Under Paris: Netflix’s Jaws Replacement That Redefined Shark Movies

by

While Jaws was revolutionary when it came out, Netflix’s new shark movie achieves something even more impressive after all these years.

Steven Spielberg’s Jaws changed how movies are made, creating the modern blockbuster. By tapping into our deep-seated fear of the ocean and its hidden creatures, the film proved that spectacle and wide appeal could draw huge audiences. Without Jaws, the idea of a big, summer movie focused on thrills and entertainment might not have developed as it did, and we likely would have seen fewer shark movies over the years.

Netflix actually has a great series that could take the place of Jaws, and it does something no other shark movie has ever tried before.

Under Paris Turns Its Shark Into A Global Apocalypse

Most shark attack movies focus on a single, local threat that’s eventually destroyed. But Netflix’s popular Spanish film takes a different turn. Instead of simply defeating the shark, the movie unexpectedly transforms into a disaster epic, revealing that the shark species is rapidly multiplying and spreading worldwide.

The movie’s idea of sharks that can reproduce without a mate is definitely far-fetched, but it’s this over-the-top concept that actually makes the film different and memorable compared to other shark movies.

While Shakanado is unique in its over-the-top approach to shark movies, it doesn’t quite deliver genuine horror. Under Paris, on the other hand, ends by emphasizing the rapid growth of its shark population and how this leads them to spread to new areas worldwide.

The ending of the Netflix movie was genuinely scary, and the fact that a sequel is planned makes it even more disturbing. While Under Paris isn’t quite as good as classic monster movies like Jaws, it still deserves praise for offering a fresh take on a familiar story.

Under Paris’ Ending Leaves Its Sequel With An Impossible Challenge

The ending of Under Paris strongly hints at a massive, world-ending sequel, which is exciting to think about. But the series could become overly complicated if it tries to do too much with its story.

Creating a movie about a booming shark population worldwide presents a real challenge. Because realistically showing sharks often requires a lot of computer-generated imagery, the film’s costs could quickly become very high, depending on how ambitious the project is.

The next movie could remain set in Paris, like the first one, rather than expanding to a worldwide problem caused by the growing shark numbers. But doing so would feel unsatisfying after the way the first movie ended.

The success of Under Paris 2 hinges on how well it tackles this problem. It could either become a truly great shark movie series, similar to Jaws, or fade into obscurity like so many others.

Read More

2026-01-26 06:08