There are two distinct signs that Climate Change fearmonger Adam McKay produced the shark thriller “Thrash.”
The creative team gave him a shout-out with a McKay-themed tanker that spills its cargo early in the film. And the story never stops reminding us that we helped make the movie’s signature storm a reality.
Where’s that Al Gore cameo when you need it?
“Thrash” is still an unabashed B-movie, and it works best by leaning into those genre tics. The story simply doesn’t know whether to let loose or keep reminding us why we need to reduce our carbon footprint, and stat.
(Except China can do what it pleases…)
A massive storm is heading toward a coastal South Carolina town, and a few unwise souls haven’t heeded the warnings to seek higher ground.
Dakota (Whitney) has a good excuse. She’s become agoraphobic since the death of her mother, and nothing is going to pry her out of her home. Expectant mother Lisa (Phoebe Dynevor) tries to leave, but the fast-moving storm has other plans for her.
And a trio of teens was told to stay put by their evil foster parents. More on them in a moment.
The storm proves as dangerous as promised, but that’s not the worst part. The rising waters bring a crush of bull sharks into the town, and they’re famished.
“Thrash” feels like a sober spin on “Sharknado,” another film where the deadly fish can move almost anywhere they please. This isn’t intentional camp, though, and director Tommy Wirkola of “Dead Snow” fame proves adept at both the kills and camera flourishes.
There’s real talent behind the camera. The script is another story.
The recent thriller “Crawl” (2019) featured a similar scenario with far better results. That film focused on killer crocs, while sharks are the main course here.
There’s a reason Quentin Tarantino loves that movie.
“Thrash” is occasionally gripping, but there’s little storytelling momentum and the character development is hopelessly flat. Yes, Dakota proves to be a plucky heroine, but her increasingly absurd actions don’t gel with the film’s serious mood.
RELATED: 11 INSANE SHARK MOVIES (NOT NAMED SHARKNADO)
And, in case you missed some of the messaging peppered throughout the film, Wirkola’s camera keeps showing U.S. flags to let us know who’s to blame for this eco-disaster.
Think that’s accidental? Then you don’t know how McKay weaponizes pop culture. And look no further than the evil foster dad (Matt Nable). He might as well be wearing a red MAGA hat. He hearts country music, keeps juicy steaks out of the reach of his kids and has a basement teeming with rifles.
Subtle.
Even the great Djimon Hounsou can’t class up the film with his steely presence as Dakota’s Uncle.
Genre films often send messages between the thrills. The great 2014 shocker “The Host” warned about polluting the waters while delivering a kick-arse B-movie.
“Thrash,” by comparison, isn’t satisfying enough to distract us from the eco-bullet points.
HiT or Miss: “Thrash” has its moments, but the film’s heavy messaging floods the senses.
