‘Sharknado: Heart of Sharkness’ Is The Forgotten Entry That’s Free To Stream
At one point, Sharknado films were being produced in rapid succession. In fact, 2015 saw three Sharknado flicks released. One of those three efforts is the inexplicably bad mock doc Sharknado: Heart of Sharkness. It is a misguided endeavor that has none of the series’ signature charm and ultimately fails to justify its own existence.
Sharknado: Heart of Sharkness follows David Moore (Jared Cohn), the director of a fictitious Sharknado film that went into production before what we now recognize as the inaugural series installment. Are you with me so far? OK. Good. The fictitious picture in question featured real sharks, and the project ultimately imploded before completion. The director’s erratic behavior and lack of common sense led to disastrous consequences.
I initially thought this film was a retrospective doc on the unforeseen success of Sharknado. But as it turns out, a documentary dissecting what makes the series resonate with viewers already exists. It’s called Sharknado: Feeding Frenzy. And it was made by Jeremy Wagener, who is also at the helm of this peculiar offering.
The Sharknado films work (on some level) because they are ridiculous. But it’s like the creative team behind this project thought the same would apply to a mock-doc. But with no real plot or narrative progression to keep our interest, we are left to watch a train wreck unfold. Unlike the series’ canonical installments, there are no redeeming qualities to distract from the barrage of silliness.
I ultimately kept wondering who this audience for this is. Most people don’t have the better part of 90 minutes to waste watching a farcical doc about a film that doesn’t exist and never did. The picture hinges on the audience finding fictitious director David Moore to be quirky and charming. But that wasn’t my experience. What we get is a front-row seat to a colossal meltdown that isn’t funny or believable. He spends most of the movie throwing tantrums and overacting.
Also Read: ‘Sharksploitation’ Review: Shudder Opens The Beach With New Horror Documentary
Cheap gags take the place of real jokes and that makes this mock doc a chore to endure. On that basis, this project could have (and should have) been condensed into a five-minute short and perhaps been included as a special feature on a collector’s edition box set. Instead, the picture’s flimsy theme has been fleshed out to feature length, and viewers become the captive audience for what amounts to an experimental misstep.
Adding insult to injury, most of the performances are really hammy. Rachel True and Zack Ward (who both appear as actors in the fictitious original series installment being profiled here) are wasted. They are overshadowed by the maniacal escapades of their unhinged director and don’t get the chance to shine on any level. They are given stale dialogue to recite and do their best with what they are given. But there’s ultimately no saving this film from itself.
All in all, Sharknado: Heart of Sharkness lacks purpose and has nearly no entertainment value. I would recommend taking a pass on this one. However, if you’re a glutton for punishment and want to check it out for yourself, the flick is currently streaming for free (with ads) on Crackle.
Categorized:Editorials News
