I usually enjoy shark movies, and even when they are bad, which most of them are, I can typically find a few enjoyable aspects in them. "Something in the Water" initially seemed promising despite its low rating, but I decided not to let that influence me.
The movie tells the story of five women who meet because of a wedding. Before the big day, they decide to have an adventure and sail out to a deserted island in a small boat. Early on, the main character and her ex-girlfriend, who no longer get along due to a violent assault they suffered in the opening scene, are left alone on another part of the island. The other women justify leaving them there by saying they need to work through their differences and rebuild their friendship.
Our protagonist is traumatized by the assault and continues to struggle with the trauma daily, a trope that feels overused and fails to generate sympathy. Instead, it creates a protagonist who is difficult to root for. In fact, most of the characters are unlikeable, and this only worsens as the movie progresses.
The women eventually reunite and go swimming in shallow water. The first shark attack is laughably bad, with unrealistic execution and awkward acting that makes the scene feel uncomfortable and strange. The lack of gore in these moments robs the film of any sense of real threat.
Soon, the five characters are stranded in the ocean with a sunken boat and a persistent shark that refuses to leave them alone. While I can suspend disbelief about the shark's relentless behavior, since it is necessary for the plot, the constant poor decisions made by the characters are impossible to ignore. This makes them even more annoying and unlikable.
The movie is also highly unrealistic, and the shark's behavior becomes increasingly absurd as the story progresses. Ultimately, the film has little to offer beyond its basic premise, which could have been enjoyable if not for the poor decisions, irritating characters, and implausible scenarios.
On the positive side, the shark effects are decent, and the overall production value seems solid. These elements show that the movie had potential, which makes its failure even more disappointing. [4,0/10]
