The Sharknado series on DVD

Sharknado series [DVD Sharknado] 

 

For many years, the Syfy channel on cable, previously known as the SciFi Channel, has been known for two things — the production of fairly high quality science fiction drama series (Farscape, the various Stargate series, Warehouse 13, Eureka, The Dresden Files, Continuum, Battlestar Galactica, Sliders, Alpha, Tremors, etc.), and schlocky, horribly cheesy Saturday Night Movies (Dinocroc vs Supergator, Android Apocalypse, Ghostquake, Kraken: Tentacles of the Deep, and the legendary Mansquito!). In the summer of 2013, a new installment in this series of goofball horror films premiered on the network — Sharknado. as with many of Syfy’s original horror films, the cast was comprised of either former child stars, or B-list and C-list actors. In this case, the lead was Ian Ziering (previously a minor star on Beverly Hills 90210, and featured on an early season of Dancing With the Stars) as Fin Shepard, and Tara Reid as Fin’s ex-wife. A freak storm causes water spouts to suck up huge numbers of man-eating sharks off the coast of southern California and deposit them in flooded areas inland. The storyline is ridiculous, the acting is atrocious, and the special effects are beyond cheesy. And yet…this became one of the most popular of Syfy’s made-for-TV-movies, even earning a DVD release. Syfy has subsequently produced a second and a third film in the series, set in New York, and Washington D.C. respectively, which aired in 2014 (Sharknado 2: The Second One) and 2015 (Sharknado 3: Oh, Hell No!), and a fourth entry is scheduled to premiere July 31st, 2016 (Sharknado: The Fourth Awakens). Ziering continues to be the lead character as Fin, with Reid’s character becoming more prominent as the stories progress. The rest of the casts of each of the films has been comprised, again, by former stars or unknowns. Don’t watch any of these expecting high quality or you’ll be disappointed. Even the filmmakers realize this, going to further and further extremes for their zany “flying sharks” gimmicks. But, if you find yourself invested, even the tiniest bit, in these characters, it’s fun to watch them go through their exaggerated lives. I give the series a rating of “8” not for the quality, which is really more like a “4” or “5”, but instead for its silly entertainment value! Turn your common sense off and enjoy some Sharknado!

[ Internet Movie Database entries for these films ] | [ Syfy’s official Sharknado 4 web site ] 

 

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library

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