Sharkwater (2006) User Reviews

Don't eat shark fin soup

[mathesonmoore · 9/10 · 21 March 2007]

Call this film the myth-buster of all shark films! Call it beautifully filmed. Call it the start of a major kelproots movement. It is a call, a cry for our attention! Grassroots documentaries are not uncommon and are a vitally necessary form of information. Sharkwater brings this kind of movement from the ocean to our theaters *Releasing across Canada March 23, September release in the U.S., and hopefully soon to our schools and homes.

Rob Stewart (Essentially the one man movie band) brings us, along with his passion, into the oceanic ecosystem and gives a grand, albeit disturbing, view of the life there. His message is clear and strong, and provides an even picture of what is happening to the oldest oceanic life form and to the people connected to it. Hint: we all are.

Take your children, your teens and give some small amount of your time to the questions presented here. There is a powerful story here, with concise editing and beautiful cinematography, it is time well spent.

Befriend the sharks

[moutonbear25 · 9/10 · 28 April 2007]

I had an awfully difficult time getting anyone to see this movie with me. Apparently, a lot of people have issues with sharks. This apprehension was part of the original inspiration for filmmaker, Rob Stewart, to make SHARKWATER. He had been taught his entire life to fear sharks, as have we. The media vilifies sharks every so often to remind us that they are not our friends. It isn't safe to get in the water after all. Haven't you all seen that movie with sharks where they eat all the innocent people? It's as if we have never fully recovered from JAWS. In his career as an underwater photographer, Stewart discovered that these fears are almost entirely unfounded. He could swim with the sharks and get close enough to touch them if he showed them that he did not fear them and that they had no reason to fear him. And so he set out to make a documentary that would demystify our notions that sharks are perversely obsessed with the killing of human beings. What he would discover is that we as humans have already launched a full-scale retaliation against our sworn enemy.

Stewart's experience as an underwater photographer does not go to waste in this breathtaking film. Stewart's ocean is one of tranquility and warmth. Over time, it has become his sanctuary and he presents the environment to his audience with the same feeling of security that he claims to get from it. Though he was once very much like a fish out of water, Stewart has found a new home in the ocean and his neighbors don't seem to mind him at all. The imagery of SHARKWATER was what originally drew me to the film and it does not disappoint. Schools of fish of so many different varieties swim past and mingle with each other that the screen becomes a mélange colour and movement that is at times dizzying and hypnotic. And though those same fish scatter when the sharks enter the frame, Stewart does not. Instead, he swims towards them and in one instant you see how two species can forget their supposed feud between them by letting their fear of the unknown fall away. For a moment, two world collide to create an unexpected harmony.

This only makes what follows all the more painful. Stewart's shoot took an unforeseen turn when he joined the crew of a militant oceanic watchdog ship that makes it their mission to ensure international treaties protecting the rights of ocean dwellers are upheld. Before long, Stewart and the crew are involved in an international scandal over shark-finning. In some countries, like Japan, shark fin soup is considered a delicacy that when served affirms one's social status. It is popular at massive weddings and can cost upwards of a hundred dollars in a restaurant. According to Stewart, shark fin trading on the black market is only second to drug trafficking. Although the statistic seems a bit skewed, there are still billions of dollars involved in the trade. For the first time in the 450 billion years that sharks have been on this planet, there are certain species of sharks that are facing serious threats of extinction. Once again, human beings plow through other life in pursuit of the almighty dollar without acknowledging the long term ramifications. See, the planet consists of two-thirds water and this water contains a lot of plankton that produces 70% of the planet's oxygen. The ocean is filled with fish that survive on plankton. The shark is the ocean's leading predator of these plankton eaters. If we kill off all the sharks, then the other fish will have free reign over the plankton, which means a diminished production of oxygen for us to breathe. Why do we always assume that our actions have no consequence? And why do we always put money ahead of preservation? You can't spend money if you can't breathe.

All of this ecological unrest for soup. Shark fishers remove the fins of the shark, which make up 5% of the shark's body, and throw the shark back into the ocean to die. Stewart and his crew go undercover into the illegal industry to give weight to their accusations. As you stare out at rooftops covered with shark fins drying the sun, you cannot help but be horrified at the sheer size of the operation. SHARKWATER invites you to make friends with the enemy and to see how we as humans are so much worse to sharks than they are to us. The mirror is turned to expose who is the more evil predator and its mouth is not home to sharp jagged teeth but rather to a smiling face sipping down its soup. Sadly, SHARKWATER will not be seen by as many as it should as people prefer their sharks as foe instead of friend. Bring on JAWS 5!

Humans are primates out of control.

[amparosupelano · 9/10 · 11 April 2008]

I mean, if you see this movie, and just watch the news in general. Like one of the guys in this movie says. Humans are just primates out of control. Couldn't agree more. This movie is about the Shark dilemma, a species that has survived for over 400 millions years, and now finds itself close to extinction, do to humans. Now you might say am generalizing people, but its hard to argue against the complete destruction we have done to many species, and ecological systems of the planet earth.

