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

As groundbreaking as Jaws might have been for its time, it did not even come close to doing what Netflix's recent shark movie manages to pull off decades later.

Stephen Spielberg's Jaws redefined blockbuster filmmaking by riffing on the primal fear of the ocean and the gigantic beings it hides underneath its surface. If it wasn't for the Spielberg film, the concept of a summer blockbuster built around pure spectacle and mass audience appeal might never have existed in the form we recognize today. Even sharks would have likely graced the big screens far less than they eventually did.

Interestingly, though, Netflix has the perfect franchise replacement for Jaws that does something no other shark movie has previously dared to portray.

Under Paris Turns Its Shark Into A Global Apocalypse

In almost all killer shark movies, the threat is usually local, and the story ends with the threat getting blown up or killed. Netflix’s #2 non-English movie, however, defies the norm. In its ending moments, it goes from being a thriller to a full-fledged apocalyptic film in its ending moments when its central shark species’ population rapidly multiples and spreads across the globe.

Although the movie's portrayal of mutated sharks that can asexually reproduce seems a little fantastical and over-the-top, it is this extreme escalation that allows the film to stand out among the slew of other shark films.

Shakanado is perhaps the only shark movie that takes things to this level, but it is too unserious to be considered a genuine attempt at apocalyptic horror. As Under Paris' end credits start rolling, the movie highlights how the population of the central shark species rapidly grows. The more their population grows, the more the sharks travel to other parts of the world.

The Netflix movie's ending alone was enough to instill chills and thrills in audiences, but knowing that the movie's sequel is already in the works makes it even more unsettling. In terms of acclaim and overall storytelling, Under Paris still is not up there with genre classics like Jaws. However, it deserves credit for bringing something new to the table in an oversaturated subgenre.

Under Paris’ Ending Leaves Its Sequel With An Impossible Challenge

Considering how brilliantly Under Paris' ending sets up an apocalyptic sequel, it is hard not to be excited about what its sequel has in store. However, the movie franchise risks being crushed under the heavy weight of its own storytelling scope.

Telling a global story, where the sharks' population has significantly grown, will not be an easy feat. Given how portraying sharks also involves the use of excessive CGI, the movie's budget could skyrocket depending on scale.

The sequel can still stick to its predecessor's local Paris setting instead of focusing too much on the global threat faced by the sharks' increasing population. However, that would not pay off the first movie's ending.

Depending on how Under Paris 2 will handle this challenge, it could either become an incredible shark movie franchise like Jaws or another forgotten addition to the subgenre.