Shark Night 3D (9/2/2011)

Rated PG-13 for violence and terror, disturbing images, sexual references, partial nudity, language and thematic material.

Starring Sara Paxton, Chris Carmack, Sinqua Walls, Joel David Moore, Chris Zylka and Donal Logue

Directed by David R. Ellis (The Final Destination, Snakes on a Plane and Cellular)

Shark Night 3D is dead in the water.

Arriving by boat at her family’s Louisiana lake island cabin, Sara (Sara Paxton) and her friends quickly strip down to their swimsuits for a weekend of fun in the sun. But when star football player Malik (Sinqua Walls) stumbles from the salt-water lake with his arm torn off, the party mood quickly evaporates. Assuming the injury was caused by a freak wake-boarding accident, the group realizes they have to get Malik to a hospital on the other side of the lake, and fast. But as they set out in a tiny speedboat, the college friends discover the lake has been stocked with hundreds of massive, flesh-eating sharks! As they face one grisly death after another, Sara and the others struggle desperately to fend off the sharks, get help and stay alive long enough to reach the safety of dry land.

I certainly did not expect a great film…but let’s be honest…sometimes people enjoying watching those mindless action films. They are filled with cool effects, fun one-liners and a good looking cast. Guess what? Shark Night 3D has none of those!

Okay, if you are going to make a movie that is only released in 3D…make it worth it! Don’t give me a handful of cheesy scenes where something finally leaps out of the screen at me…it’s just a waste of my time and your money. This is a B-movie that you are more likely to find a single copy of at your local video store and never should have been released on the big screen. This movie is boring, joyless and very forgettable.

I have to blame director David Ellis. His previous films like Final Destination 2 and Snakes on a Plane, were really dumb, but there were at least a few funny scenes and some of those “jump-out of-your-seat” moments. Again in this one, none of that.

And if you’re expecting Jaws style scares, or even Deep Blue Sea action fun… forget it. There’s nothing funny, or scary, or even stupid enough to enjoy here. Let’s just say that after seeing this one…you won’t have any problem “going back in the water.” It’s a Coaster.

SHOULD KIDS SEE IT?
Even though I knew this film wasn’t R-rated, I kept expecting the typical PG-13 raunch. And while there are a few very typical PG-13 scenes like when two girls take off their tops and we see their bare backs and we see Chris Zylka’s butt as he models nude for an art class, it steers clear of any sex scenes. There is a lot of violence and gore as several people are attacked by sharks. There are bunches of b-words, a- words, d- words, h- words, and God’s name is used in vain about 20 times.

Conversation Starter
Three Simple Questions (with Answers You May Be Looking for):

Q: What’s the message/theme of this movie?
A: Peer pressure is a theme throughout the early part of the film. Nick is pressured to stop studying and to play video games, to go away for a weekend instead of staying home and getting his work done, and to engage in drinking and sexual activity.

Q: How do you suppose we—as serious Christ-followers—should react to this movie?
A: A good place to start is to ask your child/student, “Why do people give in to peer pressure?”

Then ask them if they have ever experienced positive peer pressure? What happened?

Then ask them if they have ever experienced negative peer pressure? What happened?

Q: How can we move from healthy, Bible-based opinions about this movie to actually living out those opinions?
A: Read 1 Corinthians 10:13. “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”

What are some of the things this verse tells us about the pressure we may face to do the wrong thing?

1. You are not alone. Everyone has faced peer pressure.
2. Peer pressure is not new – it has been around since the beginning of time.
3. Others have overcome it – that should encourage us.
4. God provides a way out.

With that in mind…when it comes to standing up against peer pressure…you can do it!

So what are some things you can do this week to stand firm against peer pressure?