The movie just doesn't deal with the dilemma of the Sharks, but also the dilemma for the people that try to actually do something about it. The corruption in this business, the fact Sharks are not as dangerous as we have been told.

Must watch.

Sharkwater will change the way people see our oceans!!!

[deonbranch07 · 10/10 · 7 February 2007]

The most beautiful film I've ever seen. I was so moved by the film that I had to retreat to the hall of the theater to regain my composure during the screening. The scenes are shockingly beautiful and also unbelievably disturbing at times and serve the greater purpose of the film. This new director has created a masterpiece, showcasing brilliant cinematography and a true-life adventure that even Hollywood couldn't conjure up. His movie will change the way the world looks at the oceans and, in particular, sharks. It's exciting to know that children will have the opportunity to become informed about the reality that sharks are being wiped out....this movie holds the promise that we can save the world from ourselves. The world has yet to see a film of this magnitude. Sharkwater will undoubtedly change the world. GO SEE THIS MOVIE!

Documents The Hardships Of Sharks

[MCMAYNERBERRY · 10/10 · 25 April 2008]

For filmmaker Rob Stewart, exploring sharks began as an underwater adventure. What it turned into was a beautiful and dangerous life journey into the balance of life on earth.

Driven by passion fed from a lifelong fascination with sharks, Stewart debunks historical stereotypes and media depictions of sharks as bloodthirsty, man-eating monsters and reveals the reality of sharks as pillars in the evolution of the seas.

Filmed in visually stunning, high definition video, Sharkwater takes you into the most shark rich waters of the world, exposing the exploitation and corruption surrounding the world's shark populations in the marine reserves of Cocos Island, Costa Rica and the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador.

In an effort to protect sharks, Stewart teams up with renegade conservationist Paul Watson of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. Their unbelievable adventure together starts with a battle between the Sea Shepherd and shark poachers in Guatemala, resulting in pirate boat rammings, gunboat chases, mafia espionage, corrupt court systems and attempted murder charges, forcing them to flee for their lives.

Through it all, Stewart discovers these magnificent creatures have gone from predator to prey, and how despite surviving the earth's history of mass extinctions, they could easily be wiped out within a few years due to human greed.

Stewart's remarkable journey of courage and determination changes from a mission to save the world's sharks, into a fight for his life, and that of humankind. Sharkwater 10/10

an onward battle

[nicjwheeler · 10/10 · 18 February 2008]

you know, the scary thing is, living in Costa Rica, you can see blatant signs of deals between the Costa Rican Government and the Taiwanese..... Rob Stewart is a genius for bringing this to the attention of the public - something I have been fighting against for a while now. I have just come back from volunteering at Cocos Island, and it breaks my heart to see the long lines set up in supposedly protected waters. The message is out in Costa Rica that it is OK to fish here, and nothing will happen to you if you get caught.... we need more people like "Sea Shepherd", who care, and can see the devastation that this is causing....

Excellent Film, Really One You Should See

[timberwolf_reborn · 10/10 · 6 March 2007]

I saw this film on an advanced screening, with the director present afterwards for Q&A. The movie has some simply amazing underwater visuals and from what the film maker said was his first attempt at underwater cinematography, and I really must commend him on it. There is great flow to the movie and its very effective in delivering its message. Whether or not you agree with the Sea Shepards Society's methods is secondary to the point of this film. I would highly recommend anyone to go see this film, mind you at times it does seem somewhat graphic but comparatively it's not that bad. While it is a documentary, it is never dry and the film maker's story makes the doc so much more compelling to watch. There are few films that can completely change your view on something, and this would count among them. It highlights sharks in a completely different light and has given me a new appreciation and admiration for them. I full encourage people to go out and see this movie! Note: as cleared up in previous statements, the facts are correct. Sharks are keystone species, and removal of them from the food chain could possibly reek havoc on the rest of the ecosystem, including organisms responsible for the air we breathe. As well, around 50 million sharks are harvested each year, each providing about a pound of shark fin which retails for $200, the math would properly equate into the trillions. I believe the previous commenter misheard or interpreted part of the film.

This film is mostly about it's director

[Mattes74 · 11 March 2010]

Just to make it clear: yes, I think that this film tells an important story but am I the only one who had the feeling that this film is mostly about it's director? There are so many scenes where we just see him sitting, standing or filming somewhere and ... well, he also likes to be filmed without a T-Shirt. Specially the whole sequence about him in hospital and that he might loose his leg. It pretty much seems like a chance to expand the whole film to feature film lenght and be seen even more on screen (without a T-Shirt). Much seemed to be staged or shot separately and then cut together. My opinion: important content but way too much Rob Stewart in it.

