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Deep Blue Sea

Play trailer Poster for Deep Blue Sea R 1999 1h 45m Sci-Fi Action Adventure Play Trailer Watchlist
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60% Tomatometer 116 Reviews 40% Popcornmeter 250,000+ Ratings
On an island research facility, Dr. Susan McAlester is harvesting the brain tissue of DNA-altered sharks as a possible cure for Alzheimer's disease. When the facility's backers send an executive to investigate the experiments, a routine procedure goes awry and a shark starts attacking the researchers. Now, with sharks outnumbering their human captors, McAlester and her team must figure out a way to stop them from escaping to the ocean and breeding.
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Deep Blue Sea

Deep Blue Sea

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Critics Consensus

Deep Blue Sea is no Jaws, but action fans seeking some toothy action can certainly do -- and almost certainly have done -- far worse for B-movie thrills.

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Critics Reviews

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Paul Clinton (CNN.com) CNN.com Jan 11, 2019
If you like big summer action flicks with plenty of bite, check this one out. Then go out for a big sushi dinner. It'll make you feel better. Go to Full Review
David Denby The New Yorker Jan 11, 2019
Scary, absurd, inessential. Go to Full Review
Lisa Alspector Chicago Reader Jan 11, 2019
The characters are sufficiently naive to get picked off one by one, but their ignorance doesn't extend to the genre conventions governing their behavior, making for some shockingly funny moments. Go to Full Review
Jeff Beck The Blu Spot Mar 17, 2025
2.5/5
It's a spin that had a fair amount of potential, but ultimately leaves you a little disappointed that they didn't fully tap into how suspenseful, wild, and over-the-top it could've been. Go to Full Review
Casey Chong Casey's Movie Mania Jul 28, 2024
4/5
Renny Harlin effectively combines Die Hard-style action with sharks. Go to Full Review
Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews Aug 4, 2023
B-
Now considered a favorite cult film. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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moviefan2023 Jul 29, 2023 great action movie, classic for shark lovers. See more Robert P @Superbad 1 day ago Not A Great Movie, even though I have seen it twice! See more G L @RT09869090 3 days ago I'm a fan of shark movies & it doesn't hurt that Saffron Burrows walks around in that tight wetsuit while fighting sharks. See more B P @Bradster69 Aug 31, 2026 Not Bad, but Not My Favorite See more Dan J @RT26293014 Aug 13, 2026 Seen several times, first viewing was best. Kinda fun Shark flick. See more Terry S @RT84781810 Aug 2, 2026 A long way to go with very little reward--Unfortunately! See more Read all reviews
Deep Blue Sea

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Movie Info

Synopsis On an island research facility, Dr. Susan McAlester is harvesting the brain tissue of DNA-altered sharks as a possible cure for Alzheimer's disease. When the facility's backers send an executive to investigate the experiments, a routine procedure goes awry and a shark starts attacking the researchers. Now, with sharks outnumbering their human captors, McAlester and her team must figure out a way to stop them from escaping to the ocean and breeding.
Director
Renny Harlin
Producer
Akiva Goldsman, Tony Ludwig, Alan Riche
Screenwriter
Donna Powers, Wayne Powers, Duncan Kennedy
Distributor
Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Co
Village Roadshow Prod.
Rating
R (Language|Graphic Shark Attacks)
Genre
Sci-Fi, Action, Adventure
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jul 28, 1999, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Sep 20, 2008
Box Office (Gross USA)
$73.6M
Runtime
1h 45m
Sound Mix
Dolby SR, DTS, Dolby Stereo, Surround, SDDS, Dolby A, Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio
Scope (2.35:1)
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