Film Review: Sharks in Venice (2008)

SYNOPSIS:

While in Venice to investigate the disappearance of his father, diver and archaeologist David (Stephen Baldwin) stumbles upon a lost Medici treasure. But when the mob learns of David’s discovery, they kidnap his girlfriend and demand that he recover the fortune. There’s only one small, flesh-eating problem: A killer shark has found its way into the city’s canal system, and David could be its dinner if he’s not careful.

REVIEW:

When I read the title Shark in Venice I simply dreaded watching the film. When I popped it in and the credits started to introduce who would be in the movie and saw Stephen Baldwin listed, my hopes sank deeper down the drain and I got ready for something that was probably going to suck- but you know what, it wasn’t half bad. It was way better than the last film I reviewed called Attitude for Destruction. The shark in this film will remind you of just how much damage this gifted gilled creature can do to a human being!

David Franks who is played by Stephen Balwin is a teacher at a University and his fiancee Laura works across the hall from him. Word gets to him that his father went missing on a dive over in Italy. The two other guys that were with him were found mutilated by what they say was a boat propeller since there is no way there are sharks in Venice. The couple fly to Italy and go to the morgue just to make sure none of the victims were his father. David looks the medical examiner in the eye and asks him how could he not see that is was obviously a shark, is he stupid or what?

David decides he is going to go and dive the same route so he can get some answers on what might of happened to his father. Him and another diver go down in the canals and not long after he finds his fathers watch laying down in the bottom of the water. Out of nowhere a shark comes rushing up and sinks his teeth into the diver while David quickly tries to get out of there. He gets lost and ends up finding the hidden tunnel leading to the room full of artifacts that his very own father was looking for.

Later David is approached by two c**ky men telling him to meet up with their boss that night for dinner and that they held information on what happened to his father. At the restaurant they are seated and introduced to Mr. Clemenza who offers him two million dollars to take one of his experienced divers down to the hidden room full of these rare ancient artifacts. Mr. Clemenza is obviously involved with the mafia and doesn’t want to hear no as an answer. So after some serious persuasion David finally agrees.

When in the tunnel he warns the man of all of the booby traps that are set up to guard this massive fortune. As soon as they are in there and the man sees all of the treasure up front and personal he starts to try and rid the world of David for good. David has to now fight for his life to get out of there and get to his fiancee Laura who is being held against her will by Mr. Clemenza. Can David get there before they hurt Laura or maybe even kill her? I bet he wishes he just never got on that plane to Italy.

The shark would fly up unexpectedly on the victims and those murky waters would become bight red with their spilled blood. The effects weren’t over the top or anything but hey, they got the job done and will make you have a scary thought or two the next time you are out playing in the ocean with your boogie board! I am not really sure on how exactly shark digest their food but near the end of the film there is this really cool scene where the water creature is swallowing his victim!

I wouldn’t per say classify this as real horror but it was a decent flick that is certainly worth a watch. It was better than alot of the films I get to view and it had some action built in there as well. Stephen Baldwin didn’t flunk in his character role, his acting was dead on in what they were looking for.

Sharks in Venice (2008)