One of the best documentaries I have seen in a long-time.

[Jamesbond1974 · 10/10 · 14 September 2006]

The Chinese are buying them for prosperity, and because they are seen as the perfect predator. The shark has been hunted, and in this documentary, given the amount of sharks in the sea, maybe extinct in a few decades. This film, the first for the director, and film maker is a look into the fishing of sharks in some of the poorest countries in the world. The power of the human, protesting, calling on governments to stop the long-fishing from happening in central and South-America. Anyone who is interested in conservation and who maybe want to join a conservation movement should see this film.

I thought that many of the organization who fight on behalf of the protection of animals are vigilantes, but this is in part due to the media. This film shows the other side of these groups. Everyone who has an interest in conservation should see this film(Which is all of us). As the director said," many of these species will not recover." Please go out and see this film....

Great message, if not a perfect execution

[stevietat · 8/10 · 27 April 2008]

A great documentary film worth watching for its education value on the topic of the shark-finning industry alone. It goes a couple levels deeper than the usual documentaries you'll catch on discovery channel type shows which made the film quite captivating. Underwater scenes are well shot, although if all you want is some oceanic eyecandy go see 'Blue planet' instead. The real worth of the film comes from some of the undercover and handicam shooting of illegal sharkfin set ups, boat chases, etc...

Director Rob Stewart does a bit too much mugging for the camera which takes some focus away from the sharks, and the way he ends it left me scratching my head for a bit. But despite that, you can tell he is passionate about this topic. His narration and on-screen presence isn't all that hard-hitting, though some of the footage (the finning sequence especially) makes up for it.

Bottom line: As a shark lover, if I had my way I'd make everybody I know watch this movie. I've always felt it a shame that because sharks aren't cute and cuddly they've been left on the back burner of public conservation interest, and I hope it's movies like this that will start to change that.

A study in self-aggrandizement and amateur science

[tinisoli · 2/10 · 9 March 2007]

This film is ostensibly about the overfishing of sharks and what that may mean for shark populations and marine ecology, but within the first few minutes of the film you realize that "Sharkwater" is largely about writer/director/producer Rob Stewart and how heroic and unique he fancies himself to be. One of the first sequences is a long shot of a bronzed, shirtless Stewart strolling along a tropical beach, fresh from a snorkel, while the narrator (Stewart, naturally) describes how he's always loved sharks, always been fascinated by them, blah blah blah.

Now, there's nothing wrong with liking sharks. I was a passionate elasmophile as a kid, and I cultivated that interest through a biology degree, a shark research internship, and various fisheries-related jobs both in the U.S. and abroad. In the age of Cousteau, "Jaws", National Geographic, and the Discovery Channel, there have been tens of thousands of shark fanatics, and indeed there has been a sea change in popular opinion about sharks. The evidence of this is everywhere, despite the mainstream media's steadfast insistence on maintaining the more sensational and macabre elements of shark attack news coverage. But somehow Stewart has convinced himself that his interest in sharks, his efforts to conserve them, and his perspective on shark mythology are unique and profound whereas most people (except for Greenpeace and Sea Shepherd staff) are ineffectual morons still clinging to myths of sharks as vicious maneaters. This is both wildly ignorant of the last twenty years of shark biology and conservation efforts, and insulting to the many people around the world who are more experienced and knowledgeable than Stewart.

What's more repellent than Stewart's delusional lone-savior persona (reminiscent of Timothy Treadwell in Werner Herzog's "Grizzly Man") is that he felt the need to insert himself into his film to such a stunningly narcissistic degree. The climax of "Sharkwater" comes when Stewart is laid up in a Central American hospital with what he describes as a life-threatening case of staph infection, or "flesh-eating disease." We see him lying in bed--I'm guessing it's a reenactment, as he's wearing a clean orange polo shirt, not a hospital gown--phoning his mother to assure her that everything's going to be okay. He's looking grim and bummed out, but he's still tanned, well-coiffed, and is obviously thinking about the camera that's on him. What happens next? Stewart literally wills his infection away so he can go back to Costa Rica, back to Cocos Island where the film began, to help his beloved cartilaginous friends. I'm not kidding. And neither is Stewart. His love for sharks simply defeats the bacterial infection that had threatened his life and limb.

Okay, I thought. Surely there's got to be some good reason for Stewart to be going back to Costa Rica, where he's wanted by the police for his involvement in Sea Shepherd's altercation with a fishing boat illegally fishing for sharks. Surely it must be vital to the narrative of this film for him to will away (!) a bacterial infection that supposedly was going to claim his left leg. Surely he's going to firebomb the illegal shark-fin processing plant or sink the shark-finning fleet, and that'll justify all the effort. I mean, there's gotta be some kind of payoff... Right?

