Common Sense Media Review
By Alistair Lawrence
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Unoriginal shark thriller; language, threat, gory injuries.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Shark Bait
What's the Story?
SHARK BAIT follows a group of friends who become lost at sea following a jet ski accident. As tempers fray -- including between couple Tom (Jack Trueman) and Nat (Holly Earl) -- it's not just issues within the group that rise to the surface as they soon realize they're in shark-infested waters.
Is It Any Good?
There have been a steady stream of B-movies that have tried to have some fun with the shark-attack genre perfected by Jaws back in 1975. Joining those ranks is Shark Bait (also known at Jetski), which sees a group of five friends end up unmoored to two broken jet skis after an adventure goes awry, and then … not much happens. The all-British main cast -- playing Americans to help broaden the movie's appeal, presumably -- do their best to spark off each other. But some love-rat partners aside, there's not much to link them to each other at all, so the audience has little to do other than wait for the Great White predators to find something a bit meatier to sink their teeth into.
In the absence of any new plotting or a more generous special effects budget, movies such as Shark Bait at least need some decent one-liners to stay afloat, but none are forthcoming. The dueling jet skis sequence is the movie's high watermark. The rest is forgettable, as characters have little to do other than pant, gasp and occasionally get eaten alive. Lead couple Nat and Tom manage a redemptive arc of sorts, but for a movie that takes place all at sea there's an awful lot that remains stuck in the shallow end.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the violence and threat in Shark Bait. How much is shown and how much is suggested? How did it affect you?
Did you find the movie scary? What's the appeal of horror movies?
Talk about the strong language in the movie. Did it seem necessary or excessive? What did it contribute to the movie?
Movie Details
- In theaters : May 13, 2022
- On DVD or streaming : May 13, 2022
- Cast : Holly Earl , Jack Trueman , Catherine Hannay
- Director : James Nunn
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Vertical Entertainment
- Genre : Thriller
- Topics : Holidays , Animals ( Ocean Creatures )
- Run time : 87 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : September 29, 2025
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