Sharksnado – What Happens When a Cyclone Hits Los Angeles?
Sharksnado a freak hurricane hits Los Angeles, it lifts sharks up out of the water and into the air. These man-eating beasts wreak havoc on the city.
The storm is called a Sharksnado, and the film follows bar owner Fin Shepard (Ian Ziering) and his friends Baz Hogan (Jaason Simmons), Nova Clarke (Cassie Scerbo) and George as they attempt to save April Wexler (Tara Reid) and her teenage daughter Claudia from the tornado.
Shark-Infested Seawater
When a cyclone hits Los Angeles, it floods the city with shark-infested seawater, leading to a “sharknado.”
A group of friends, including bar owner Fin Shepard (Ian Ziering), his estranged wife April (Tara Reid), their teenage daughter Claudia (Aidyne Mantel), and their friend George (John Heard), decide to save the stranded people of the city. They drive through the floodwaters and arrive at April’s house just before the first floor is flooded with sharks.
Variety of Sharknados
In the midst of the chaos, they learn that there are a variety of sharknados in the area. The storms are formed by tornadoes which absorb the floodwater and turn it into shark-filled “sharknados.”
The only way to stop them is to toss bombs into them from helicopters. Two are destroyed, but they are unable to stop the third one.
Cast
The movie world is full of massive franchises that have cranked out blockbusters that have hauled in billions of dollars. The MCU, Fast & Furious and Star Wars are just some of the most iconic film series in the world.
Low-Budget Horror
But there’s one low-budget horror that has made quite a cult following thanks to its implausible premise of’sharknados’, water tornadoes filled with sharks. The first Sharknado aired in 2013 and it quickly became an instant cult classic, spawning five sequels (Sharknado 2: The Second One, Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No!, Sharknado 4: The Awakens, Sharknado 5: Global Swarming and The Last Sharknado: It’s About Time) as well as quirky spin-off films like Lavantula (2015).
The cult hit has become practically invaluable to Syfy, so much so that it’s reveal there’s still a wage gap between female lead Tara Reid and her male costar Ian Ziering. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Reid makes about a quarter of what Ziering earns on each Sharknado film.
Social Media & Celebrity Support
Sharksnado, the Syfy disaster movie that sucked in fans through social media and celebrity support, became one of the most viewed films of the year. It also spawned five sequels and three spinoffs, and generated an unprecedented amount of buzz on Twitter.
The original Sharknado centered on a hurricane that sucked sharks out of the ocean and deposited them inland in Los Angeles. It was a goofy premise, but it was the kind of fun that Syfy is known for creating.
So, what did people think of the film? Many found it funny. Others found it disturbing.
Sharksnado Online
Regardless of their feelings, however, people were not shy about sharing their reactions to sharksnado online. It was a true social experience, and people were talking about the film with friends all over the country.
The original Sharknado was a crazy film, but it wasn’t without its flaws. The most obvious was the blatant lack of physical and meteorological accuracy.
The sharknado franchise exploded on social media in 2013, harnessing the power of televised schlock to rewrite the rules of the genre. But after a series of shaky sequels, it was clear the franchise had grown craven and self-indulgent.
Final Thoughts:
But Syfy’s Sharknado 5: Global Swarming seemed to signal the franchise was regaining its mojo, with a return to a better energy and some genuine stakes to the series’ absurdity. Unfortunately, The Last Sharknado falls short, delivering a whimper of an ending that misses the chance to put a fitting cap on an otherwise incredibly entertaining series.
It’s a shame this franchise isn’t still riding the wave of social media mania, but it does end with some flashes and flickers that bring back fond memories of its best moments. Hopefully, that’s enough to keep fans interested in the series moving forward. If not, they’ll have to settle for a seventh film with a largely flat performance from Ian Ziering and an underwhelming final scene.