There are few things in this world scarier than sharks. If not for sharks, tropical beach resorts could be fully realized pieces of heaven on earth, instead of bastions of terror with bathers constantly on the lookout for dorsal fins. Since most of us haven’t had the personal experience of a shark attack, we are left to wonder how splashing one’s feet in the water came to immediately trigger the image of a shark bite. For most, it was Jaws. For this writer, it’s the 1999 shark thriller Deep Blue Sea.
In Deep Blue Sea, scientists after the cure for Alzheimer’s decide to test their chemicals on sharks. I know what you’re thinking—What? Who in their right mind would try to increase the tissue in a shark’s brain? People in a stupid shark movie, that’s who. Anyway, to prove that the testing is working, the scientists invite a corporate executive to visit the shark facility—a corporate executive played by none other than Samuel L. Jackson. In the end, most of the team ends up getting ripped to shreds by the genius sharks, but the heroic efforts of a chef played by LL Cool J provide the survivors with some much needed hope in defeating these mutant sea creatures.
I don’t mean to spoil the movie for you, but the best scene is the death of Samuel Jackson. In the scene, Jackson delivers an inspirational speech, striking a chord of unity in the team for the sake of survival. Corny music sets the tone as he assures everyone, “We’re going to pull together, and we’re going to get out of here.” At last, it looks like these scientists have found a sense of order in which their lives can be reclaimed. He continues, “First, we’re going to seal off this—” and mid-sentence, his plan for salvation is put to rest. A shark leaps out of the water, grabs Jackson between its massive teeth, and pulls him into the water.
This may be the scariest surprise in movie history. In one moment, Samuel L. Jackson, the original hard motherfucker, is pumping hope into his companions’ heart like a prophet, and then, splash, he’s gone. Maybe this scene was so shocking because the last thing any sentient being on this planet would do is mess with Sam Jackson. That these purportedly “smart” sharks had the gall to take a bite out of the human race’s preeminent badass speaks miles to the extent of these creatures’ reckless malice. After pondering this, the personal implications of the attack became more terrifying than the scene itself; if this shark just jumped out of the water to pick a fight with Sam Jackson, what are the odds of survival for a five-foot-five nationally ranked Age of Empires player?
That terrifying scene aside, Deep Blue Sea is a rare breed of horror movies in its ability to ask the big questions. The possibility of these intelligent sharks reaching the outside world and breeding baby geniuses is a frightening, and dare I say pertinent, prospect in today’s age of genetic mutations. By managing to evoke Planet of the Apes-style hypotheticals, Deep Blue Sea encompasses more than the individual fear of being consumed by a shark; no, when I step into the water, my brain conjures images of Einstein and Newton sharks. Sometimes, despite the pleas of my sanity, I imagine that sharks have their own version of Samuel L. Jackson. “I have had it with these motherfucking humans on this motherfucking planet” echoes in my dreams, making me wonder why global warming must always be the issue at hand. Have humans become too ignorant to address the imminent threat of hyper-intelligent sharks?
On a serious note, sharks occupy a significant role in the history of cinema, and they must be given credit where credit is due. Jaws would not be Jaws without sharks. The Deep Blue Sea would not exist if sharks had gone the way of the dinosaurs. So the next time you’re swimming in salt water, show them that their work on screen has made a difference in our lives. In other words, let out a little scream every here and there. It’ll make the sharks feel a lot better about themselves.
