Summary
Renowned author Stephen King admits he was surprised byUnder Paris,the shark movie that has soared to the top of Netflix’s viewership charts. Originally titledSous la Seinein the movie’s original French, the story of Netflix’s latest action-horror sees thecity of Parisfacing an unexpected threat when a giant shark enters the Seine. Despite being the streamer’s number 1 movie worldwide, the film is currently attracting mixed reviews with 35% audience and 67% critical scores on Rotten Tomatoes, hinting at significant divides between viewers.
Among the viewers weighing in on the merits ofUnder Paris,novelistKingofferedhis ownassessment of the French shark-survival movie.Check out his posting below:
Initially thinking that the Netflix thriller would be a “jokey movie” in the vein ofSharknado,King says that he was finally convinced to watch it off the back of various Twitter/X recommendations. He even went as far as to say that the“last 25 minutes were amazing.”
Shark Movies Have Always Been A Hit And Miss Genre
Under Paris Belongs To A Genre With An Erratic Track Record
While many would seek to credit Steven Spielberg’s 1975 classicJawsas the start of audiences’ obsession with shark-based horror movies, the genre had a far less auspicious beginning with the 1969 Burt Reynolds movieShark!
DespiteUnder Paris’lagging audience scores, Netflix’s latest foray into the shark survival genre still appears to be attracting a considerable number of views. Raking in 40.9 million streaming views for the week of June 3 to June 9, its worldwide numbers would even dwarf the streamer’s number 1 English-language movie,Hit Man, which attracted 10.8 million views within the same period. Yet this unexpected success is just the latest entry in a genre renowned fordelivering both blockbuster hits and near-total flops.
Richard Linklater’sHit Manis only available on Netflix in select countries internationally.
While many would seek to credit Steven Spielberg’s 1975 classicJawsas the start of audiences’ obsession withshark-based horror movies, the genre had a far less auspicious beginning with the 1969 Burt Reynolds movieShark!Effectively stifling the career of director Samuel Fuller for nearly a decade, the filmmakers who would each dare to follow in his footsteps would all tread the samerazor-thin line between success and monumental failure.
While subsequent movies, such as theSharknadomovies, would later attempt to play directly into the B-grade appeal of increasingly unlikely scenarios,Under Parisis somehow proving that the genre still has bite. Even if critics and general audiences can’t seem to agree on the movie’s overall merits,King’s endorsement may still urge more reluctant viewers to overcome any hesitationthey may have due to the genre’s famously erratic track record.
Under Paris
Cast
Beneath the bustling streets of Paris lies a hidden world filled with ancient secrets and dark mysteries. A group of daring urban explorers sets out to uncover the truth buried within the city’s catacombs, only to find themselves facing a series of terrifying challenges. As they unravel the enigmatic past of Paris, they must confront their deepest fears to survive.
