In the aftermath of “Jaws” which not only created the summer blockbuster but launched a cottage industry of enough “homages” to populate the entire island of Amity, the beach got pretty packed with the likes of “Orca,” “Great White,” and “Mako: The Jaws of Death.” The new millennium has seen a resurgence that is unabashedly silly such as the “Sharknado: series, “Sharkansas Women’s Prison Massacre” and the CGI spectacular “Shark Attack 3”(housing one of the five greatest lines in cinema history) owing more to the parody of “Piranha” with very few features having any substantial bite beyond the late 70s/early 80s heyday. There have been a few attempts to let there be blood in the water but the only notable entries of the last couple decades have been the remake of “Piranha” and sincerely underrated “Lake Placid” on the sunny side while darker destinations were waded in with “Open Water.” Still, there’s been little effort to see a “Jaws” inspired entry on the big screen but “The Shallows” makes an inspired, if imperfect go at it.

The film moves at a fairly fast pace introducing protagonist Nancy (Blake Lively) a Lone Star full time med student/surfer on the side who is traipsing across various locales, as she struggles with various personal issues but believes she may have found some peace in a closed off cove with bountiful beaches, ample sunshine and of course, an abundance of big waves. While neither her transport Carlos (Oscar Jaenada) nor the pair of local rowdy rides she encounters will tell her the name of this humble piece of heaven on earth, they intone that it is “paradise.” As expected, this serenity is cut short as a pair of sharks hunt her down, leaving her with little land to find refuge and a scant amount of time to hatch a survival plan. While there is a lull here and there, mostly with nightfall and the inevitable tides, Nancy’s determination is on full display and while it is far from the thrill ride the trailer promises, make no mistake that you are in for some serious suspense and inventive action. If there is a real sell for “The Shallows,” it’s the ability to not go swimming in silly or over the top humor nor get cheap with a bevy of jump scares; there is actual on the edge of your seat moments, drowning in fear, knuckles white from anticipation. Unfortunately, while enough to keep head above water, there are not enough of these moments to make it the much needed shot in the arms for sharksploitation.

One issue that did tug at me after the screening was that while Nancy’s motivation for visiting the previously mentioned secluded enclave is to connect with her mother who had surfed the same shores more than 25 years ago and though this sweet but simple premise stands out, I couldn’t help but feel an undercurrent, intentional or otherwise of how exploitative humanity has become of nature. Despite our increased focus on renewable resources, habitat protection and liberation ideology there is an overwhelming element of individuals who are in a mad dash to find “untouched corners of the Earth” or ecstatic at the opportunity to take a “bear selfie” caring so little for the environment or its environs so long as bragging rights or the perfect picture are attained. When this type of attitude is present, you can’t wait for the inevitable revenge and though the bulk of the small cast here aren’t intruding or abusing like most travelers these days, at least one particular injustice that takes place in the film has a criminally satisfying case of comeuppance. Unlikely this was meant to be a subtext, it stayed with me and has a kindred spirit on land with the terrifying companion piece “Backcountry” that hit a couple years ago.

While certainly not “Jaws for a new generation,” especially “Jaws” is a film for every generation even after nearly half a century, “The Shallows” is no slouch in the subgenre or a floundering film.  It doesn’t lack the development and depth (no pun intended) of big Bruce and company but it definitely succeeds on its strengths (Lively’s performance, Marco Beltrami’s score and the few surprises peppered throughout like delicious chum, including an arguably oblique inspiration to “Cast Away”) while the weaker parts that weigh it down (rushed running time, stunted character growth opportunities and the coda) end up not completely washing away the potential of the picture but still give a chance to swim confidently amidst the crowded waters of its brethren…