Sergey A.'s "Murders in the Forest of the Dead Sharks" concludes his DIY shark trilogy with a chaotic pivot from found-footage parody to a full-throttle mockery of blockbuster tropes and sharkploitation cinema. Clocking in at 74 minutes-the longest entry in the series-this finale amplifies the absurdity to cosmic proportions, blending amateurish charm with biting satire. While the first two films skewered low-budget horror, this installment sets its sights on Hollywood's reliance on spectacle over substance, all while doubling down on its signature MS Paint absurdity.
Journalist-turned-action-hero Maks Fadeev (Sergey A.) returns to the cursed forest, now battling an interdimensional "Lord of Sharks" (a demonic figure in a rubber mask) and his army of geometrically absurd sharks-triangles, rectangles, and even six-pointed stars.
The sharks, now rendered as MS Paint polygons, parody Asylum's infamous "Sharknado", "2-headed shark attack" sequels. Their geometric designs-like a six-pointed star shark-mock Hollywood's lazy CGI, reducing iconic monsters to clip-art jokes. Practical effects, such as severed limbs and the Lord of Sharks surprisingly detailed mask, contrast hilariously with the film's digital chaos. The mask, a rare moment of effort, becomes a symbol of the series self-aware absurdity .
Explosions are animated as flickering orange blobs, fire resembles scribbled like cartoon, and "epic battles" unfold via split-screen collages of actors filmed remotely. This critiques blockbusters reliance on green screens and over-editing.
The expanded cast-amateurs filming themselves in kitchens and backyards-parodies Hollywood's obsession with ensemble casts. Their disjointed performances, sent via email and stitched into the narrative, highlight the disconnect in modern collaborative filmmaking.
By stretching the runtime to 74 minutes (24 longer than the first and second film), Sergey A. Mocks franchises' tendency to inflate sequels with filler. Scenes drag, subplots go unresolved, and the finale feels like a parody of "Avengers: Endgame"'s excess. The geometric sharks-so abstract they barely resemble predators-lampoon the genre's reliance on shark variants (e.g., *2-Headed Shark Attack*) to mask creative bankruptcy .
The film's cobbled-together aesthetic, from emailed acting reels to Paint-generated effects, champions grassroots creativity over studio polish. It's a manifesto for "anti-cinema" .
Despite its intentional shoddiness, "Murders" is hailed as the trilogy's "best" entry for its audacious scope and self-awareness. In Japan, the trilogy gained cult status for its "so-bad-it's-good" charm, with this finale celebrated as a "terrible shark version of "Birdemic" movie".
The geometric sharks and MS Paint explosions are inspired critiques of CGI overuse. The shift to blockbuster parody shows Sergey A.'s growth as a provocateur. But at 74 minutes, the joke overstays its welcome. The plot's deliberate nonsense may alienate even fans of the first two films .
"Murders in the Forest of the Dead Sharks" is a triumphant disaster-a film that weaponizes its flaws to skewer Hollywood's worst habits. While its chaos borders on unwatchable, it's a fitting end to a trilogy that redefines "so bad it's good." A must-watch for fans of anti-cinema and sharkploitation satire. Pair with friends, vodka, and a tolerance for MS Paint.
"The void isn't just coming... it's already here, and it's shaped like a triangle!" - Maks Fadeev, delivering existential dread via geometry.
