Nerds That Geek Movie Review: 'Frenzy'

WRitten by SCott 'Sharky' Edwards

Sometimes when you jump into the water with a shark movie, you do not know what to expect. While there are some movies out there that just put the blood and gore front and center, there are others that make you think what you might do in that situation. While I am a fan of the prior, because what is a shark movie without sharks attacking people, I must admit that Frenzy took a little different path than I expected, and I was pleasantly surprised. Because not only did it deliver on the carnage that the greatest killing machines in the water can give us, but it also tells the story of a young woman who wants something much different out of her life.
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Getting ready for their next adventure, Paige and her friends Kahaia, Evan and Seb are on another level, but Paige’s sister Lindsey is not. Only being newly invited to join their extreme vacation site, Lindsey believes that she has earned her rite of passage, but not everyone else feels that way since she is not into this hardcore stuff. Yet, being a part of her older sister’s team means the world to her, especially since she gets to spend more time with her boyfriend Seb who has built her up from a fraidy cat to someone that can hold her own with the rest of the group. Getting some good ‘B’ roll done before their flight arrives, the group is getting ready for the trip of lifetime, but little do they know what dangers lies ahead of them.

Having a quick talk with the pilot, Paige has been able to convince him to turn off the transponder, so they can travel to a place that is very off limits to people. Taking a look at the plane however, Lindsay is having second thoughts, since it will be a very tight squeeze, with it being smaller than a car. With all assurances that things will be alright, the group loads in and make their way out to the restricted cove, but a little bit of turbulence knocks the plane out of the sky. Waking up in the water, Lindsay believes that she sees a fin circling the crash site; but Kahala will not listen to her since they need to find the others, along with surviving the violent waters.

Finding Seb very quickly, the three survivors see that they are not too far from the island and Seb decides to give it a go while Kahaia dives down to the plane to try and find the transponder. Coming up with some supplies, including a life raft, the women get on board and Seb takes off for the island. Little does he know however a group of hungry sharks are right on his tail. Watching as her boyfriend is devoured before her very eyes, Lindsay is forced to come to terms that the situation is beyond bleak. While Kahaia tries to calm down her co-star, the truth comes out that Lindsay is not even supposed to be part of the group. Looking back on the buildup that Seb has given her over the past months; Lindsay is ready to prove her friend wrong and gets ready to take on some sharks.

This movie really took me off guard since it kind of had a Shallows vibe to it, but then it delivered on some great shark kills, so it made me very happy to watch. While the story plays out, you get brief flashbacks as to how Lindsay made it into the group and became ‘Clickbait’ for the site while her and Seb’s relationship moved on to the next level. The encouraging words from her now deceased boyfriend are exactly what Lindsay needed to take her own growth to the next level and come to the conclusion that the only way she will survive is by becoming someone she has yet to be…a shark killer. With some shark kills, blood in the water, a poor attempt at throwing spears, a loose rock, some fire, a spear gun, a flare gun, some stupid fishermen and the strive to survive, this is overall a very entertaining watch, especially if you don’t want to take a shark movie too seriously, because some great ideas come into play. Stay Scared.

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