Maneater (2022)

Maneater knows exactly what it is: a sun-drenched, salt-spray shark thriller that trades prestige for pure, pulpy momentum, the kind of movie that’s best enjoyed with friends and a willingness to cheer at the mayhem. Director Justin Lee keeps the vibe brisk and breezy until it snaps into something nastier, using the postcard paradise setting as a gleeful contrast to the gnarly, R-rated creature-feature carnage. Nicky Whelan gives the chaos a sturdy center, while Trace Adkins brings a weathered, no-nonsense presence that fits the film’s “last-ditch survival” energy. If you want realistic marine biology or subtle horror, this may not be your catch—but if you’re on the fence and craving a silly, summery, crowd-pleasing shark romp, it delivers the goods.

Maneater is clearly aiming for a lean, old-school “friends stranded with a killer shark” survival thriller, with sunlit vacation vibes turning nasty and a body-count-first approach. The problem is the execution: the pacing drags between attacks, the characters are thinly sketched, and the tension often collapses into awkward staging and unintentionally silly moments rather than the satisfying, pulpy fun it’s reaching for. If you’re hoping for suspenseful set pieces, smart survival problem-solving, or even a so-bad-it’s-good shark romp, this may feel like a rough watch that’s more dull than delicious. On the plus side, it does deliver frequent, nasty shark violence and a straightforward premise, so viewers who just want quick, grim creature-feature carnage might still get what they came for.