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Netflix viewers are losing their minds over a new shark attack film that’s just dropped on the streaming platform and been dubbed a ‘10/10 anxiety inducing horror’.
And it sounds like Under Paris doesn’t hold back with the underwater mayhem and carnage.
As the synopsis for the Xavier Gens’ directed flick teases: ‘In order to saveParisfrom an international bloodbath, a grieving scientist is forced to face her tragic past when a giant shark appears in the Seine.’
Yes, never mind the pretty realistic fear of swimming among the Seine’s usual dubious contents – because of course the mayor has arranged a triathlon event at this very time – now there’s a toothy killer shark in there too.
Netflix was having as much fun with the premise as all of us when they announced the arrival of the movie on Wednesday, starring Oscar nominee Bérénice Bejo, Nassim Lyes and Léa Léviant, tweeting: ‘A huge shark in the middle of Paris? That’s in Seine…’
Fans were right back on it too, with multiple pointing out that the French language film should also be known as ‘Shark de Triomphe’.
(It’s actually called Sous la Seine in French, which doesn’t have pun value but is still probably a stronger effort than its title in English.)
Now subscribers have had time to give Under Paris a watch, the reactions have come in thick and fast, with horror and gore fans seeming especially tickled.
‘Xavier Gens’ Under Paris is one of the most brutally nihilistic, engrossing and genuinely terrifying shark movies made in the last few years, the BALLS Gens had to go for a third act and an ending like that is nothing short of awe-inspiring, just so grim yet captivating,’ posted @DerekBrocks with glee on X.
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‘Honestly can’t remember the last time I enjoyed a Netflix original this much,’ chimed in @gdimelow. ‘Fun, slightly preposterous scenario, solid performances, ecological concerns and some genuinely awesome effects work. Also, the third act is properly bonkers.’
Andreas added: ‘Under Paris has absolutely no right to be as good as it is. This is creature feature goodness through and through.
‘The catacombs scene, my god, 10/10 anxiety inducing horror.’
‘I love a movie that just doesn’t give a single f**k and goes all in on the over the top. This is what #UnderParis does for almost two hours and it was glorious,’ enthused Chase Stein, noting that while the CGI didn’t always look great ‘it was such a fun ride’.
Also, everyone clearly needs to prepare themselves for the ending as yet another viewer shared: ‘Under Paris goes for broke in its final fifteen minutes and it’ll undoubtedly be one of my favourite movie moments of the year.’
Critics have also joined in the clamour for Under Paris, with it boasting a rather healthy 80% on review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes and The Guardian calling it ‘one of the best Shark movies ever made’.
Variety also praised it as a movie ‘worthy of swimming in the wake of Jaws’ and for ‘add[ing] life to a genre that’s been bloodless for far too long’.
It also means if you want to try using one of Netflix’s special search codes, which unlock films and shows grouped together into specific sub-genres, we’ve got another contender to add to the ‘deep sea horror movie’ category.
However, it seems as though the horror flick will continue in the long tradition of sharply dividing its audience, as viewers had also rushed to Rotten Tomatoes to trash it as ‘one of the worst shark movies I’ve seen’.
Other fans claimed it was ‘unwatchable’ and complained that ‘everything that happens makes no sense’ – which appeared to be exactly what was appealing to the others.
Under Paris cast
So who plays who in the cast of Under Paris?
- Bérénice Bejo is marine researcher Sophia Assalas
- Yannick Choirat is Chris, Sophia’s husband
- Nassim Lyes is police diver Adil
- Léa Léviant is environmentalist Mika
- Nagisa Morimoto is Ben, Mika’s girlfriend
- Anne Marivin is the Mayor of Paris
Under Paris is streaming on Netflix now.
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