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Parents' Guide to

The Shallows

By Yvonne Condes, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 13+

Blake Lively vs. shark in tense, bloody ocean thriller.

Movie PG-13 2016 87 minutes
The Shallows Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

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age 12+

Based on 19 parent reviews

Pres
Pres Adult
February 15, 2020
age 17+

Very shallow and boring!

Woman in bikini on a rock. Lots of close ups of her chest and butt. The end. BORING.
1 person found this helpful.
Dylan R.
Dylan R. Parent of 13-year-old
August 23, 2023
age 11+

Great white shark vs Nancy

Not the scariest thing I’ve seen but it’s a great thriller with gruesome attacks and the character models are good. So worth a watch.

This title has:

Great role models
See all 19 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In THE SHALLOWS, Nancy Adams (Blake Lively) is a young med school dropout who goes to a secluded beach to surf and mourn the death of her mother. She quickly realizes that she's not alone...there's a shark in the water with her. She survives its attack, but that's just the beginning of her battle of wits with the Great White. Stranded 200 yards from shore, Nancy has to figure out how to get out alive.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (19 ):
Kids say (47 ):

Like the shark at the center of its story, this movie pulls you in the minute Nancy grabs her surfboard and gets in the water. The Great White gets her right away, but that's only the beginning of her fight to stay alive. Lively is in almost every scene of the movie, and she's compelling enough to make it work. She's alone, injured and trapped, but still manages to stitch up her leg, make a video, and fight off a giant shark. She's a tough, strong woman who doesn't need saving.

There are quite a few terrifying shots of people being grabbed by sharks, but the scariest is what you don't see: i.e. a surfer being pulled in from under the water and not coming back up (and then there's Lively's face while it's all happening). It's only 87 minutes long, but you'll be holding your breath for much of that time. Unlike Jaws, the shark looks very real here (though the same can't be said for the scenes of Lively surfing...) and even more menacing. The end is a little silly, and The Shallows won't end up a a classic like Jaws did, but it will give a new generation of beachgoers an ominous feeling when they look down in the water.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about The Shallows' violence and scary scenes. Which parts scared you the most? Why? Is it scarier when you can see the monster/bad guy, or when you can't? Why?

  • Is Nancy a role model? Why or why not? How does she demonstrate perseverance? Why is that an important character strength?

  • Talk about Nancy's decision to hitchhike to a secluded beach and go surfing alone. Was that a smart, safe choice? What else could she have done? Have you ever gone anywhere by yourself and been nervous about it?

Movie Details

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Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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