4 Reasons You Should Host/Attend a Sharknado 4 (2016) Watching Party
You know that shark attack in Deep Blue Sea after Samuel L. Jackson’s character gives an impassioned speech moments before a shark jumps out from nowhere and chomps him two? I wonder if Sharknado’s origins derives from that moment in cinema. Were the original writers of this franchise completely stoned out of their minds when they thought up the concept? It feels like they had to be, or at least for whoever wrote Sharknado 4: The Fourth Awakens. I’ve never seen any of the Sharknado films before. I don’t intend to see any of them– well with the right group of people I could. My introduction to the Sharknado world is owed to a random gif on tumblr that tickled me so hard that I couldn’t help but let curiosity get the best of me to watch it. And oh my Lord, I’m so delightfully pleased that I did.
Sharknado 4 is stupid. It’s the most idiotic, wackiest plot with the cheesiest special effects you can imagine. That’s a given and duh, obviously it’s charm. But, Sharknado 4 is a lot smarter than it appears…I type this as two characters use two dead electrified sharks as a defibrillator on another character. Sharknado 4 is what it is, but what makes it so damn enjoyable is how straight it plays its own insanity. This is a film that realizes what its doing, and while everyone involved is in on its ludicrous nature, they all still realize this is a legit paycheck that wouldn’t come any other way, which results in the team bringing their A-game. Tommy Davidson gives a rousing performance as Aston Reynolds, the creator of the original “Sharknado” epidemic. Ian Zeiring as Fin Shepard, the lovable badass lead, plays up his Evil Dead Ash-inspired role with a genial humbleness. Most of the cast dive into their roles with acute awareness of action and micro-expressions even when they aren’t the focus of scenes. And Tara Reid… poor girl does her best with what she’s given in this film.
Most of the cameo appearances are well played garnering some fantastic death scenes. The overall direction of the film is tailored to provide a high-octane thrill ride that ultimately gets exhausting halfway in because this film just throws everything at you. That expression “everything but the kitchen sink” doesn’t apply to Sharknado 4: The Fourth Awakens, they’ve thrown the sink in, the pipes, and all the dirty dead bugs under it. I mean anything that you can think of when watching this movie will likely happen. But you probably wouldn’t think of them because really, how does the concept of a Bouldernado even get brought up? I thoroughly enjoyed watching Sharknado 4 and that was just by myself without a group of friends or the insane amount of alcohol that it will take to make this a greater watching experience. I can’t wait to rewatch it with both of the aforementioned items in tow. Until then, here are the best elements of Sharknado 4 that makes it worth the watch.
- The one-liners:
“Did you say Boulderando?”
“Sharkberg right ahead!”
“We gotta blow up the Grand Canyon.”
After a train wreck where (almost) everyone survives: “You guys alright?”
“But, no we gotta stay right here!”
- Major landmarks… only to see them blown up.
The Grand Canyon, Yellow Stone National Park, Salt Lake City Utah, and the Biggest Ball of Twine in Kansas; these are just a fraction of the landmarks they show before they succumb to various forms of destruction.
- Homages to other films:
It’s seriously too much, but so great when they happen. There’s homages from Texas Chainsaw Massacre to Wizard of Oz, to Men in Black, to Stephen King’s Christine. There is no continuity, no consistency, no reason.
- The deaths.
A man dies from a sand-covered shark attack. Sharks defy gravity to kill humans. Humans develop extraordinary powers to defeat the sharks. Characters drop like bees on monocultured farms. Sharknado 4 pulls inspiration from George R. R. Martin at times by killing off characters you wouldn’t expect and others you totally would.
SEE IT. There are a multitude of other reasons why this movie, in all of its stupidity, is so worth the watch. I can only imagine watching it in a crowd with a drinking game attached as a necessity.
The Cinephiliac 