Nope. The reason Stewart has to get back to Cocos is...to go for a swim with sharks. In a Speedo. I'm not kidding. The final sequence shows our hero freediving (he lowers his heart rate to 40bpm so that the sharks will not be afraid of him) in a banana sling with some sharks. Why was this so important? Who knows. Stewart seems to think that simply communing with sharks (which in an earlier scene includes grabbing hold of one and lovingly stroking its flank) is helpful to their cause. Again, this kind of behavior is eerily familiar if you've seen "Grizzly Man" in which Tim Treadwell says "I love you, I love you, I love you" to several indifferent bears. And there's plenty of pedestrian talk about the "balance" in the seas, and how sharks have been "gods for 400 million years," with ludicrous design-oriented language about how sharks have shaped the evolution of the seas. This is high school level stuff.

I'll give Stewart some credit--hence the rating of 2 rather than 1--because he assembles some compellingly gruesome footage of shark finning (and beheading and gutting) to drive home the point of finning's barbaric, wasteful nature. There's also some pretty HD footage of whales, turtles, sharks and other charismatic marine megafauna, but nothing we haven't seen before in "Blue Planet" or other productions. But even the lush scenery is spoiled. Several times, Stewart actually turns his camera around underwater so we can see him, as though his presence amongst the sea's inhabitants is itself vital to the "balance in the seas" that he longs to preserve or reestablish.

"Sharkwater" could've been an objective, hard-hitting exposé of the shark finning industry and an investigation into the complicity of corrupt government. Instead it's an accidental study in self-aggrandizement and amateur science.

If you care about this world we live in, go see this movie, it will change the way you view the oceans and Sharks

[basstoy1 · 10/10 · 19 September 2006]

From the opening credits with the first scene showing the Director with the sharks you knew this was not your ordinary shark movie. This young man, Rob Stewart risks his life to tell us that we cannot ignore what is happening in the worlds oceans - if we do we will all pay the price and threaten our own existence. A very strong message that everyone needs to hear. And not just the Amercian audiences but the international audiences, especially the Chinese who are becoming the next world power and who are the primary consumers of shark fins, and the primary reason sharks of every kind are facing extinction. On top of the story and its importance, the movie is a stunning visual treat, showing us an under water world only a few will every really see - this young filmmaker has done an outstanding job and I hope the rest of the world discovers this film and recognizes how important it is.

Disturbing & Important: Send to the United Nations ASAP

[ElijahCSkuggs · 8/10 · 14 May 2008]

Rob Stewart had made himself a great film.

It's a film that captures the grandeur, misinterpretation, and exploitation of not just sharks but all sea creatures in the oceans.

Among the film's breathtaking footage of kelp forests, massive bait balls, alien seahorses, and of course sharks, the films bearings focus on the absolutely disgusting, unethical, and immoral treatment of wildlife.

Stewart feels like he needs to legitimatize his film by explaining why the deaths of sharks will harm human beings, but really, he doesn't need to. The cruelty he films is more than reason enough to understand that something beyond greed is at work.

I would love to know if there are poachers that aren't just Asians and South Americans. I'm sure there are, but the amount these pathetic men over-fish the oceans is just truly unbelievable. They do nothing but kill.

I'm amazed how many Chinese, a large elitist and delusional lot of them, are so blind to what they're doing. Close-minded ignorance is a staple among many of the worlds fishing communities.

The film is very disturbing, especially for shark and animal enthusiasts, and at least warrants a PG-13 rating. There are numerous scenes of shark-finning and vicious, blank stare poaching of humpback whales to loggerhead turtles.

The film isn't perfect however. Stewart himself isn't that likable, and the film would have probably worked better if it followed someone else around. The soundtrack isn't very good either.

But the film isn't about Stewart, or at least not for me. It's about sharks and all the life under salt water that is being unfairly slaughtered.

a documentary with a plot

[blogcomment · 9/10 · 23 October 2006]

First this shark-loving Kuanu Reeves-like film-maker got me to think of sharks as noble and gentle. Then he got me to feel sorry for the way they are killed for their fins, and worry about the effect it might have on the algae that produces most of our oxygen. Finally he surprised me by busting out a plot.

He quits his regular work and hooks up with the captain of an environmental activist boat, who's been around the block a few times, to go save sharks in Costa Rica and the Galapagos Islands. They hassle a Costa Rican boat that is killing sharks illegally, and when they get to port, the government is more interested in prosecuting the activists than the illegal fishermen. The film-maker goes undercover in Costa Rica and gets hidden footage of a shark-fin mafia, which suggests a motive for government officials to not enforce some of their own laws. Then the activists' legal prognosis starts to look bleak, and they flee the country, with the Coast Guard in hot pursuit.

The boat continues on to the Galapagos, but things go badly there too. That government legalizes shark fishing, and then the film-maker is hospitalized with a flesh-eating infection in his leg, and the activist boat gives up on him and the sharks and moves on to save some whales in Antarctica. The film-maker does not give up, though, and incredibly he sneaks back into Costa Rica illegally. I won't give away the conclusion, but I found it quite satisfying.

