The best line you'll ever hear in a horror film is hidden in Shark Attack III: Megalodon. It is a rare jewel that forces you to rewind the film just to be sure you heard what you thought you heard. Not only that, but the footage of the shark is so incredible, you'll want to watch it again when you're having a bad day.
There is almost no comparison in the genre of killer shark movies when it comes to being oh so bad as to Shark Attack III. It's the first movie you bring out on bad movie night with your friends, and it's a great one to own if you want to expand your DVD collection to include the "who green lit this film" genre. However, if something did happen to live for 60 million years and survived the Ice Age, it probably does deserve its own movie.
How It All Begins
It all begins when the bravest man in the world, Ben Carpenter, a resort worker with an affinity for skipping out on work to go lobster diving, finds a giant shark tooth in an underwater fiber optic cable. After being shooed away from the scene, he goes home to email a picture of the tooth to a researcher friend so he can hopefully discover where it's from. A hot scientist, Cat Stone, sees the pictures and runs to the Mexican resort to research the tooth and the giant Megalodon shark that she knows it came from.
After inviting a television crew to come and film the goings on at the resort with the shark on the loose, people start dying from stupidity. Of course feeling responsible, Cat reveals the whole truth about the shark and it's origins, the Prehistoric Era. She tells Ben that the shark is supposed to be extinct, and with its obvious attraction to this new fiber optic cable that is being laid down in the ocean, they are soon to have many more of these extinct sharks swimming off the Mexican Coast.
At the same time as this research and hooking up is happening, and it does happen, a retired Navy man, Chuck, works for the company that put down the cable called Apex. Chuck quickly realizes that the company knew there was something dangerous out there, and they have in fact had many employees eaten by this mega shark while finishing up the cable, which of course they do not feel responsible for. Chuck is fired and in a fit of anger and the need to do the right thing he writes a very angry letter, while sitting in front of two huge portraits of George W. Bush and Dick Cheney only separated by an American Flag.
Chuck ends up teaming up with Ben and Cat as they figure out ways to kill the shark. Cat tries to convince them to let her research it instead, but then when it attacks a boat she's on and tries to eat her, she changes her mind and shoots it with a shot gun. But the horror isn't over, as they soon find out that the shark they've been chasing was only a baby Megalodon, and the mama is coming for them now. Now is when the best boat eating scenes begin. Ranging from parasailing boats to yachts, these sharks do not discriminate. Mama Megalodon even goes after a helicopter and gets very close.
A Giant Shark's Tragic Demise
Deciding on the best way to kill the shark, attaching a homing beacon to the shark so they are able to target it with the best missile ever made, the trio set out to kill the scariest thing that ever lived. But a kink in the plan occurs when Cat fails in her crossbow skills and cannot hit the shark with the pronged beacon. In a adrenaline filled exceptionally brave moment, Chuck decides to physically attach the beacon himself. While he succeeds, he also fails. The beacon falls off almost as soon as it is attached. Ben realizes the only way to kill the animal is to get it to bite the submarine they are in, as it is holding the missile. Being the bravest, Ben sits with the sub until the shark goes after it and then launches the missile and narrowly escapes through the safety hatch.
The most amazing giant animal dying scene ever in cinema exists in this film. It is quite breathtaking. The shock waves do knock Ben out, but he and Cat and Chuck all live, some more injured than others, and rejoice over their victory. However, just wait for the ending, it's a nail biter.
The Conclusion
While it seems that there might not be many redeeming characteristics in this film, those unfortunate cinematic moments are what make this film so great. Not everything can win an Academy Award, and this film in it's ridiculousness is entertaining and holds your attention, as you are waiting for what might happen next. This movie couldn't be better for all the wrong reasons.
Eliza Freer - Eliza graduated from Ball State University, having at least one thing in common with David Letterman, with a BA in Film and Television. ...
