6-Headed Shark Attack

6-Headed Shark Attack review
2018
4
Director: 
Mark Atkins

SYNOPSIS: 

What is supposed to be a marriage boot camp on a remote island turns into the ultimate test for survival when a 6-headed shark starts attacking the beach. Trapped with minimal weapons they try to fight off the shark, but quickly discover that no one is safe in the water or on land.

REVIEW: 

As any die-hard Jaws fan can tell you, it’s just not summer without at least one good (or better yet, not so good) shark movie to take in over a six pack and some popcorn. This year brought us 6-Headed Shark Attack, the latest of Asylum’s campy sequels to 2012’s low-budget 2-Headed Shark Attack. The film is directed by Mark Atkins (Sand Sharks, Planet of the Sharks) and stars Chris Fisher, Jonathan Pienaar, Brandon Auret, and Meghan Oberholder.

Whether horror fans have seen the films in the Shark Attack series or not, they’re likely pretty familiar with The Asylum. The indie film company is notorious among genre lovers for producing low-budget, ultra-cheesy, direct-to-video films that shamelessly attempt to capitalize on glossier productions from bigger studios and 6-Headed Shark Attack is hardly an exception. Like the previous Shark Attack films, as well as the better-known films in Asylum’s Sharknado franchise, this film is exactly the type of viewing it sounds like it would be. Whether or not that’s a good thing or a bad thing depends on how you feel about B-movies in general.

The premise of 6-Headed Shark Attack finds the next batch of victims hanging out on a remote island. They’re there to attend a marriage boot camp, so it’s probably not surprising that they’re not exactly prepared for a multi-headed shark attack. However, that’s exactly what they get when the titular monster begins launching its attack on the beach and surrounding waters, proving in the process that this time there’s nowhere to hide (even on dry land).

Fans of Asylum’s Shark Attack series are no doubt curious as to how concept designers planned to fit yet another head onto a new monster shark. (As it was, 5-Headed Shark Attack was forced to place the new head at the end of the shark’s tail.) They should prepare to be impressed by the starfish-shaped 6-headed shark for sure, especially when its unique shape allows it to attack on land as efficiently as it does in the water. This newest shark also has the miraculous ability to heal itself, which makes for some pretty far-fetched scenes to say the least. Some will make you groan heartily, others will make you laugh, but a few might actually impress you with their sheer creativity.

In other words, 6-Headed Shark Attack isn’t exactly fine cinema, but it hardly claims to be. Movies like this – especially when they’re sixth sequels --  are made solely to entertain. The fun of watching them lies in seeing how far over the top the antics can actually go and like the other Shark Attack films before it, this one doesn’t disappoint. It works because it delivers what it promises without trying to pull a switcheroo and that’s exactly what fans of Asylum productions are looking for. That being said, if you’re a fan of others in the same series (or campy creature films in general), this one is definitely worth your time. Give it a shot the next time you’re looking for some cheesy, crazy fun that doesn’t take itself too seriously.

OTHER MOVIES REVIEWS

Kairo (Pulse) review

Kairo (Pulse)

2001

It’s safe to say that we’ve created our share of iconic horror characters here in America. Horror icons like Freddy Krueger (A Nightmare on Elm Street), Michael Myers (Halloween), or Jason Vorhees (Friday the 13th) are so highly recognizable, that they’re pretty much synonymous with the mere concept of a horror movie. Even so, no country handles horror quite like Japan does. Japanese horror films have a much-deserved reputation for being exceptionally horrifying and thought-provoking at the same time. You won’t find as many homicidal maniacs gracing genre screens in... Read More

The Black Room Review

The Black Room

2016

When it comes to classic horror tropes – like haunted houses and the dark secrets they hide – there’s definitely more than one way to approach material that is very familiar to the average genre fan by now. More and more modern filmmakers are adopting a cerebral approach and turning their haunted house movies into social commentaries with something larger to say. Others are focused on simply telling a good scary story with plenty of jump scares and special effects. Still more go for an exploitive approach that is almost intentionally trashy. The Black Room could probably... Read More

The Shrine Review

The Shrine

2010

The Shrine is the type of film that comes complete with lots of familiar horror tropes an avid genre lover will recognize. You’ve got the mysterious disappearance of a traveler under mysterious circumstances, as well as a team of people seeking answers as to the details of those circumstances. You’ve got a remote village in a foreign land populated by strange people who raise an eyebrow or two thanks to their mysterious beliefs and practices. Scares, jumps, and mysteries abound as the protagonists attempt to make sense of it all. Given those facts, the plotline of The... Read More

Vampires

1998

Jack Crow is much more than a vampire hunter. He is a war machine that considers vampires as the embodiment of Evil and teammates as soldiers to be strictly trained so that they never fail. The Vatican monitors him from afar, assists him through specially trained priests, and supports him economically. This unlikely but functional partnership between this sort of crepuscular cow boy and one of the most important religious institutions in the world undergoes a stop when the ancient and powerful Valek breaks into the room where a vampire hunting party is celebrating, making... Read More

The Curse of La Llorona Review

The Curse of La Llorona

2019

If you’re a fan of the ever-expanding universe of The Conjuring, then it makes sense that The Curse of La Llorona would definitely be on your radar. It is the sixth addition to the franchise, joining other recent hits like The Nun and Annabelle in fleshing out the world first introduced by the original Conjuring back in 2013. It’s also the directorial debut of Michael Chaves (who will also be directing the upcoming Conjuring 3) and is, of course, produced by James Wan. Linda Cardellini (Strangeland), Raymond Cruz (From Dusk Till Dawn 2), Sean Patrick Thomas (Kemper, The... Read More