The plot is good enough to be fiction, but I believed it and that realism added a lot. The film-maker becomes the main character, and although he comes off as somewhat naive and idealistic, I found myself feeling concern for his personal well-being and future, as well as that of the sharks he loves.

A Nutshell Review: Sharkwater

[DICK STEEL · 8/10 · 12 January 2008]

Blame it on its many teeth, giving it a perception that it can cut through flesh and bone. And no thanks to movies like Jaws, which has set that perception in stone that sharks are extremely dangerous creatures that have one mission, and that's to eradicate human swimmers from the sea. How do you try and convince what is generally "accepted truths" by the masses? You go at it small, with persistence, that fire in the belly to fuel your crusade in re-educating the masses, and the best example being yourself taking the plunge to try and set things right, one step at a time.

That's what Rob Stewart did, in trying to change the incorrect mindsets we have of sharks, by demonstrating to us how they are actually more afraid of us, and making a documentary film out of it to spread the good message. Don't let the poster fool you into thinking it's a fictional, narrative film. It's a documentary, and like most documentaries, it has an agenda to cover. Here, Stewart's agenda is simple, to talk about shark conservation, and the importance of the ocean ecosystem. Yes, it's a myriad of topics that can spiral out of control, but strangely enough, the key points are all presented in a compelling manner, against very beautiful underwater images of marine life, the very life he is seeking, on the bigger picture, to try and save.

Naturally, one doesn't talk about saving the sharks without touching on the demand side of things, and that is the perceived value of a delicacy called the Shark's Fin Soup, which is a staple in any self-respecting Chinese restaurant. While the usual illegal poaching through long lining and footage of skinning are aimed to shock an audience into the cruelty of the way the sharks are destroyed, the biggest impact made here are the frivolous statements given by the chairman of a prominent brand of canned shark's fin soup. You will definitely chuckle at his arguments, or the lack thereof in the intelligence department, as he's made to look quite animated, and not in good light, deliberately of course.

Some might feel that the movie did seem a little like an ego-trip for Rob Stewart, with himself being featured quite prominently in many scenes, but I thought it's a given because it is a trip along a journey he's bringing us, and that's why we see some of the inherent risks involved in the many conservationists efforts as they go out to try and stop, with limited budget and resources, the perennial problem of trying to stem out the supply side of things. Naturally, it's never easy with the illegal trade, as shady corporations, characters and corrupt governments are almost always involved, because that's how the activity can thrive, and it boils down to obscene amount of profits to be made by all parties.

Through documentaries that touch on current hot topics involving the environment, it's hard to tell how effective they can be. I guess a good measure if how convinced you are to the cause, and from the documentary, try to reinforce the message yourself to your peers. Simple actions done by a few, can go a long way, and I guess the simplest of ways is to start from yourself. An Inconvenient Truth has made me more diligent in electricity utilization, and now Sharkwater has convinced me to layoff the shark's fin soup, whether they come in cans, or presented in wedding dinners. I have a choice, and I choose not to consume it. You might laugh at the futility of my actions, or want to take my share, but go ahead please, as I'm exercising my choice, a choice which you have too.

Watch Sharkwater. You might be convinced by the arguments for the cause too. If not, it's still an educational trip in learning more about sharks and the ocean ecosystem, with a stark warning not to tamper with the natural order of Mother Nature. Highly recommended, naturally.

Comment regarding 'Slavery'

[shaboo · 10/10 · 8 July 2008]

I would just like to comment on some of the issues that have been raised regarding the documentary...

I don't believe that the words that were used regarding slavery were directed at the countries who have a massive income from shark fining..

The programme was showing the fragile nature of our plant, and was showing how awful our impact on sea life and the rest of the world will be in the the future! Our children and their children will wonder what happened to so many species that became extinct, and the impact this has had on the world, and will look back at this and question human kind...as we have done in our generation regarding 'slavery' as an example....

It's not slavery..but again another example of the world damaging life, and the world live in!!!

Swimming with sharks

[jotix100 · 8/10 · 30 November 2008]

Sharks, predators of the oceans, are in danger of extinction. It's a horrifying fact that Canadian filmmaker Rob Stewart wants the world to know. These creatures have been around for thousands of years. They are hunted by unscrupulous people that want their fins which are considered a delicacy and command big prices, specially in Asian countries. Mr. Stewart and his team follow the criminals that engage in this illegal activity in places such as Costa Rica and Ecuador.

The sharks are an important element in the way they contribute to an ecological balance in the universe. Mr. Stewart shows his admiration and respect for this species as we watch him in a dancelike sequence swimming among these predators without anyone of them disturbing the peace he finds being almost one of them.

