Bait 3D (Blu-ray / DVD)
Steve Barton
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Starring Xavier Samuel, Sharni Vinson, Alex Russell, Julian McMahon
Directed by Kimble Rendall
Distributed by Anchor Bay Entertainment
Shark movies. Around these parts we love them, and lately they’re have been a ton of ’em. It’s hard to believe one of the best of the year has been The Asylum’s Two-Headed Shark Attack, but such is the state of the industry. Sadly enough, most of the recent killer shark flicks have had no bite. Shark Night 3D should have been a no-brainer of a blast, but its PG-13 rating was far more aggressive than any of the finned menaces which populated its tepid waters. Since it proved to be little more than plankton, we’ve been waiting for something to do right by the subgenre. Bait 3D is that movie.
The storyline is just looney enough to be workable. After a deadly tsunami hits shore, a group of survivors end up finding themselves huddled together in a submerged supermarket. Swimming is the only way out, but there’s just one problem… with the deluge of water has come all manner of sea life, including a few very hungry great white sharks. Of course there are your standard twists and turns to the main plot, but in a nutshell that’s really it. And you know what? That’s all it needs to be.
Director Kimble Rendall knows exactly what kind of movie he is making here and seemingly goes out of his way to give audiences exactly what they want to see, all the while utilizing 3D not as a gimmick but as a tool to enhance the story. Don’t worry, though; if you don’t have the tech, the flick plays just fine without it.
Most of the characters are not only likable but totally believable, and you actually care when they’re in peril, especially The Loved One‘s Xavier Samuel, who turns in another great performance. Still, the true stars here are the sharks themselves, and you get more than enough of them to completely satisfy. In a much welcomed move, the majority of the on-screen sharks are animatronic and therefore come off as far more dangerous and menacing than something you know is just an animated image some actor is blindly acting against. Don’t get me wrong; there are some CGI sharks present and accounted for, but when it really counts, we get the goods. Up close, personal, and wonderfully gory.
Being that Bait 3D is being sold as a Blu-ray / Blu-ray 3D / DVD combo pack, you’re not going to have to worry about replacing your copy when you make the jump to 3D TV or just Blu-ray in general. Transfer-wise the film looks gorgeous and is riddled with eye-popping use of color and a truly fine level of crystal clear detail. Couple that with the simply booming DTS-HD MA 5.2 audio track, and we have a real winner here.
If only the same could be said for the supplemental material. Other than a storyboard gallery you get nothing. Bait 3D deserves better, but I promise the quality and fun level of the film itself is more than enough to justify the purchase.
This is the movie that Shark Night tried to be and should have been. It’s non-stop bloody fun from start to finish and one that you certainly should invite some friends over to dig on with you… again and again. Highly recommended!
Special Features
4 out of 5
1 out of 5
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