Common Sense Media Review
By Jennifer Green
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Gory violence, language in shark-infested disaster film.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 16+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Thrash
What's the Story?
A category 5 hurricane is speeding toward the South Carolina coast and is expected to make landfall right in the heart of small-town Annieville when THRASH opens. Most people heed warnings to get out of town, but a few are left behind, including teen Dakota (Whitney Peak), living alone with severe anxiety since her mother's death, pregnant single mom Lisa (Phoebe Dynevor), and siblings Ron (Stacy Clausen), Dee (Alyla Browne), and Will (Dante Ubaldi) and their negligent foster parents. Meanwhile, marine biologist Dr. Dale Edwards (Djimon Hounsou) realizes the hurricane is a never-before-seen incident that's also bringing a swarm of sharks into the town. Dale rushes to find Dakota, but will he get there in time?
Is It Any Good?
Clunky opening dialogues give way surprisingly quickly to an action-packed, belief-suspending disaster film. While reveling in tearing bodies apart, the technically skillful Thrash is driven by its action and effects, eliciting suspense by putting the most vulnerable in the worst scenarios. That includes a pregnant woman entering labor, an anxious teen, and three neglected foster children. The acting is solid, but the characterizations are thin, and what dialogues exist are largely cliché—particularly the cartoonishly evil foster parents and the spectacle-chasing reporter. In that sense, Thrash has more in common with the cult hit Sharknado than the classic (and memorably character-driven) Jaws.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about why formerly "once in a century" natural disasters seem to be happening more frequently in real life—and on film, like in Thrash. What's the science behind this? Where could you find more information?
How realistic were the CGI sharks and the violence in this film?
The action of this movie is set in South Carolina but was filmed in Australia. Could the movie have been set somewhere else? How would the story or characters have changed?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : April 10, 2026
- Cast : Phoebe Dynevor , Whitney Peak , Djimon Hounsou
- Director : Tommy Wirkola
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s) , Black Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Netflix
- Genre : Thriller
- Topics : Animals ( Sharks ) , Family Stories ( Adoptees and Foster Kids , Dads , Moms , Siblings ) , Friendship , STEM ( Nature , Science )
- Run time : 86 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : bloody violent content, some grisly images, and language
- Last updated : April 22, 2026
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