Shark movies are renowned for their high-intensity, campy charm, and often over-the-top gore, which can sometimes veer into the realm of the absurd. Nevertheless, it’s precisely these attributes that make them so enjoyable. So, if you’re on the lookout for an entertaining way to spend your evening, you’ll want to discover the shark movies available on Netflix. Our list features a mix of top-tier selections and some that may not quite hit the mark, catering to a wide range of preferences. Whatever piques your interest (pun intended!), you’re sure to find something that floats your boat. As a twist, we deliberately omitted any of the Jaws movies for added intrigue.
List of Best shark movies on Netflix
Now, let’s dive into our carefully curated selection of the 16 best shark-themed movies currently streaming on Netflix and beyond, presented in no particular order.
Table of Contents
How to Watch Any Shark Movie on Netflix with a VPN
Using a VPN to change regions and access more Netflix locations is easy. You can do it in a few simple steps;
- Sign up for NordVPN or Surfshark
- Download the app for your device and install it
- Launch the app and sign in with your username and password
- Select a server location (preferably in the US)
- Launch your browser and open Netflix
Deep Blue Sea (1999)
IMDB Score: 5.8
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 59%
Genre: Action, Science Fiction
Starring: Thomas Jane, Samuel L. Jackson, LL Cool J, Saffron Burrows
Platform: Netflix
Plot: Scientists are studying Mako sharks in an underwater facility with the goal of finding a cure for Alzheimer’s disease. Genetic engineering makes the sharks incredibly intelligent, and once they revolt, the facility’s crew must find a way to survive. This classic is a must-watch if you’re just now getting into shark movies.
47 Meters Down: Uncaged (2019)
IMDB Score: 5.0
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 45%
Genre: Adventure, Drama, Horror
Starring: Corinne Foxx, Sophie Nelisse, Brianne Tju
Platform: Netflix
Plot: Two sisters decide to explore an underwater city. However, they soon learn they’re in the territory of the deadliest shark species. Trapped in a labyrinth of submerged caves, they must find a way to get back to shore.
Great White (2021)
IMDB Score: 4.1
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 43%
Genre: Horror, Thriller
Starring: Katrina Bowden, Aaron Jakubenko, Kimie Tsukakoshi
Platform: Netflix
Plot: Five passengers end up stuck on a raft when their seaplane is destroyed. A 100 miles away from shore, with tensions rising and great white sharks lurking beneath, they must find a way to survive.
USS Indianapolis: Men of Courage (2016)
IMDB Score: 5.2
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 17%
Genre: Action, Drama, History
Starring: Nicolas Cage, Tom Sizemore, Thomas Jane
Platform: Netflix
Plot: An American navy ship sinks during World War II. 890 crewmen are stranded in the Philippine sea. With no way to get back to shore and sharks circling their location, they have nothing but courage to keep them alive.
The Shallows (2016)
IMDB Score: 6.3
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 79%
Genre: Horror, Drama
Starring: Blake Lively
Platform: Netflix, Amazon Prime
Plot: A surfer gets stranded on an isolated rock, unable to get to shore because of a menacing great white shark. She must figure out a way to survive before the tide brings her face-to-face with the shark. This movie is incredibly intense and arguably one of the best in the genre.
Open Water (2003)
IMDB Score: 5.7
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 71%
Genre: Horror, Drama
Starring: Blanchard Ryan, Daniel Travis
Platform: Amazon Prime, Netflix
Plot: In Australia, an American couple goes scuba diving and is stranded when their boat leaves them behind. The couple soon finds out that, besides being isolated, they are also hunted by killer sharks. If this seems like a worn-out plotline, you might be surprised that the film is based on a true story.
The Meg (2018)
IMDB Score: 5.7
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 46%
Genre: Horror, Science Fiction
Starring: Jason Statham, Li Bingbing, Rainn Wilson
Platform: Netflix, Amazon Prime
Plot: In an attempt to rescue researchers stranded at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean, Jonas Taylor (Jason Statham) battles a massive megalodon shark, a type of shark long thought to be extinct. The film is based on a 1997 novel by Steve Alten.
