Common Sense Media Review
By Brian Costello
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Original cult hit has blood, gore, stereotypes.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
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Sharknado
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 12 parent reviews
Based on 49 kid reviews
Kids say this film is both an amusing and utterly absurd experience with its ludicrous plot of sharks raining down during a tornado. While many reviews highlight its poor acting and special effects, they also find it entertainingly funny despite the excessive gore and violence, making it a guilty pleasure for some viewers.
- so bad it's good
- excessive gore
- cheesy humor
- poor special effects
- entertainingly ridiculous
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
Hurricane David is making its way up from Mexico toward Southern California and bringing a SHARKNADO with it: hundreds of ravenous sharks attacking every human being they come across. This is especially bad news for Fin (Ian Ziering), a surfer who owns a beachside bar in Santa Monica. As the hurricane comes in, Fin witnesses firsthand the brutal shark attacks. He escapes from the bar with his employees and one of the regulars (John Heard) and decides he must rescue his estranged ex-wife, April (Tara Reid), and his kids before seeking higher ground. But the storm is relentless, and the sharks keep finding ways to swim through the floodwaters in the Los Angeles area. It's up to Fin, with the help of his friends and family, to try to stop the "sharknado" from claiming any more lives.
Is It Any Good?
If you go in with the right frame of mind, this film is pure entertainment. True, the special effects, the dialogue, and the very premise of the story are completely ludicrous, but that's all part of the fun. You don't watch Sharknado to bask in a cinematic masterwork; you watch it because it's hilarious and mindless, a deliberately campy romp of a cheesy creature feature.
Does it even make sense within the world it's created for itself? No. It's a fun B movie -- pure and simple -- one that basks in the conventions of the form. Even stereotypical moments, such as Latino and Asian villains and women as damsels in distress, are likely to inspire an eye roll rather than deeper affront because no one is taking any part of the film seriously. Yes, it's bad -- but that certainly doesn't make it unwatchable. Just be ready for blood and gore, making this more appropriate for teens and older. But even people who fear sharks should find this film more laughable than scary.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about B movies like Sharknado. What makes them so appealing? What's the difference between a movie that's "so bad, it's good" and a movie that's simply bad?
Does the movie seem satirical? If so, what scenes or lines of dialogue seemed purposefully clichéd? Was it clever in any way?
Did you notice any stereotypes in the movie? If so, what characters were clichéd? Are stereotypes harmful to viewers? Why, or why not?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : January 30, 2024
- Cast : Ian Ziering , John Heard , Tara Reid
- Director : Anthony C. Ferrante
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : The Asylum
- Genre : Horror
- Topics : Animals ( Ocean Creatures )
- Run time : 90 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : September 29, 2025
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