Killer sharks are what drew most views into this “insane” movie, but they all seem to share the same complaint.
Under Paris is a 2024 French addition to the action-horror genre, with a shark at the heart of the storyline, inevitably seeing it compared to the likes of Jaws. The divisive film stars actress Bérénice Bejo, who plays a marine biologist, Sophia, forced to face her tragic past to prevent a potential bloodbath in Paris.
A review on Rotten Tomatoes reads: “Under Paris is like Jaws’ unwanted child. I think it’s safe to say, and most will agree, that this movie is absolutely terrible; however, this movie tries so hard to be taken seriously that it’s just funny. The plot is stupid, but the few shark scenes and the decent CGI makeup for it. A very stupid movie but a fun, braindead watch.”
The film’s tension escalates when a massive shark appears in the river Seine, leaving Sophia to safeguard the city. As more victims are discovered with mysterious injuries and shark bites, calls are made to postpone the upcoming triathlon in the river.
Despite the warnings, the event proceeds as planned, leaving viewers on the edge of their seats as they wonder if the shark will be found before more fatalities occur, reports the Mirror US.
One person described it as “Dumb yet creative, preachy yet thrilling”. They said: “This horror/disaster movie takes its outlandish premise to all the places that fans of the killer shark genre will appreciate.”
Another critique reads: “It starts very slowly, but by the end of the 2nd act, the film shifts into high gear and becomes an insane shark thriller.”
However, not everyone is impressed by the movie’s production values. The lower-budget CGI and special effects have been a sticking point for many, leading some to label the film “unwatchable”.
One viewer lamented that the CGI was “amateur at best”, while another likened it to a cartoon.
A viewer commented: “This is one of the dumbest movies I have ever seen. I created an account just to write a review after watching this garbage. You’ll be rooting against every character you are introduced to. The writing, acting, editing, and CGI were all terrible. Nothing in this movie makes sense. Everyone involved in creating this should leave the industry.”
In spite of its negative critical response, the film did go on to achieve the number one position on Netflix for the most viewed films at the time of its release. And, within its first week, Under Paris was watched an impressive 40 million times. Whether that was for good or bad reasons is up for debate.
Decide for yourself, and watch Under Paris, available to stream on Netflix now.