Deep Blue Sea

Play trailer

Deep Blue Sea

R

1999

1h 45m

Sci-Fi

Action

Adventure

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

60%

Tomatometer

116 Reviews

40%

Popcornmeter

250,000+ Ratings

On an island research facility, Dr. Susan McAlester is harvesting the brain tissue of DNA-altered sharks as a possible cure for Alzheimer's disease. When the facility's backers send an executive to investigate the experiments, a routine procedure goes awry and a shark starts attacking the researchers. Now, with sharks outnumbering their human captors, McAlester and her team must figure out a way to stop them from escaping to the ocean and breeding.

Watch on Fandango at Home

Stream Now

Critics Consensus

Deep Blue Sea is no Jaws, but action fans seeking some toothy action can certainly do -- and almost certainly have done -- far worse for B-movie thrills.

Read Critics Reviews

Paul Clinton (CNN.com)

CNN.com

01/11/2019

If you like big summer action flicks with plenty of bite, check this one out. Then go out for a big sushi dinner. It'll make you feel better.

Go to Full Review

David Denby

The New Yorker

01/11/2019

Scary, absurd, inessential.

Go to Full Review

Lisa Alspector

Chicago Reader

01/11/2019

The characters are sufficiently naive to get picked off one by one, but their ignorance doesn't extend to the genre conventions governing their behavior, making for some shockingly funny moments.

Go to Full Review

Jeff Beck

The Blu Spot

03/17/2025

2.5/5

It's a spin that had a fair amount of potential, but ultimately leaves you a little disappointed that they didn't fully tap into how suspenseful, wild, and over-the-top it could've been.

Go to Full Review

Casey Chong

Casey's Movie Mania

07/28/2024

4/5

Renny Harlin effectively combines Die Hard-style action with sharks.

Go to Full Review

Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

08/04/2023

B-

Now considered a favorite cult film.

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

moviefan2023

07/29/2023

great action movie, classic for shark lovers.

See more

Harry H.

@Movies10 May 18

I can see why is called the second best shark movie after Jaws all so Deepest Blueest my hat is like a sharks fin is catchy.

See more

James B

@ShakeAndBakeAK Apr 30

It is a bad movie but one of those entertaining to watch bad movies. If you turn your brain off and just watch you will have a good time but if you analyze any part of it you will be disappointed. Also brownie points for having one of the most unexpected moments in cinema.

See more

Emmanuel R.

@supeM Jan 30

“FIRST WE GON SEAL OFF THIS POOL!…” Just watch it its a fun movie especially for a family movie night

See more

R C

@Ap90033 Dec 27

Decent movie. Laughable about the climate change crap. 1999 and Florida still not under the ocean. Of course they've been saying that since 1970 that's 55 years ago. LOL you'd have to be an idiot to fall for that scam.

See more

Nathan F

@LittleTommyThrockmorton Dec 12

As a kid, I loved this movie. Revisiting it years later, I realised how ridiculous the premise is. These test sharks have become so smart that they not only understand what doors are and how to use them, they actually conjure up a plan to sink and entire research facility and escape. The narrative is assisted by ridiculous things like the force of Stellan Skarsgård on a stretcher being enough to break glass that's several inches thick. One lady seems oblivious to what experiments are taking place despite the fact that her partner, the most brilliant man in the world who pisses into the wind, is one of the people who leads the study. The smart people die doing some really dumb shit, including the famous Samuel L Jackson scene, and in the end it's up to "dumb old Carter" to save the day. I'll be honest, I laughed a lot. It's still an enjoyable movie, but just leave your brain at the door.

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

POST RATING

Renny Harlin

Director

Thomas Jane

Carter Blake

Saffron Burrows

Dr. Susan McCallister

Samuel L. Jackson

Russell Franklin

Jacqueline McKenzie

Janice Higgins

Michael Rapaport

Tom Scoggins

Until the End of the World

89%

89%

Until the End of the World

Watchlist

Virus

14%

22%

Virus

Watchlist

eXistenZ

77%

69%

eXistenZ

Watchlist

Adrenalin: Fear the Rush

0%

31%

Adrenalin: Fear the Rush

Watchlist

The Puppet Masters

29%

33%

The Puppet Masters

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

“Rotten Tomatoes Is Wrong” About… Deep Blue Sea (with Special Guest Saffron Burrows)

Deep Blue Sea Is Way More Entertaining Than It Has Any Right to Be

Deep Blue Sea: Deep Blue Sea - Best Scenes

9:29

Rotten Tomatoes is Wrong About... Deep Blue Sea

51:23

Awesome Moments from the Best Shark Movies

1:48

View more videos

View more photos

Synopsis

On an island research facility, Dr. Susan McAlester is harvesting the brain tissue of DNA-altered sharks as a possible cure for Alzheimer's disease. When the facility's backers send an executive to investigate the experiments, a routine procedure goes awry and a shark starts attacking the researchers. Now, with sharks outnumbering their human captors, McAlester and her team must figure out a way to stop them from escaping to the ocean and breeding.

Director: Renny Harlin
Producer: Akiva Goldsman, Tony Ludwig, Alan Riche
Screenwriter: Donna Powers, Wayne Powers, Duncan Kennedy
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Co: Village Roadshow Prod.
Rating: R (Language|Graphic Shark Attacks)
Genre: Sci-Fi, Action, Adventure
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 28, 1999, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 20, 2008
Box Office (Gross USA): $73.6M
Runtime: 1h 45m
Sound Mix: Dolby SR, DTS, Dolby Stereo, Surround, SDDS, Dolby A, Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)