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A lean, B-movie survival thriller with a strong hook: WWII soldiers, a shrinking raft, and a very angry shark. The practical-effects energy and confined setting give it a scrappy, old-school appeal, but the writing and character work sound uneven, so it’s more of a genre-fan watch than a broad recommendation.
Where to watch: Buy
Fri · 1h 27m
Director: Kiah Roache-Turner
Starring: Mark Coles Smith, Joel Nankervis, Sam Delich
When their boat sinks while crossing the Timor Sea during World War II, a troop of young Australian soldiers must find a way to survive the harsh seas on a quickly shrinking raft. Hundreds of miles from anywhere, they must confront interpersonal conflicts, enemy attacks, and the advances of one very large, very hungry great white shark.
Kiah Roache-Turner
Mark Coles Smith, Joel Nankervis, Sam Delich
A lean, B-movie survival thriller with a strong hook: WWII soldiers, a shrinking raft, and a very angry shark. The practical-effects energy and confined setting give it a scrappy, old-school appeal, but the writing and character work sound uneven, so it’s more of a genre-fan watch than a broad recommendation.
Beast of War has a premise that does a lot of heavy lifting: young soldiers, a war zone, open water, and a predator that turns every pause into a threat. That combination gives the film a simple, efficient engine, and the reviews suggest it understands the basic pleasures of a survival monster movie. The practical-effects approach seems to help, especially when the shark is allowed to feel physical and immediate rather than glossy and weightless.
The setting does most of the work here. A raft in the Timor Sea is naturally tense, and the WWII backdrop adds pressure without needing much explanation. The best reports point to a film that is atmospheric, constrained, and brisk, with enough gore and panic to keep the momentum moving. It sounds like the kind of movie that knows exactly what it is and mostly delivers on that promise.
Where it seems to wobble is in the writing and the human drama. The conflict between soldiers, the survival logistics, and the shark attacks all compete for attention, and the result may feel a little thin if you’re hoping for something more emotionally layered. Still, for viewers who want a rough-edged creature feature with a war-movie wrapper, this looks like a solid, watchable diversion rather than a must-see.
allain♡ · 190 likes
things to avoid in Australia: - Australians - sharks - have I said Australians? - Aussies
Digital Press (4★) · 167 likes
My wife asked me why I love watching shark movies when they’re so often disappointing. I suggested that they’re not as disappointing to me as they are to her but even if they were, I admit I’d rather watch a good shark movie than a good vampire movie. Then she mentioned my fascination with crocodile (or is it alligator?) movies. It’s true. In my world of genres, crocodile/alligator > shark > vampire. Why is this important? Because it’s logical, I’ll explain in
Kylo (3.5★) · 164 likes
“You blew up Stan you fuckin’ idiot” Sharks were the last thing WWII needed. It’s exactly what you’d expect from a shark movie and I mean that affectionately. Also loved everyone calling each other a dog.
haley (3★) · 109 likes
apparently they created an actual shark animatronic for this?? it shows and i fucking love it. now if we could get that again with a higher budget and better writing... this was still really enjoyable, though, and i can say that i am a fan.
Bradlee Fleagle (3★) · 105 likes
Beast of War features a group of Australian soldiers who gets their ship sunk leaving them stranded in the Timor Sea during WW2. They face fighter pilots shooting at them, starvation, dehydration, idiots with grenades, and an even greater threat a massive female great white shark. I thought this was a decent shark horror movie. The shark looked okay in my opinion. Some of the practical effects were good and some were bad. The kills were very gory which is… more
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shark thriller, WWII, survival horror, creature feature, ocean isolation, practical effects, gory, war action, low-budget genre film, claustrophobic