The documentary is informative and instructive at the same time. Mr. Stewart and his crew have captured amazing images that will stay in our minds for quite some time. Jeff Rona's original music and Mr. Stewart's own cinematography contribute to enhance the viewer's enjoyment.

Unbelievably Lame

[slake09 · 1/10 · 28 June 2008]

A really awful documentary on the reasons for the declining shark population is spoiled by the director's love affair with himself. There is very little good footage of sharks but every scene has the director in it, suntanned and showing off his spiffy new haircut.

I watched this because of the high rating on IMDb; shortly after it started I realized that all those good reviews were no doubt done by him. There is no one else on Earth, with the possible exception of his mother, who could think this is a decent documentary.

The film is riddled with bad science, questionable facts and exaggeration. You'll hear all about the "Shark Fin Mafia" while watching the director "bravely" ram a small fishing boat with a much larger ship. And why do these self-proclaimed shark saviors need a shotgun on board for "shark protection"? I'm on board with the idea that the oceans are over fished and sharks are being decimated for their fins, and that it should be stopped. The self-obsessed way that they go about it is what makes this a lousy documentary. This director is doing more harm to the environmental cause than help; by being so completely self-centered and using a ridiculous degree of exaggeration in every scene, he makes other environmentalists look foolish by association.

This is a missed opportunity to show the world how badly overfishing and finning are destroying the environment.

A good balance between fun and information

[Cal_T5X · 9/10 · 14 April 2007]

This film does an incredible job of showing sharks as they really are : intelligent, graceful creatures who, like everything else on earth, just want to survive. The film debunks popular (and ridiculous) misconceptions about "bloodthirsty" sharks with a few simple facts and footage showing how sharks actually behave. Clearly some humans are far more cruel, wasteful and downright despicable than these sensitive ocean dwellers.

The film not only has stunning undersea visuals, but a compelling human story full of danger, pathos, humour and suspense. I don't agree with everything that the filmmakers say and do, but I admire their courage in fighting for the rights of these misunderstood and critically important animals.

Sharkwater shows that it is in our own best interest to protect sharks, who are a keystone predator of ocean life. How? Most of our oxygen comes from ocean phytoplankton. What happens if the number plankton-eaters gets out of control? Sharks control the many populations under them, effectively keeping the food chain in balance. The loss of sharks could cause one of middle species to explode in population while the others die off. Sharks stabilize the ocean's ecosystem, and this same web of life allows us to live and breathe.

Sharks may seem distant, but indirectly your welfare is connected to theirs. Some parts of the film are a visual treat while other are painful to watch, but overall the film strikes a good balance between warning and hope. I think it is a must-see.

Incredibly informative movie

[y2john · 10/10 · 24 March 2007]

I had done a report on sharks & how they are being killed off once.

So I was drawn to this film when I heard it was coming out. It did not disappoint.

Sharkwater showed (sometimes in all too real) real life imagery of these proclaimed "deadly killers" being docile & non-threatening in the open waters. These were captive trained animals, these were wild creatures & showed no desire to maim or even intimidate humans during the filming.

Sadly & more importantly, it also showed the senseless killing of these animals around the world, and all for their fins. Shark hunting has become a massive money maker because of the illogical delicacy of "shark fin soup" & has created a black market in many third world countries for shark fins. These hunters go out & only catch the sharks so that they can cut their fins off, then dump the (sometimes still partially alive) rest of the sharks body back into the water.

I personally have never seen any other documentary style film on sharks that took the viewpoint of pro-shark & it was refreshing. Many of the things they tell you in the movie are things that I myself have uncovered in my report on sharks & knew all too well when they re-iterated these facts throughout the film.

Sharks are not as dangerous as the media & other groups, who profit from shark killing, would like you to believe. Most shark attacks are accidents, as is explained in the film.

I was pleased to see that a movement has started to protect sharks from being hunted. Perhaps this movies release will make it even more widespread.

I recommend this movies to everyone, whether you have an interest in sharks beforehand or not. I am sure most or all of you will go away after it with a much greater appreciation for sharks & will see them as not just non-menacing, but essential to the entire ecosystem & fascinating to watch.

One of those movies that really makes you think.

[guptaena · 10/10 · 26 April 2008]

Now this was a movie that really made me think about our world and how cruel we humans can really be. Some parts (like the part with the people beating and almost torturing the turtle) in this movie really gets deep in your emotions (only if your an animal lover) and I did cry in this movie with some of the parts shown in this movie. It really did change me and the way I look upon humans. I was literally disgusted by some people on this earth and how they treat animals. If you are a true animal lover and are totally against animal cruelty, this is the movie to watch. It will make you cry if you truly care and change the way you think about not only sharks, but the whole world. I do recommend this movie to anyone but those who can't stand watching animals being beated and tortured or those who just who hate blood. We humans need to watch movies like this one to make a change in the world today. So let's stand together and make a difference!!!

