre. awarded it 2 out of 5 skulls, praising a brief, over-the-top scuffle between the shark and a robotic as a fleeting highlight of its absurd action. Overall, the consensus views Super Shark as a forgettable entry in low-budget horror, memorable more for its flaws than its merits.

Audience and Cult Following

Upon its 2011 release as a original film, Super Shark elicited mixed responses from initial audiences, who found limited appeal in its direct-to-television format that bypassed significant earnings but still drew video-on-demand views among horror genre enthusiasts seeking low-budget thrills. The inclusion of a cameo by comedian , recognized for his iconic role as J.J. Evans on the 1970s sitcom , appealed to viewers nostalgic for his earlier career highlights. In the , the film cultivated an ironic through online sharing of clips highlighting its over-the-top elements, such as the titular shark's improbable aerial assaults, often featured in informal watch parties reminiscent of screenings. Social media platforms like and amplified this niche appeal via memes centered on the concept, turning the movie's absurd premise into a source of humorous commentary within B-movie communities. As of 2025, Super Shark enjoys renewed interest through streaming revivals, frequently included in shark-themed movie marathons on platforms like and , where its emphasis on comedic absurdity rather than genuine terror resonates with fans. Dedicated fan resources, such as the Horror Film Wiki, celebrate the film's campy sci-fi horror style as a standout in the subgenre. With over 2,600 user votes on reflecting sustained engagement despite a 2.6/10 rating, the movie's ongoing availability on free streaming services has fostered repeat viewings and discussions in B-movie enthusiast circles. This contrasts with critiques that dismissed its execution, underscoring how audience enjoyment stems from embracing its intentional so-bad-it's-good charm.

References

  1. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1698008/
  2. https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/super_shark
  3. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1698008/plotsummary/
  4. https://sciencefiction.com/2016/11/28/monstrous-memories-super-shark/
  5. https://thecreaturefeaturebleachers.wordpress.com/2013/01/19/super-shark-2011/
  6. https://moviesandmania.com/2021/10/24/sharksploitation-a-shark-film-chronology-from-jaws-to-2022/
  7. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-01-06-ca-17086-story.html
  8. https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/the-best-of-the-bad-the-15-greatest-b-movie-directors
  9. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1698008/companycredits/
  10. https://horrornews.net/91156/film-review-super-shark/
  11. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1919727/
  12. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0773884/
  13. https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/83880-super-shark
  14. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1698008/fullcredits/
  15. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0186194/
  16. https://www.dreadcentral.com/reviews/30551/super-shark-2011/
  17. https://letterboxd.com/journal/shark-horror-starter-pack/
  18. https://www.badmovies.org/interviews/olenray/
  19. https://www.filmsfrombeyond.com/2019/04/independent-filmmaking-fred-olen-ray.html
  20. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1698008/locations/
  21. https://www.awn.com/news/bfx-imageworks-creates-vfx-syfy-shark-features
  22. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1698008/releaseinfo/
  23. https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/super-shark
  24. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1AN3FEpkT8
  25. https://horror.fandom.com/wiki/Super_Shark
  26. https://www.blu-ray.com/dvd/Super-Shark-DVD/56902/
  27. https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Super-Shark-Blu-ray/40082/
  28. https://www.ebay.com/itm/285688837414
  29. https://www.amazon.com/Super-Shark-John-Schneider/dp/B006BZ8NZM
  30. https://www.wfmz.com/entertainment/100-worst-sci-fi-movies-of-all-time/collection_36f93503-6401-5f5f-9647-1976ef144363.html
  31. https://thecraggus.com/2019/07/07/super-shark-review/
  32. https://www.themoviedb.org/person/31366-jimmie-walker
  33. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dfVrTmCI4Q
  34. https://www.reddit.com/r/badMovies/comments/kzwfh1/update_so_far_this_pandemic_weve_watched_68/
  35. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2KnXHnLITs
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