Grimerlana
Plenty to Like, Plenty to Dislike
Mjeteconer
Just perfect...
ThedevilChoose
When a movie has you begging for it to end not even half way through it's pure crap. We've all seen this movie and this characters millions of times, nothing new in it. Don't waste your time.
GL84
Brought to Italy with news on his father, a man and his girlfriend learn the entire set-up was a ruse by local mafia-heads to assist them in locating priceless artifacts stored in local shark-infested waters and must brave the sharks to rescue her from their clutches.With a lot to like about this one and a couple of minor flaws, this one comes off as a rather impressive entry. One of the best aspects is that the film manages to get a lot of enjoyment out of it's premise, since not only is the Venice location unique enough it offers up plenty of fun times with it. Due to the unique outline of the city and its actual location put to great use here, the set-ups in the streets add a different dimension to it all with a couple of awesome attacks that can only happen in that kind of setting. The attack on the drunken couple walking along the pier or the gondola massacre are scenes that are very hard to realistically pull-off without this kind of situation to be able to handle it, and are highlights of the film. For even more fun we have two extended foot-chases through the unique streets, both featuring lots of different action tactics that make them exciting and a lot of fun. The main reason for this one, though, is the underwater action with the sharks. There's plenty of suspense, as the opening dive and a later one in the same area are just unnerving, chilling and tense being in the darkened, twisting, confusing and unknown tunnels helps, as do the murky waters and occasional bloody shark attack. We get plenty of action as well as several dives are quite interactive with the sharks that serve many nice functions along the way. With an impressive body count here not just from the sharks getting some nice brutal kills as well, these features make the film quite enjoyable. There wasn't a whole lot really wrong with this one. One of the biggest issues with the film is that there's very little to be threatened about from these sharks. Despite displaying the false characteristic of constantly growling, the constant use of stock footage that has already been used in over twenty different films is something to get over. Mixed somewhat nicely into the action, the fact remains that all of these movies feature the same footage over and over so it gets repetitive fast. That it's also mixed somewhat ineffectively with the completely false-looking heads for the attacks is something else entirely. The other flaw to this one is that the film gets really low on shark action for it's middle half. It opens and closes with some good shark action, but it decides on the Mafia subplot for those scenes, and it takes away from the shark story. Beyond an occasional attack, there isn't much mentioned about them, which does deflate the film a tad. These, though, are the film's flaws.Rated R: Graphic Violence and Graphic Language.
Leofwine_draca
SHARK IN VENICE sounds like your bog standard SyFy/Asylum monster flick, but it's not. It's actually a low budget, low rent gangster thriller in which the sharks are an added afterthought. Stephen Baldwin stars in a conspiracy plot line involving the search for a hidden treasure by the Italian Mafia. Of course, he's the only one who has a chance of stopping them in their tracks.The whole of SHARK IN VENICE has a lame and slapdash feel. There's some murky underwater footage and a few scenes of extras being torn apart by sharks in order to justify the title, but for the most part this is a Z-grade thriller without any thrills. The acting is bad, and not just from Baldwin who sleepwalks through the leading role. Danny Lerner produced some great B-movies over the years like Van Damme's IN HELL and Adkins's NINJA but he should have stuck with production instead of trying to direct.
Joe Bob Jones
I am at a lack for words how grossly awful, and therefore wonderful, this movie is. EVERYTHING, truly, is terrible. It is the black hole at the center of the galaxy of plot holes, cliché, and fine acting. It reaches singularity, and I highly recommend it. Choose your favorite moment: speaking via two way radios through scuba regulators; sonar in Venice; great white sharks in Venetian sewers (perpetually hungry and aggressive...); Stephen Baldwin; lost Medici treasure in Venice (not Florence); Bad Guy with grande stache; more treasure; dead guys; stock shark footage; huge underground caves in Venice; guns n ammo; a helicopter n a Baldwin; love, valor, concussion... This really is the best bad movie I've ever seen, and that includes anything by Ed Wood. Someone spent many Euros on this one, and created a white elephant. Watch it, best with friends and substances, and have your own Mystery Science Theater 3000. Sharks in Venice is fabulous.
lcbryson
*Warning- Spoilers*I am not sure why I must put a spoiler disclaimer to this as there is no way to spoil the insanely predictable plot and storyline. None the less, this was a highly entertaining film. I am not even sure where to begin. The outstanding acting? The totally believable dolls pretending to be people? The shark that blows up when hit with a spear? My only complaint and definite downfall to the movie was the false advertising on the cover of the DVD. The gigantic, mutanty shark breaking through the canals of Venice never appeared in the movie. I sat through 88 minutes of this thing, just waiting, and hoping, and praying that this beast of a monster would appear, but alas no radioactive shark came to be... Stephen Baldwin is a very underrated actor. His ability to pretend that such a script is serious, as you can tell by the lack of facial movements throughout the film, shows that this man excels in his career and is almost, just almost, Oscar worthy. And even better, the girlfriend of the drunk guy is obviously a woman of great skill and I felt, was very worthy of Best Actress. I am having a difficult time finding any movie to follow this cinematic masterpiece. Due to my excitement over this film, I plan on rushing out to purchase Shark Attack 1, 2, AND 3! Much vodka should be consumed before attempting to watch this film!
