Sharkwater (2006)

Critic Reviews

• V.A. Musetto, New York Post

  Sharkwater delivers an important message, and its underwater photography is breathtaking. But Stewart lessens the impact by focusing much too much on himself. Did he really have to go into detail about his own health problems?

• Mark Feeney, Boston Globe

  Undersea photographer Rob Stewart, who directed, wrote, narrated, stars in, and helped shoot Sharkwater, really, really loves sharks. He also fears for their future on the planet. His lively documentary makes you see why, on both counts.

• Matt Zoller Seitz, New York Times

  This beautiful and horrifying debut feature by the underwater cameraman Rob Stewart of Toronto characterizes the depletion of the world's shark population as an ecological catastrophe with dire consequences for humanity.

• Michael Esposito, Chicago Tribune

  Sharkwater probably ranks as one of the most frightening shark movies ever -- but sharks are the victims.

• Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly

  This beautiful and urgent eco-doc takes a bite out of the shark mythology made indelible by Jaws.

• Aaron Hillis, Village Voice

  Stewart is his own star, a would-be Speedo model and whoa-dude narrator whose droning reflections get in the way of his stunning underwater cinematography.

• Gabe Leibowitz, Film and Felt

  It's hard not to admire a man with such admiration for the obscure, but Grizzly Man did it much better.

• Craig Phillips, GreenCine

  If the film sometimes gets choppy, the filmmaker's passion for the subject and the disturbing revelations to be gained from watching the film make it more than worthwhile.

• Luke Goodsell, Empire Magazine Australasia

  It's Jaws - starring man as a far scarier predator.

• Margaret Pomeranz, At the Movies (Australia)

  It's a film you come away from feeling that you should get out there on the streets and start marching for sharks.

• Urban Cinefile Critics, Urban Cinefile

  Here's a documentary with teeth and a bite that should leave a nasty scar on the conscience of the illegal fishermen who continue to brutally plunder sharks for their fins %u2013 and those ignorant fools who consume shark fins

• Cath Clarke, Guardian [UK]

  With its stunning photography this would be a righteous and magnificent documentary were it not for the on-camera presence of film-maker Rob Stewart, marine biology's answer to Tom Cruise.

• , Total Film

  Planet Earth saturation and the bludgeoning political stance pull it down, but it's still a consistently engaging, partly thrilling look at a misunderstood species.

• Daniel Etherington, Film4

  Stewart's 'personal journey' format isn't entirely successful, and verges on the egotistical, but the message of this film, and the imagery and statistics it tells it with, is angry, credible and worthwhile.

• , BBC

  Stewart's point is that the shark fin industry, in its short-sighted quest for financial gain, may trigger an ecological disaster beyond the extinction of the sharks themselves. This is depressing, but important, stuff.

• Derek Adams, Time Out

  Faintly egotistical biologist-turned-filmmaker Rob Stewart spent four years making this investigative doc and the result, despite his tendency towards over-earnest, stoner-esque commentary, is enlightening, shocking and more than a little worrying.

• Anton Bitel, Eye for Film

  the 'reality drama' that unfolds on-screen takes viewers away from the real ecological issue (much as it took Stewart away from his diving)

• Marc Savlov, Austin Chronicle

  Stewart, a Toronto-based marine biologist and underwater photographer, makes up for in passion what he lacks in narrative subtlety.

• Robert Roten, Laramie Movie Scope

  Features beautiful underwater photography and a stirring call to action.

• Susan Granger, www.susangranger.com

  Cautionary environmental documentary that asserts there's more to sharks than "Jaws."

Read all 22 critic reviews