Sharkwater illustrates to us how we are all Parasites - Lets end this mindless destruction!

[XTRADER · 10/10 · 21 May 2008]

Sharkwater If you watch one Docu/Film, then I urge you to watch this one.

Before I explain what this Documentary is about I want to explain to you that the human race isn't some divine species that has the right to choose what lives and what dies because we were brought here by some high and mighty God. The reality is far simpler – the human race is an evolved species of Ape who in the last few thousand years since the population of the species has accelerated has become an over destructive out of control ape that won't stop breeding. A good definition for all human beings is: "Parasite". To truly understand by what a Parasite is, please allow me to give you the definition of a Parasite: "An organism that lives on or in a different kind of organism (the host) from which it gets some or all of its nourishment. Parasites are generally harmful to their hosts, although the damage they do ranges widely from minor inconvenience to debilitating or fatal disease. A parasite that lives or feeds on the outer surface of the host's body, such as a louse, tick, or leech, is called an ectoparasite." Hence the reality is we are ectoparasites – we feed on the surface of Planet Earth sucking the life dry from this planet. Human beings are currently causing the greatest mass extinction of species since the extinction of the dinosaurs 65 million years ago. If present trends continue one half of all species of life on earth will be extinct in less than 100 years, as a result of habitat destruction, pollution, invasive species, and climate change – the only parasite responsible for all this destruction is the human race! Now most of us are aware of the threat to Polar Bears, Whales, Panda's and Tigers – yet in recent years the Shark Population on Planet earth has reduced by more than 90%. Does the human race give a damn – it doesn't seem to. The Orient continue to believe Shark Fin soup will solve their health problems and the west still portrays the Shark as a killing machine – but the reality is Elephants kill more people a year than Sharks. The Drinks machine in your canteen is going to kill more people each year than the humble shark – so because of the Spielberg effect with Jaws people don't give a damn if Sharks are wiped out.

They are intelligent and peaceful creatures and yet in the last 100 years we as a race have replaced them as the oceans number one predator. The illegal trade in Shark Fins is now 2nd to the illegal trade in drugs in terms of profitability.

Rob Stewart who narrated and Directed Shark Water is one of a small percentage of people on this planet that actually give a damn about other species. In his Documentary Sharkwater he sets out to highlight the destruction of the Shark Species. Rob meets up with fellow Eco Warriors on the Sea Shepherd and sets sail with the great Captain Paul Watson on a mission down to Costa Rica and then later to the Galapagos Islands to experience first hand the illegal trade in Shark Fins. We witness is graphic bloody detail Guatemalan and Costa Rican Fisherman Long lining international waters dragging Shark after Shark onto their boat – cutting the Sharks Fin from their bodies and then throwing the still alive Shark back to sea where it will sink to the bottom and die a painful death.

In witnessing the illegal trade and capturing it all on film you would think the Sea Shepherd would be in the right when it towed the boat to Costa Rican waters ready for arrest – but because the Costa Rican Government is corrupt like most governments of this world the Costa Rican Police proceeded to arrest the crew of the Sea Shepherd putting them under house arrest because the government was earning to much money from the trade of Shark Fins with Taiwan to merit Eco Warriors disrupting that trade. Strangely Ironic for a country that boasts its main GDP is from Eco Tourism.

I could go into more detail about the journey Rob Stewart takes in Sharkwater but I think that would spoil the emotional experience that needs to be experienced by everyone who believes they have a heart for something other than themselves.

People need to sit up and realise that the fishing industry is globally responsible for the destruction of sharks as well as every other species in the seas. The next generation will look upon our generation with such disillusionment if we allow this to continue just like we look upon those in the past who took part in Slavery.

A 5 star – 10/10 Docu/Film

informative and compelling

[Buddy-51 · 8/10 · 9 July 2011]

The documentary, "Sharkwater," by filmmaker and naturalist Rob Stewart, has, essentially, a twofold purpose: to rehabilitate the reputation of the shark by countering many of the myths and misconceptions that, over the millennia, have grown up around the creature, and to raise awareness in the general public that the shark is basically being hunted out of existence by poachers eager to sell its high-priced fin - shark-fin soup being one of the priciest delicacies in Asian cooking. Compounding the tragedy is the fact that the fin is largely inedible and used mainly for ornamentation. According to Stewart, 100 million sharks are killed each year to support this billion dollar industry, resulting in the world's shark population declining by an estimated 90%. Yet, because they are not cute and cuddly creatures, there is no real constituency fighting for sharks as there is for dolphins and seals. Stewart's film is a small-step attempt to rectify that situation.

Stewart begins by demonstrating that sharks and humans can exist in harmony together. This he does by donning scuba gear and plunging into shark-infested waters where he proceeds to pet, cuddle and play with the animals, all without incident. He also cites a number of statistics to back up his assertion, the prime one being that only five people per year on average are killed by sharks while a hundred or so are killed annually by elephants.

