Deep Blue Sea

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Deep Blue Sea

R

Released Jul 28, 1999

1h 45m

Sci-Fi

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

60%

Tomatometer

117 Reviews

39%

Popcornmeter

250,000+ Ratings

On an island research facility, Dr. Susan McAlester (Saffron Burrows) is harvesting the brain tissue of DNA-altered sharks as a possible cure for Alzheimer's disease. When the facility's backers send an executive (Samuel L. Jackson) to investigate the experiments, a routine procedure goes awry and a shark starts attacking the researchers. Now, with sharks outnumbering their human captors, McAlester and her team must figure out a way to stop them from escaping to the ocean and breeding.

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Critics Consensus

Deep Blue Sea is no Jaws, but action fans seeking some toothy action can certainly do -- and almost certainly have done -- far worse for B-movie thrills.

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Paul Clinton (CNN.com)

CNN.com

If you like big summer action flicks with plenty of bite, check this one out. Then go out for a big sushi dinner. It'll make you feel better.

Jan 11, 2019

Full Review

David Denby

The New Yorker

Scary, absurd, inessential.

Jan 11, 2019

Full Review

Lisa Alspector

Chicago Reader

The characters are sufficiently naive to get picked off one by one, but their ignorance doesn't extend to the genre conventions governing their behavior, making for some shockingly funny moments.

Jan 11, 2019

Full Review

Jeff Beck

The Blu Spot

It's a spin that had a fair amount of potential, but ultimately leaves you a little disappointed that they didn't fully tap into how suspenseful, wild, and over-the-top it could've been.

Rated: 2.5/5

Mar 17, 2025

Full Review

Casey Chong

Casey's Movie Mania

Renny Harlin effectively combines Die Hard-style action with sharks.

Rated: 4/5

Jul 28, 2024

Full Review

Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

Now considered a favorite cult film.

Rated: B-

Aug 4, 2023

Full Review

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moviefan2023

great action movie, classic for shark lovers.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/29/23

Full Review

babarizam D

There is always a most irritated character in any movie and in this one was Dr Susan

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

05/11/25

Full Review

Joe B

I thought it was a great film exciting surprising scary well made great actors good characters and I liked the story. 5*s definitely must see this film!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/28/25

Full Review

Markus L

One of the best Shark movies for sure

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

04/14/25

Full Review

Korey H

Killed the bird for no reason😔

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

03/26/25

Full Review

Jonathan O

Deep Blue Sea is better than JAWS the revenge and is quite actually my guilty pleasure Shark Week movie to have fun and chill for summer shark movie.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/28/25

Full Review

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Renny Harlin

Director

Thomas Jane

Carter Blake

Saffron Burrows

Dr. Susan McCallister

Samuel L. Jackson

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Synopsis

On an island research facility, Dr. Susan McAlester (Saffron Burrows) is harvesting the brain tissue of DNA-altered sharks as a possible cure for Alzheimer's disease. When the facility's backers send an executive (Samuel L. Jackson) to investigate the experiments, a routine procedure goes awry and a shark starts attacking the researchers. Now, with sharks outnumbering their human captors, McAlester and her team must figure out a way to stop them from escaping to the ocean and breeding.

Director: Renny Harlin
Producer: Akiva Goldsman, Tony Ludwig, Alan Riche
Screenwriter: Donna Powers, Wayne Powers, Duncan Kennedy
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Co: Village Roadshow Prod.
Rating: R (Language|Graphic Shark Attacks)
Genre: Sci-Fi
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 28, 1999, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 20, 2008
Box Office (Gross USA): $73.6M
Runtime: 1h 45m
Sound Mix: Dolby SR, DTS, Dolby Stereo, Surround, SDDS, Dolby A, Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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