So,when Netflix announced its latest creature feature,Under Paris,which sees a shark wreak havoc in Paris’ Seine river,it seemed inevitable it would join the long list of ridiculously schlocky “how did that get there?” shark movies.
But it turns out the movie has teeth – in more ways than one.
Under Paris takes itself a little more seriously than your average shark movie shlock-fest.Sofie Gheysens/Netflix
Directed by Xavier Gens (best known for the French Netflix seriesLupin),Under Paris follows a mako shark (known in the film as Lilith) who has sought refuge from the polluted Pacific Ocean in France’s Seine river. This will ring alarm bells for shark enthusiasts,who know makos can’t survive in freshwater. Therein lies the environmental crux of the film:human-driven climate change has caused Lilith to evolve into a much larger,self-reproducing killing machine that can thrive in any environment,even a murky Parisian waterway.
The hero of the story is Sophia (played byThe Artist’s Bérénice Bejo),whose husband was killed by Lilith during a research expedition at the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Three years later,she,alongside the river police and a group of shark-hugging environmental activists,is pulled into a mission to remove the super-charged mako from the Seine. As is the case in most shark movies,the stakes are heightened by the fact that the mayor is adamant the city’s triathlon,part of which is set to take place in the river,must go on,shark be damned. You can probably guess the rest.
It may seem like the film’s creators chucked a shark in the first river they could think of,but it was likely to have been far more intentional. The Seine has been a hot topic recently,as whether the triathlon event,which partly takes place in the river,should go ahead in July. Despite having invested over a billion euros into making safe swimming possible,heavy rain could lead to increased parasite levels in the river. Exchange harmful bacteria for a practically mutagenic shark and you haveUnder Paris.
There’s plenty of gore,but shots of the apex predator remain few and far between.Sofie Gheysens/Netflix
Whether it was done deliberately or inadvertently,Jaws also ended up reflecting its social climate,with some critics arguing Spielberg’s bull-headed mayor was a stand-in for. The disgraced former president tore through democracy the way Amity Island’s mayor allowed the shark tear through holidaymakers.Under Paris has its own stubborn mayor who is intent on a large-scale publicity event going ahead,afraid of what those above them (the president and the rest of the world) would otherwise think. Both films essentially ask the same question:can we trust politicians to make the right decisions?
Under Paris masters another element that madeJaws the genre-defining production it was:it leaves much to the imagination. Instead of inundating viewers with shots of poorly CGI-generated sharks (looking at you,Sharknado),it offers a quick glimpse of the marine beast,or even better,a mere shadow in the murky depths. Granted,its score pales in comparison to its iconic predecessor,but it still allows suspenseful notes to do the heavy lifting. It’s about time more horror creators made use of the unknown and out of sight.
That’s not to say it’s lacking gore. In one scene,a group of activists and police become trapped inside one of Paris’ underground catacomb chambers,where Lilith has created a birthing nest. Panic ensues,torn limbs fly and the water turns red. It’s a literal bloodbath,made even more tense by the claustrophobic setting. But again,you barely see Lilith except for flashes of teeth. Instead,you’re forced to watch the carnage from above,as panicked onlookers drag legless corpses from the water.
Jaws seemed to set an impossible standard within the genre,causing other films to simply lean into being “so bad that it’s good”. Throwing in a 23-metre prehistoric shark (The Meg),or one that spits acid (Toxic Shark),is an easy way of telling people not to take it seriously. ButUnder Paris skips the winking and nudging. It says,“this may not quite be Spielberg material,but at least we have something of value to say.”
At the end of the day,however,it’s still a shark movie. If you’re not looking for some profound meaning,you can rest assured that a string of humans will inevitably end up sleeping with the fishes.
Under Paris is available to stream on Netflix now.
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