July is upon us, which means it’s the perfect time for summer horror! What’s more summer than shark movies? While shark movies may not be at the same level as my love of gastro horror, I’m usually down for a fun one. I’ve seen a ton of them and will give most a shot. That said, when I heard about Hot Spring Shark Attack, I was instantly sold. The premise sounded great! Did it live up to my own mental hype? You bet it did! Read on to find out why I think this movie is so special!
In Hot Spring Shark Attack, “there have been cases of mysterious disappearances of onsen visitors in Atsumi city in S prefecture. The victims were eventually found dead with signs of severe injuries to their bodies resembling a vicious shark attack.”
Hot Spring Shark Attack is the feature directorial debut of writer/director Morihito Inoue. The film premiered at the 2024 Tokyo International Shark Film Festival, where it took home the Audience Award, and was released in Japan and other international territories last year. It also recently had its US premiere at the Chattanooga Film Festival. Ahead of the US rollout, Inoue shared, “Shark movies are popular in Japan as well, but the number of shark films produced here has not yet met the growing demand. My film was made domestically in Japan and received great acclaim, not only from regular shark movie enthusiasts but also from many viewers who were previously unfamiliar with the genre. I’m very excited to see how this work will be received outside of Japan.”
As I mentioned above, I’m a sucker for a shark movie. I’ve seen a ton of them and even created recipes for a couple! I especially love the ones that don’t take themselves too seriously, like Bad CGI Sharks and Santa Jaws. Are these films inherently good? Not really, but there is something just so fun about sharks doing things they absolutely shouldn’t be doing. Hot Springs Shark Attack is so silly, but at the same time, it pays tribute not only to its silly predecessors but to its more serious ones as well. As a friend who saw the film during Chattanooga and I discussed, you can feel the earnestness of the filmmaker as well as his love of the genre. There are so many nods to Jaws that I just kept giggling. My favorite was the moment when the chief’s wife, who looked like Mrs. Kintner (a similar hairstyle and glasses), slapped the mayor in the same way Lee Fierro slapped Roy Scheider in Jaws. There are several other moments pulled from Jaws, but I don’t want to spoil them.
Another pleasant surprise for me was seeing Shigeo Ôsako in the credits at the start of the film. As a huge fan of director Koji Shiraishi, he has become one of my favorite Japanese character actors. No matter the size of the part, he gives 110% and is always memorable. His role as the Prime Minister was a pleasant surprise, and his post-credits scene (yes, stay through the credits) is a lot of fun and fitting for him. The character of the Onsen Guardian doesn’t say much, but every time he is on screen, between the foley sounds and the silent acting, you can’t help but just laugh.
The film uses a mixture of CGI and practical effects in a very fun way that never feels like a crappy action film that tried to fool its audience. The 3D printer used in the film is very similar to the one we actually have at home. Using this as a part of the storytelling was super clever. Going back to the mix of CG and practical effects, the sharks in Hot Spring Shark Attack are a great example of the mix between the two. Speaking of the sharks, they chew the scenery both literally and figuratively. I don’t want to spoil the gag, but I will say they communicate hilariously.
Does all of this sound like a great time to you? Well, fortunately, you won’t have to wait long to see the film for yourself. Hot Spring Shark Attack will debut for special previews at various Alamo Drafthouse locations on Wednesday, July 9th. The film will officially open theatrically for extended runs and special engagements on Friday, July 11th, including Los Angeles and New York City. The same day, it will be available in North America to rent or own on Cable VOD and Digital HD, including Apple TV, Prime Video, Fandango at Home, iNDEMAND, and Vubiquity. Do yourself a favor and watch this one with at least one other person. It’s really a fantastic movie for a group watch!
My Rating: 5/5