The Reef: Stalked review – water-phobic kayaker battles shark chomping | Film
Director Andrew Traucki’s sequel to his personal 2010 characteristic The Reef options a complete new forged of Australian characters battling a hefty shark close to the Nice Barrier Reef, however it’s basically the identical concept. Solely this time spherical, the practically totally feminine forged options two sisters and two of their mates on a kayaking tour that goes improper however not via any fault of their very own. Certainly, in a break with the normal blame-the-humans technique of those type of when-animals-attack tales, the landlubbers aren’t being punished by the universe for hubris, or a failure to heed the warnings or some such.
That mentioned, the previous does form the story: foremost protagonist Nic (Teressa Liane) was traumatised 9 months earlier when her different sister was murdered by an abusive associate, drowned in her personal bathtub. Nic discovered her physique and ever since she’s been (maybe a bit irrationally) afraid of water and retains having super-swiftly-edited flashbacks the place she imagines she is being drowned herself.
It’s a tool that Traucki retains utilizing to indicate Nic’s panic, but additionally indicate that the shark is a sort of metaphor for abusive males, therefore the phrase “stalked” within the title. PTSD freezes Nic in her kayak at a vital second, compelling her little sister Annie (Saskia Archer) to step up when certainly one of their mates will get picked off by a “man within the gray” – surfer slang for sharks, we’re helpfully knowledgeable. Stakes are raised additional by blissfully unaware cute youngsters taking part in on the shoreline, on whose behalf the ladies should paddle like billy-o to avoid wasting from a chomping.
Traucki manipulates the suspense competently sufficient, however this movie largely relies on tedious jump-scares for its impact, and has a couple of too many scenes the place somebody seems round in terror on the water with a frightened expression. The tense music is hackneyed and consequently about as biting as a minnow nip.
