Netflix's new shark thriller Thrash is more fun than scary

Key Points:

• Tommy Wirkola’s Netflix horror-thriller Thrash centers on a South Carolina town devastated by a hurricane and flooding, where residents face the added terror of sharks swimming through submerged streets and homes.
• The film draws strong comparisons to Alexandre Aja’s 2019 movie Crawl but attempts to differentiate itself by featuring multiple intersecting storylines involving a pregnant woman, an agoraphobic young woman, a marine researcher, and neglected foster children.
• While the movie maintains a brisk pace over its 79-minute runtime, its tension is diluted by switching between several narratives and an inconsistent tone that fluctuates between environmental thriller, satire, and B-movie horror.
• Thrash’s visual effects, originally intended for theaters, are more polished than some recent Netflix horror films, though the CGI sharks are less convincing; the film is most effective during straightforward suspenseful scenes, notably a shark-infested childbirth sequence.
• Overall, Thrash embraces its high-stakes premise with enthusiasm but falls short of fully exploring the horror potential of climate change and flooding, making it a mixed yet entertaining addition to the survival thriller genre.