Skip to content

THE REEF: STALKED

Written By:

John Townsend
THE REEF: STALKED

According to a pretty definitive list on Letterboxd – the online film community – there are in excess of 170 shark-related films and adding to that list is The Reef: Stalked, an indirect sequel to 2010’s The Reef. From the same writer and director Andrew Traucki, Stalked follows Nic (Teressa Liane) as she struggles to come to terms with her sister’s death from domestic abuse by joining friends on a sea kayaking trip. And, of course, they encounter a shark.

The Reef is one of the better shark films of recent years and with Stalked Traucki proves again he understands how to build tension. The key seems to be following the rule that less is more, with the watery setting used expertly to provide both an oppressive atmosphere and sense of forlorn hope. And one dodgy CGI scene aside, the shark action itself is convincingly brutal.

Equally, the performances are good, the sense of jeopardy suitably uncomfortable, and the decision-making understandable. And yet, there is the unavoidable issue that plagues shark films almost without exception. How do you maintain all that built-up tension? Once the shark is in play, as soon as you’ve had a kill or two, there is an inevitable calming of the waters. Show the shark too much and you’re drifting into monster movie territory, ignore the nasty fish altogether and what are you left with apart from characters simply floating around in the ocean? It’s a challenge Traucki doesn’t entirely overcome.

That said, aside from a middle-act slump and the slightly underwhelming finale Stalked is a solid entry into already infested waters.

 

The Reef: Stalked is on digital from July 29th and DVD August 8th.

You May Also Like...

NYX UK Unveils XMAS Lineup – Simon Rumley Season, Premieres, and More!

Our friends over at NYX UK – the country’s only free-to-air horror channel – have just released their December programming, and yet again they’ve given us genre fans a wonderful
Read More
jodie comer in the end we start from trailer

Jodie Comer Fights For Survival In THE END WE START FROM Trailer

The End We Start From is the feature directorial debut from filmmaker and BAFTA winner Mahalia Belo, a survival drama based on a novel by Megan Hunter. From a script by
Read More
Shôgun tv series 2024 poster

SHOGUN Samurai Epic Gets Release Date

FX’s epic samurai series Shōgun is now set to premiere on February 27, 2024, the network has confirmed. This follows the release of the show’s official trailer, which launched earlier this month.
Read More
jonathan majors as kang in loki by creator michael waldron

LOKI Creator Michael Waldron To Write KANG DYNASTY

Marvel Studios has enlisted Loki series creator Michael Waldron to write the screenplay for Avengers: The Kang Dynasty. Waldron also penned the script for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of
Read More
timothy olyphant in santa clarita diet holding spade

Timothy Olyphant To Star In ALIEN Series

Timothy Olyphant will be reuniting with Noah Hawley for FX’s upcoming Alien series, Deadline reports, signing on for a lead role. He joins Sydney Chandler in the Hawley-helmed show, which
Read More

GLADIATOR 2 Finally Has a Release Date

After years of speculation over whether it would actually go ahead, the long-awaited Gladiator 2 finally has a release date. Ridley Scott has just released his Napoleon epic, and now
Read More