CHOMPFEST 2025
In 1916, an infamous series of attacks occurred in the riverbanks in New Jersey from a shark, the made for television movie Ozarks Sharks uses that story as inspiration for their film. This was a refreshing maneuver on behalf of the filmmakers, no parody of the locals or wacky shark tales just a different location and allowed the story to unfold. The director Misty Talley who successfully handled the species of sharks beforehand since, with projects such as Zombie Shark [2015] and Mississippi River Sharks [2017], working with a script from Marcy Holland (Trailer Park Shark 2017]))and Greg Mitchell; while production was handled by Active Entertainment Arachnoquake [2012], it aired on Syfy, Thursday July 28, 2016.
Thomas Francis Murphy
The tale really starts when a few teenagers in a river start playing around with firecrackers, overall causing no harm or trouble just good ole’ fun while Dawn (Ashton Leigh (Demonic [2015])) is off to the side when sharks chowed on her friends with lightning speed, leaving her stranded on some downed branches leaning over the river. Meanwhile, two teenage siblings Harrison (Dave Davis (Starve [2014])) and reluctant Molly Kaye (Allisyn Ashley Arm) are heading to Ozark area for a vacation along with parents Rick (Michael Papajohn (Cold Moon [2016])) and Diane (Laura Cayouette (Flight of the Living Dead [2007])) and grandma (Sharon Garrison). Once at the vacation cabin Molly is off reading when she’s surprised to see her very laidback boyfriend Curtis (Ross Britz (Mask Maker [2011])) who is a good friend of Harrison. All three of them and her grandmother head into a vacationer’s common era, the boys meet a very interesting fellow named Jones and the ladies head to river. Sorry for a spoiler, but granny meets a shark face to face losing her head before her body vanishes from the screen, Molly flees in terror to the boys. They all return to the scene to find a severed arm but local businessowner Jones (Thomas Francis Murphy (Sisters of the Plague [2015])) kills the shark before it devours Harrison, then they all learn there is a pack of them and in a desperate attempt they phone the local sheriff who just ignores them. Meanwhile, the parents take a canoe excursion for a romantic getaway, not knowing what has happened and left their cellphones behind, hence Harrison drives around the lake looking for them Molly, Curtis and Jones take their own cruise armed with a wild bunch of Jones’ kick ass weapons. Along the way Harrison rescues Dawn to learn about six sharks inhabiting the area, who eventually reappear to nibble off two fingers belonging to Rick. A few points in the film things seem eerily like a plot point in Piranha [1978], especially when things sort to center on the fireworks festival. Can’t say if all of the cast makes it to the end of the film and will take some viewing time from you to determine the correct answer.
Grandma (Sharon Garrison)
Talley, who served as the film editor, made the wise decision to use mostly level shots rather than offbeat angles that do nothing to enhance the viewing pleasure and more often just appear lazy to audiences. While the movie uses CGI, the editing sequences attempt to give some refreshing looks sadly, it is not always successful. The deployment of unusual weapons works well to help from tiresome computer effects though the very end sequence does take a step to lunacy, but else could one expect.
Michael Papajohn, Allisyn Snyder and Laura Cayouette
From an entertainment standpoint, one is likely to pass by this flick, but one shouldn’t there have been a few comical lines that work well, not too corny and you miss out of some great homemade weapons. As with this production the cast of characters are often ho-hum, except for Murphy who his role is very natural not overacting making it fun to see him in his scenes and won’t be worth any lengthy discussion.
TAGLINE: Take a bite out of summer.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5606742/
IMDb Rating: 3.4/10
Baron’s Rating: 3.5/10