Sharksploitation has set a low bar for itself. The movies tend to be fun, but the majority of them are little more than an impossibly big shark wreaking havoc. Beast of War does not sound like it is going to be much different. During World War II a group of Australian soldiers are attacked at sea. They are left adrift and are forced to deal with their personal differences. Then a hungry great white shark comes along.
Beast of War starts things off by introducing the young soldiers. They are the expected group – the weak one, the capable outcast, the haughty one. But it is not long before the film feels different. The characters make up for a lack of depth with lots of charm. Audiences will immediately feel for these characters. Unlike other movies in the sub-genre, they feel like more than chum.
Following a clumsy transition, the plot begins. The next hour or so is spent on a raft with the remaining survivors. There is the usual conflict involving people not getting along, blood attracting the shark, and no way of rescue. It is the type of stuff that is done in every sharksploitation movie.
It works in Beast of War thanks to the great character work. The tension is ratcheted up since there is the added element of concern. This is not just about seeing vicious attacks – and there are a lot of good ones here – you want everyone to survive. This makes each death all the more meaningful.
What would a sharksploitation movie be without a great villain? The poster teases something that will be similar to an Asylum film. Thankfully, Beast of War does not go in that direction. The shark is big (twenty feet one of the soldiers speculates) but not cartoonishly so. It is covered in scars and looks frightening. Most importantly, it looks and feels real.
Silly final shot aside, the ending is well done. The hero does ridiculously heroic things and the shark is dealt with in awesome fashion. Along the way there are some excellent scares and some funny moments. There are plenty of movies about sharks, but Beast of War stands out.
Beast of War will be released In Theaters and On Digital on October 10, 2025
