Sharkwater Extinction

Apex predators.

(2018) Documentary (Freestyle) Rob Stewart, Will Allen, Steven Kajura, Regi Domingo, Neil Hammerschlag, Tommy Melo, Luis Guillermo Solis, Ryan Orgera, Gordon Hubbell, Deborah Mash, Brock Cahill, Randall Arauz, Rusty Hudson, Eva Meyers, Maike Heidermeyer, Stan Shay, Claire Nouvian, Rebecca Aldsworth, Ryan Walton, Juney Ward, Sarah Fowler. Directed by Rob Stewart

 

The shark is a much feared and much misunderstood creature. Peter Benchley and Steven Spielberg did the beast no favors; human fatalities as a result of shark attacks are actually pretty rare. More people die by being trampled by elephants than die from shark attacks.

Filmmaker/activist and proud Canadian Rob Stewart has had a love for sharks ever since his first encounter with one at age nine. He has become a champion for the species; his 2006 documentary Sharkwater which showed the practice of finning – the removal of shark fins for use in shark fin soup, an Asian delicacy after which the sharks are thrown back in the water where they inevitably die – has thinned the shark population to dangerously low levels. His documentary got the practice of finning banned in over 90 countries.

This sequel is more or less a status report as Stewart and his team go around the world to see if the ban is holding. Spoiler/No spoiler alert – not really. Several countries which have banned the practice effectively look the other way while fishermen continue to do it, while others (like Costa Rica, known for their progressive stance on environmental matters) have quietly weakened their laws.

Stewart also hoped to get people to see sharks in a different light, portraying them as almost cuddly and certainly not threatening, although anyone who has seen a shark movie will certainly have trouble accepting them as such. There is some gorgeous cinematography as we see these majestic predators in their element as Stewart explains their importance in the eco-system.

Tragically, this is an uncompleted film; Stewart died in January 2017 while diving off Key Largo to film the elusive Sawfish Shark. He was using a rebreather, diving equipment which converts carbon dioxide back to oxygen and allows divers to dive deeper and for longer periods. The mixture in his tank turned out to be incorrect and he died of hypoxia, after disappearing during his last dive which is shown in the film. Considering all the bad players that he pissed off, it makes one wonder if his death was an accident.

I noticed that Stewart’s narration in this film was a lot more restrained here than in his previous film. I suspect that is because he was planning on re-recording it. At times it’s hard to find the passion and enthusiasm that he clearly possessed for the subject, but it’s hard to fault the film considering the circumstances.

His loss is an incalculable one to the environmental activist community. Men like him can’t be replaced. This film will be part of his legacy. He only lived 37 years, but that’s not a bad epitaph to leave behind.

REASONS TO SEE: Beautiful shark footage.
REASONS TO AVOID: The narration’s a bit stiff.
FAMILY VALUES: There is some disturbing content.
TRIVIAL PURSUIT: Following Stewart’s death, his family hired additional directors to finish the film. However, only Stewart got official credit as director.
BEYOND THE THEATERS: Amazon, AppleTV, Fandango Now, Google Play, Hoopla, Microsoft, Vudu, YouTube
CRITICAL MASS: As of 6/12/20: Rotten Tomatoes: 85% positive reviews: Metacritic: 76/100.
COMPARISON SHOPPING: Oceans
FINAL RATING: 7.5/10
NEXT: The Soul Collector

Pick of the Litter – February 2019

BLOCKBUSTER OF THE MONTH

Alita: Battle Angel

(20^th Century Fox) Rosa Salazar, Christoph Waltz, Jennifer Connelly, Mahershala Ali. In the future the world will be divided into those above and those below – the haves and the have-nots. A man from down below finds a robot on the scrapheap and restores her meticulously, giving her the name of Alita. He soon realizes that Alita is something special – the last known remaining Battle Angel, the most advanced weapon ever devised. There are those who would stop at nothing to get control of her – and others who would stop at nothing to see her destroyed – but Alita will not be taken easily.  February 14

INDEPENDENT PICKS

Daughter of Mine

(Strand) Valeria Golino, Alba Rohrwacher, Sara Casu, Udo Kier. Two women fight over the custody of a little girl; the woman who has raised her in a loving environment and her birth mother who has changed her mind and wants her back in her life. This is a powerful drama with no easy answers.  February 1

The Golem

(Epic) Hani Furstenberg, Ishai Golan, Brynie Furstenberg, Adi Kvetner. In Jewish mythology, a Golem is a creature created from clay that exists to exact revenge for its creator, but often turns on its maker. This new film is about a woman in the 19^th century, a mystical whose village finds itself in the midst of a plague that is devastating the land,l She creates a Golem to help repel foreign invaders but as the old adage goes, the cure is worse than the disease. February 1

Sharkwater Extinction

(Freestyle) Rob Stewart, Will Allen, Brock Cahill, Regi Domingo. It is no secret that sharks are among the most feared creatures on earth but these largely misunderstood animals are being hunted to extinction. A courageous filmmaker tackles the illegal fishing industry, the powerful political and criminal forces behind it and what we must do to save the sharks before it is too late. February 1

Song of Parkland

(HBO) Melody Herzfeld. A year ago, a typical school day at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida was interrupted by the sound of gunfire. The drama department, deep in rehearsal for the annual kid’s show the school puts on was evacuated from the building amid chaos. When classes resumed again, the drama instructor Melody Herzfeld knew they had to finish what they started. This documentary shows how the show helped unite and heal a grieving student body and watches as they go from victims to activists making a real impact on the national debate for gun control. February 7

Everybody Knows

(Focus) Penelope Cruz, Javier Bardem, Ricardo Darin, Eduard Fernández. Her sister’s wedding is ore than enough reason for Laura to travel from Buenos Aires to Madrid and from thence to the small town she grew up in. However the happy occasion turns nightmarish when unexpected events bring long-buried family secrets out into the open. February 8

Birds of Passage

(The Orchard) Carmiña Martinez, José Acosta, Natalia Reyes, Jhon Narváez. An indigenous family in Central America becomes involved with the marijuana trade in the 70s. At first, their involvement brings money and prestige for them. However, with money comes violence which threatens to destroy the family as well as their culture. This is the latest film from the team that brought you Embrace of the Serpent. February 15

A Tuba to Cuba

(Nom de Guerre) Danny Clinch, T.G. Herrington, Han Soto, Nicelle Herrington. The legendary Preservation Hall Jazz Band of New Orleans is in many ways the face of American jazz. In order to better understand who they are, they embark on a journey to discover their own roots. That journey takes them to Cuba where they find that their sound is a bridge between two disparate peoples. February 15

Total Dhamaal

(Fox STAR) Ajay Devgn, Riteish Deshmukh, Arshad Warsi, Anil Kapoor. A group of motorists on a remote road in India come across a dying man who tells them of a buried treasure. It becomes a madcap race through adventure and peril to be the first to claim the fortune in this remake of the classic It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World. February 22