Summary
French shark thrillerUnder Parisrevolves around a seemingly ludicrous premise of a killer fish stalking swimmers in the Seine, yet as outlandish as the idea seems, there is a surprising element of truth to the story. Serving as both a blood-soaked monster movie and a surprisingly thoughtful parable for the dangers posed by climate change,Under Parishas been hailed by some as thebest shark attack movie sinceJaws. While its wider themes and entertainment value account for the positive reaction, it’s also important to acknowledge elements of realism that run through the story.
For all its fantastical plot points like freakishly large killer sharks, rapid evolution, asexually reproducing shark colonies, and fish with an appetite for triathletes,Under Parisis littered with much more believable details. Although there aren’t really sharks in the Seine,Under Paris' ending, for example, is inspired by thetrue story of old Second World War bombshiding beneath the surface. This shows that, despite the deliberate bombast on display, not everything about the movie is made up. Surprisingly, this extends to the idea that, theoretically at least, the idea of a shark inhabiting a river is not inherently wrong.
Sharks Can Survive In Fresh Water, Just Like In Under Paris
They Aren’t Solely A Marine Species
Although the idea of a killer shark swimming underneath Notre Dame seems barely believable, the truth is that real sharks can and do swim up rivers. Despite being stereotyped as a solely marine creature,several species of sharks are capable of tolerating both salt and freshwater conditions– an interesting evolutionary adaptation that places them on a select list of specialized animals. Sharks capable of living in both salt and freshwater include the Ganges shark, the northern river shark, the speartooth shark, and, most notoriously, the bull shark.
In fact, and as unnerving as it may seem following the events depicted inUnder Paris, sharks are recorded in rivers all over the world. By far the most common is the bull shark – also known as the Zambezi shark for the frequency with which it is found in the African river. The bull shark’s range, however, extends far beyond Africa,with sightings recorded thousands of miles up the Amazon and Mississippi river systems. Given the frequency with which bull sharks in particular frequent fresh water,Under Paris' central conceit no longer seems quite so silly.
Under Paris Parents' Guide: Is The Netflix Movie Suitable For Kids?
Under Paris has been a massive success for Netflix, but is the shark thriller suitable for children? Here’s a parents' guide to the new movie.
How Dangerous Are Freshwater Sharks?
Bull Sharks Are Known Man-Eaters
Despite their fearsome reputation,sharks are a relatively minor danger to humans. Even accounting for the infrequency with which people cross paths with potentially deadly fish, many seemingly more innocuous things are far more likely to be lethal. Statistically, human beings are more likely to be killed by lightning strikes, ladders, and errant champagne corks than they are by shark attack (viaPETA). That said, the shark species people are likely to encounter up rivers do rank among the most dangerous in existence.
It is believed that the Jersey Shore shark attacks of 1916, which served as the inspiration forJaws, were perpetrated by bull sharks, rather than the great white seen in the movie.
Along with the tiger shark and the great white, the bull shark is considered to be among the most dangerous of all shark species. Its tendency to inhabit very shallow warm water often brings it into contact with bathers, while the species is notoriously bad-tempered and intolerant of anything in its territory. It is believed thatthe Jersey Shore shark attacks of 1916, which served as the inspiration forJaws, were perpetrated by bull sharks, rather than the great white seen in the movie. As a result, bull sharks do pose a potential risk to anyone swimming in a river within their range.
Under Paris Cast & Character Guide
Under Paris is an unconventional shark thriller that revitalizes the genre through effective storytelling and solid performances from its cast.
Under Paris' Story Still Doesn’t Make Much Sense
It Twists The Facts Around Freshwater Sharks
Although the existence of predators like bull sharks providesUnder Pariswith a semi-scientific rationale for its story,it would be a stretch to say that this makes the movie in any way realistic. For one thing, bull sharks and other freshwater species are only found in warm and temperate conditions. The Seine, being a long way north of the extreme limits for these species, is simply too cold to support an animal like a bull shark. As a result,Under Paris' story could never happen in real life.
Another factor is that the shark species featured inUnder Paris, a shortfin mako by the name of Lilith, is not one of the sharks that can tolerate freshwater conditions. In fact, makos are an open-ocean species, built for incredible speed rather than stalking through muddy river water. Even accepting the idea that a shark could live in the Seine, it could not be a mako. Of course,Under Parisexplains this through scientific garble about adaptability. Yet while his justification pushes the film into fantasy territory, it’s important to recognize that sharks in rivers are a real potential threat.
