Waste of time

The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

Yes, absolutely, there is fun to be had, as well as many, many things to go boom, all amid an atmospheric urban jungle.

David Ziegler (Treat Williams) is an American beach bum living on the Mexican shore with his buddy and business partner Paco (Antonio Fargas). Unfortunately, a lot of melodrama is about to be dumped in Davids' lap because his brother James (Carlo Mucari) got mixed up with a shady businessman, Rosentski (John Steiner), and figured to get rich by secretly recording the phone calls that Rosentski had made to the President of the U.S.! James mails David a CD he's made of these incriminating phone calls. The bad guys recruit Davids' ex-wife Liz (Janet Agren) to try to persuade David to hand over the CD, holding her debts over her head as a means of motivating her. David must ultimately battle the goons that Rosentski sends after him, and *also* do battle with a local one-eyed great white shark (named "Cyclops" by the natives) which has become a kind of personal nemesis for him.Mediocre, fairly dull time waster could possibly have been more entertaining on a "so bad it's good" level, but very crude direction (by Tonino Ricci) and even cruder editing (by Gianfranco Amicucci) prevent the movie from being more fun. That isn't to say that there aren't some very amusing moments here and there, and things do pick up a little during the whole fight / pursuit sequence in the jungle. The music score by Stelvio Cipriani is fun even if it's not one of his best. The use of locations, at the least, is adequate. Williams doesn't look too happy to be here, but Fargas is rather engaging, Swedish beauty Agren offers some appreciable eye candy, and Steiner, the ubiquitous Brit character actor of so many Italian exploitation items, is a passable villain. And as one can see the story is pretty damn silly.By the way, unless the word "shark" is used for its multiple meanings, the viewer should be aware that there's actually only one killer fish in this thing.Five out of 10.

Treat Williams is ineffectual pretty much throughout the film in a flick with little production value or any coherence, plot-wise. The film does however redeem itself with a typical assured John Steiner turn; making the most of a script - what at best can only be described as farcical and even Italian horror muse Janet Agren finds the task of adding some much needed glamour to the film a hopeless impossibility. But before I completely write off this film; hats off to the Tiger Shark's performance - which by the way, stole the show.All in all, a Pulsatingly mediocre film. Good for comedy value.5 stars for the Shark!

Just a few years before this movie, it seemed that American actor Treat Williams was becoming a major star. So it's seems puzzling as to what he is doing in a low budget Italian movie. Despite the different environment, Treat does seem to be trying hard, but his valiant efforts aren't enough to save the movie. Though it's only 86 minutes long, it feels much longer, with barely a plot on display and scene after scene passes by where little to nothing actually happens. There also isn't that much action, and the little there is isn't for the most part particularly exciting. The movie does look somewhat better than other Italian B movies made around this time - it's nicely shot (both on land and under water), the scenery looks good, and the remaining production values are somewhat slicker than usual. But as you may know, a good look does little when you are saddled with a sorry script.

What's to like about this movie???It is in colour! It has some impressive underwater photography! It has a rhythmic musical score in the background that works well at times! So 3 out of 10! Sometimes the music is speeded up! Especially when the shark or the baddies are about to move in! Sometimes it is slowed! As if to convey to the audience it's about to be time for sympathy! As another one bites the dust! As if in a "spagetti Western" this has much similarity to! It's not that the Italians can't produce quality productions! There was a series of TV movies with a heading like "Octopus" numbered about 1 to 7, screened on SBS TV in Australia in the 1990s about mafia-type conflicts! And they were excellent! But alas, you won't find it here!!!I assumed it was made about 1960s! Sadly it was 20 years out of date, as evidenced by a funeral scene near the end! Then there was the razor-sharp bite of the speedy shark that makes for a red dust repeatedly emerging in the bluish waters! Amidst it all, either in bar-room brawl or in observing the latest sea-side bloody demolition by the relentlessly hungry shark, the mate of the hero looks on through his glasses of little concern, as if he too was bored in his relentless role amidst a lack of much evidence of plot or anyone's character development! At least the hero indicates a fleeting concern belatedly, for his ex-wife! But of course, even if the music fails to awaken our realisation, we have the sinister sound in the baddies' voices, as if to nudge us that another dark deed is about to emerge! And near the end, someone thought of a twist! Just when we thought it was all totally predictable! But stay tuned, folks, for you may find another twist! If you are watching closely! To, more or less, warm your heart! Follow the advice of the hero, and have a few beers along the way! It'll make your viewing of "Night of the Sharks" more enjoyable! Then you'll be ready for something like a "007" movie to ease your way back into reality when this is over!!!