Susan Gee Oliver (a self-proclaimed shark movie connoisseur) reviews Morihito Inoue’s audacious new shark comedy-action-thriller Hot Spring Shark Attack.
After 50 years of shark movies, the Japanese have arrived. Morihito Inoue’s directorial debut is ambitious. It’s zany. It’s nonsensical. Sharks can squeeze into plumbing, swim through a city street, produce methane, and of course, shoot electricity. The movie doesn’t conform to the boundaries of realism. Budget-driven innovation makes this movie unique. In fact, almost every time you see a shark onscreen, they look different and their capabilities expand. With a mixture of diagrams, models, screensaver images, and, naturally, bad CGI, you just never know what type of shark you are going to see. Oddly, in perhaps my favorite moment, a shark “cries” by repeating their own species: shhh-shark, shark, shark. Maybe a weird translation issue, but I don’t care—it’s the best.
In summary, Hot Spring Shark Attack is a hell of a lot of fun.
This movie has now been added to my go-to shark movies, because I love animal-attack movies. Humans are complicated, messy, and exhausting. And they just talk so much. Attack movies make common, everyday environments scary due to the unpredictable nature of animals. Will my seemingly harmless weekend hike end with a cocaine-addled bear attacking me? If I go snorkeling on vacation, will I return with only one leg due to a shark attack? If I go in the water, will I come back? If I go to the bathroom will a snake curled up in the commode bite my ass? (Is that everyone’s fear or just mine?) I digress. I love animal-attack movies because shitty people often get killed. But sometimes, it’s just bad luck on the person’s part. The animal doesn’t care which type of person it just killed. We become equal when an animal attacks. It’s so satisfying.
Hot Spring Shark Attack doesn’t completely fall into the pure animal-attack movie because it throws so many concepts into one script. While it takes a lot of inspiration from Jaws no doubt, it also relies heavily on the Godzilla genre. So not only are there animals attacking, there’s people drama. There’s a big corporation taking over, social media influencers, a mysterious hunk named Macho, an enthusiastic biologist, and some naval support from the US. But also some weird disease that needs an antidote? There is even one scene with Macho that felt like an homage to Wes Anderson.
While it doesn’t have a strong narrative and little-to-no focus, it does many things incredibly well. First off, it gets into action really fast. No long setup before we even see a shark or have a kill. Most importantly, it doesn’t take itself so seriously. It’s funny and provides a joyful movie watching experience for shark movie lovers. And while it’s no Jaws, it’s better than Jaws 4! And Jaws 4 has Michael Caine.
Released in the US in July 2025, I urge you to seek out a screening and go see this with people. The only regret you’ll have is that you can’t rewind and see the shark crying, again and again.
Find a screening near you: https://hotspringsharkattackfilm.com/.
Also available on digital at Apple TV and Prime https://hotspringsharkattackfilm.com/watch
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