Review of ‘Under Paris’ Film: Bérénice Bejo Takes a Plunge into Silly Antics, but Netflix’s Wild Shark Movie is in Over its Head

Under Paris
Director – Xavier Gens
Cast – Bérénice Bejo, Nassim Lyes, Léa Léviant, Anaïs Parello
Rating – 2/5

Think of ‘Under Paris’ more like the fun but over-the-top ‘Snakes on a Plane’ rather than the intense ‘Jaws’. This Netflix flick seems to cater to teenage boys this time, stepping away from their usual content for women. While anyone can enjoy the guilty pleasures of this movie, everyone might prefer watching ‘Emily in Paris’ instead. You can almost imagine Emily casually snacking on a croissant in the background while Bérénice Bejo, an Oscar nominee, races against time to deal with a rogue shark lurking beneath Paris. In the film, Bejo portrays Sophia, a marine biologist who faces a daunting challenge when she encounters a rapidly growing, killer shark. After a dramatic and somewhat exaggerated sequence where the shark attacks Sophia and her team, including her husband, they meet a grim fate. However, Sophia survives to confront the same shark that reappears on the Seine’s banks three years later. Despite personal grievances, Sophia must ensure the shark’s safe return to the sea.

Besides preparing for an upcoming triathlon, she faces the challenge of clearing the river while the stubborn local mayor insists on not postponing the event until the shark is dealt with. If this hints at current French politics, director Xavier Gens deserves a nod. ‘Under Paris’ embodies the spirit of a working-class hero. Sophia teams up with local police officers and a dedicated group of environmentalists who have been monitoring the shark’s movements and alerted Sophia. They go by the name Save the Seas organization, operating from a secretive hideout reminiscent of the Knights Templar.

They probably didn’t splurge much on this one. Filming on location is commendable, but parts of ‘Under Paris,’ especially certain scenes at the start and end, look like something out of a cartoon. Despite the ample bloodshed – considering it’s directed by the same person behind the intense ‘Frontier(s)’ – the shoddy CGI makes it hard to take the violence seriously. You can’t help but wonder if the movie would’ve been better with a touch of self-awareness from a character. However, Gens and the writers keep a straight face throughout, even during the film’s major action scene set in the famous catacombs. ‘Under Paris’ isn’t as wacky as ‘Sharknado’ or as polished as ‘The Shallows’ (aka the Blake Lively shark flick). It’s clear Gens isn’t one to poke fun at his work, and frankly, he doesn’t seem bothered about others’ opinions either. The underlying environmental theme gives ‘Under Paris’ a bit more depth than expected, along with its outlandish final twist that suggests we’ve been in the shallow end all along.