What appears as a shark attack movie is actually an unexpected tale of survival. Director Jaume Collet-Serra has captured the beauty and serenity of the waves, a tranquil beach and pristine waters, and juxtaposed it with a terrifying shark who is lurking in the shallows.

Blake Lively does a sincere role, playing a spirited woman, who takes charge of her situation, with a little help from nature. Crisp at 86 minutes, it balances the tense with the scenic, never relying on old formula to scare, rather a reasoned approach which makes the reality more fragile and horrific.

3/5