Then he moves on to the more political aspects of the issue. The movie sets up an interesting dichotomy between two realms of existence, juxtaposing the beauty of nature with the ugliness of the human world. For while we're being shown eye-popping, multi-colored images of life under water – all in gorgeous hi-def, I might add - there's plenty of drama taking place on the high seas, as Stewart joins up with Paul Watson, a "direct action" conservationist who has devoted his entire adult life to roaming the oceans, trying to put a halt to the wholesale slaughter of the creatures who reside therein. We see Watson and his crew getting into tense confrontations with poachers, only to find THEMSELVES the object of pursuit by Costa Rican authorities. Stewart points out how corrupt governments like the one in Costa Rica outlaw shark hunting on an official level – in order to maintain their appeal to eco-conscious tourists - then secretly profit from it by looking the other way as poachers illegally operate off their coasts.

And it isn't just out of compassion for the shark that Stewart and his buddies have mounted a crusade against this mass poaching. It's out of concern for the ecosystem itself, as the diminution or, heaven forbid, the elimination of one of the world's great predators could upset the delicate natural balance in ways we can not yet fully comprehend – including potentially increasing the amount of carbon dioxide pumped into the atmosphere if plankton-eating creatures that are current shark prey are allowed to flourish in ever-greater numbers.

But there is hope. At the time this film was released (2007), sixteen countries had already banned shark-finning (hopefully more effectively than Costa Rica), and the general public had begun to fight back, as evidenced by mass street protests that began springing up in places like Costa Rica to help raise awareness of the issue – much as this film itself does.

Stewart - who wrote, directed, produced and served as cinematographer for this amazing and inspiring film - can be justifiably proud of both his mission and his work.

Finally , someone has done something right to Sharks.

[lamhoon33 · 10/10 · 6 September 2012]

Rob Stewart and his team (Paul Watson,Patrick Moore etc) has the courage to exposed the ugly side of mankind i.e. Greed, mindless and selfishness. For those who hunt sharks for fins are greed and selfish as the eco system in the ocean are upside down. Clips showing human cutting fins from live sharks and throwing back into the water and left to die. Rob and his team has did the right thing by speaking for the sharks and protecting the ocean. If this goes unchecked, one day this world will end not because of God but ourselves. Even if we stop this practice now, it may be a little too late but at least something has been done. A lot of people take things for granted and one of the reason is the lack of such eye and mind opening movie available. This show goes hand in hand with another movie titled "The Cove". Please watch it and think about it. Time to Change our habits for the better.

A botched documentary

[peter-tryfoss · 3/10 · 28 September 2009]

I have heard nothing but great praises about this movie. Since I also love documentaries and animals, I set out to see it with great enthusiasm. The movie started off quite well, so I figured I was in for a treat. There were beautiful underwater shots, and it seemed like a legitimate documentary, although the narrator's lack of commentary skills, and low audio quality were foreshadowing bad things to come. I have seen enough documentaries to know to take every one of them with a grain of salt. The problem with documentaries is that (while they should be presenting facts objectively) they are all created to serve one purpose in mind: to convince the viewers of the author's ideas/ideals/point of view. In the case of Sharkwater the ideas and ideals of the author were at the level of an elementary school student. His 'scientific' reasoning makes perfect sense if you are either 6 years old, or are completely brain-dead. Don't get me wrong, I am all for saving this planet, and I agree, eradicating animal species one after another is unacceptable. However, a marine biology themed movie made by a complete amateur without any scientific training is probably going to do more damage to the cause than good. Introduce a complete hack of a Greenpeace activist as a 'subject matter expert', and some shameless self-promotion tactics in a pathetic attempt to be recognized as a hero, and you have a complete disaster. These guys filmed themselves sinking fishing vessels in international waters, armed with the argument that out there no one has authority over them, claiming themselves to be heroes for enforcing local laws. Get it? They were enforcing local laws outside of the country's borders. Needless to say, they were also outraged for being arrested by authorities for attempted murder. I guess, enforcing local laws in international waters has made them forget about the existence of international laws... no matter where you are, attacking other people, and trying to sink their boats (even if they are engaged in illegal poaching) is attempted murder. There is also a completely unnecessary section about the author being attacked by flesh-eating disease. Apparently the doctors had to amputate his leg. Then he made some phone calls to his relatives, assuring them that he had things under control, and that everything was going to be fine. All this with astounding confidence from a person who's about to have his leg amputated. Then guess what happened? He was tougher than the flesh-eating disease! He defied all odds against him, saving his own leg, ripping out the IV tube from his arm, and and then immediately rushing off to the very country that had an arrest warrant against him for attempted murder, just because his cause for saving the sharks was more important than his health, leg or life in prison... For these reasons I found this movie extremely pathetic. Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of people that loved this movie... however, now that I think about it, they all had the IQ of a tadpole...