The Reef (2010)
IMDB Score: 5.8
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 79%
Genre: Horror, Drama
Starring: Damian Walshe-Howling, Zoe Naylor, Gyton Grantley, Adrienne Pickering
Platform: Amazon Prime
Plot: On a trip to Indonesia, a boat full of friends capsizes, leaving the passengers with no option but to swim to the closest shore. They soon realize a great white shark is hunting them. You won’t be able to sleep after this instant classic.
Mega Shark Versus Giant Octopus (2009)
IMDB Score: 2.5
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 18%
Genre: Action, Comedy
Starring: Debbie Gibson, Lorenzo Lamas
Platform: Amazon Prime
Plot: Two prehistoric sea creatures wreak havoc on the California coast to see which one can establish control of the sea. This notorious B-movie began the Mega Shark series and is arguably one of the best so-bad-it’s-good movies you can find
Sharknado 2: The Second One (2014)
IMDB Score: 4.0
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 59%
Genre: Action, Comedy
Starring: Ian Ziering, Tara Reid, Vivica A. Fox
Platform: Amazon Prime
Plot: Fin returns in this self-aware second installment of the Sharknado film series. This time, floods bring sharks to New York. As tornadoes heighten the drama, Fin and company try to survive the onslaught of sharks that dwarf the one in the first installment.
Dark Tide (2012)
IMDB Score: 4.3
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 0%
Genre: Action, Drama
Starring: Halle Berry, Olivier Martinez, Ralph Brown
Platform: Amazon Prime
Plot: Halle Berry stars as a diving instructor who has suffered a traumatic great white shark attack. Though she no longer feels comfortable in the water, she accepts an opportunity she can’t turn down when a millionaire and his son are looking for a guide through the notorious Shark Alley. Any movie that gets a 0% on Rotten Tomatoes is destined for cult-classic greatness, especially when audiences seem to really enjoy it.
Open Water 3: Cage Dive (2017)
IMDB Score: 4.1
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 25%
Genre: Horror, Drama
Starring: Joel Hogan, Josh Potthoff, Megan Peta Hill
Platform: Amazon Prime
Plot: This Blair Witch-style installment of the Open Water franchise tells the story of three friends as they venture into a shark cage to audition for a reality TV show. As you might expect, things don’t go according to plan. The found-footage approach injects new life into the popular shark film series and the entire genre.
Shark Night (2011)
IMDB Score: 4.0
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 19%
Genre: Horror
Starring: Sara Paxton, Katharine McPhee, Alyssa Diaz
Available in: Buy on DVD
Plot: Seven college friends take a trip to a Louisiana lake, only to be terrorized by a gang of sharks. Though critics originally slated the film, audiences were more accepting of it as a solid addition to the shark movie genre.
Raging Sharks (2005)
IMDB Score: 2.5
Rotten Tomatoes Score: Not Available
Genre: Science Fiction
Starring: Corin Nemec, Vanessa Angel, Corbin Bernsen
Platform: Amazon Prime
Plot: B-movie lovers will enjoy this alien invasion/shark movie hybrid about a team of marine researchers who are preyed upon by a nasty group of great white sharks. It’s not always clear whether the filmmakers are aware of how silly the movie is, which typically makes for a better B-movie (all things Sharknado aside).
Conclusion
Here’s a list of movies guaranteed to have you on the edge of your seat, with plenty of screams and suspense – well, for the most part. Get ready to sink into your favorite spot on the couch, slip into your cozy pajamas, and clutch your beloved cushion as you indulge in a bucket of chips while you embark on a shark movie binge on Netflix this weekend.
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Greetings, I’m the Flix Editor at Whats on Flix, and I’m a seasoned Netflix Marathon enthusiast. My mission with Whats on Flix is to provide the latest updates on the finest movies and TV shows for all you avid cinephiles out there.