Under Paris – Movie Review
Xavier Gens returns with his second stateside release of the year, delivering a film that has quickly climbed to the top of the Netflix charts. “Under Paris” is a delightfully absurd movie that feels like a tribute to Steven Spielberg’s “Jaws,” but with a wild twist that takes it into “Sharknado” territory by the time the outrageous final act rolls around. While Gens struggles to strike the right balance between homage and absurdity, much of “Under Paris” ends up looking as over-the-top as its storyline, with exaggerated CGI and slick cinematography. Still, it’s a decent way to spend a summer afternoon—a Netflix movie that knows when to get in, get bloody, and get out, all while teasing an inevitable sequel that promises to be even more over-the-top, in the best way possible.
Sometimes, a film’s strength lies in its simplicity: There’s a shark (or maybe even sharks) in the Seine. That’s all the setup “Under Paris” needs, and it’s surprisingly effective. The movie opens in what’s essentially a floating garbage patch in the Pacific Ocean, a very real environmental disaster, where we meet marine researcher Sophia Assalas, played by Bérénice Bejo of “The Artist” fame. Bejo brings a surprising amount of depth to a role that could have easily been forgettable. Sophia is on the hunt for a mako shark named Lilith, and when her husband tries to take a blood sample from the shark, he’s tragically killed, giving Sophia both personal trauma and a direct link to the creature. Classic setup, check.
Fast forward three years, and Sophia is now working in Paris when she discovers that Lilith is not only alive but also swimming in the Seine. The river runs through the heart of Paris, which is about to host a major triathlon, naturally. This sets the stage for some classic “Jaws”-style tension, with Sophia and her team aware of the lurking danger while the mayor (played by Anne Marivin) stubbornly refuses to take the necessary precautions, risking lives in the process. Caught between Sophia and the mayor is a police officer named Adil, played by the charismatic Nassim Lyes, who also appeared in Gens’ previous film, “Mayhem!” As any moviegoer could predict, Adil will eventually side with Sophia in an attempt to stop the impending bloodbath. But will they act in time?
Gens and his team of writers—there are four credited, which sometimes results in a few too many ideas clashing—take their time setting the stage, but they deliver when it counts. Although the film’s final act is heavily foreshadowed, it doesn’t disappoint, offering up scenes that will delight anyone who schedules their week around Shark Week or has watched all four “Jaws” movies more times than they can count. The film reaches an impressive level of madness by the end, with a climactic sequence that feels as much a nod to Roland Emmerich as it does to Spielberg.
There’s a version of “Under Paris” that could have been smarter and a bit more tightly edited, but what we have is a straightforward genre flick that’s perfectly suited for Netflix. It’s “Jaws” in the Seine, and there’s something almost endearing about how unapologetically blunt it is in its execution. While there are hints of ecological commentary and a critique of political negligence, the movie is, at its core, about sharks and swimmers. And that’s a formula that works in any language.
Movie Information
Title: Under Paris (2024)
IMDb Rating: 5.7/10
Release Year: 2024
Genres: Thriller, Horror, Action, Mystery
Director: Xavier Gens
Writers: Xavier Gens, Yannick Dahan, Maud Heywang, Vincent Dietschy, Sebastien Auscher, Yaël Langmann, Olivier Torres
Cast: Bérénice Bejo as Sophia, Nassim Lyes as Adil, Léa Léviant as Mika, Anaïs Parello as Jade, Iñaki Lartigue as Juan, Anne Marivin as the Mayor of Paris, Timi-Joy Marbot as Raphaël, Ricky Tribord as Marine Officer, Aurélia Petit as Angèle, Sandra Parfait as Caro, Yannick Choirat as Chris, Patrick Ligardes as Paris Police Commissioner, Victor Pontecorvo as Sam, Jean-Marc Bellu as Berruti, Stéphane Jacquot as Poiccard, Ibrahima Ba as Adama, Daouda Keita as Léopold, Marvin Dubart as Markus, Monsieur Poulpe as Triathlon Swimmer, Nagisa Morimoto as Ben, Aksel Üstün as Nils, Thomas Espinera as Tom, Iván González as André, Maud Forget as Triathlon Journalist 1, Sandra Tabarés as Triathlon Journalist 2, Jonas Dinal as Adewale, Marina Yerles as S.O.S. Activist, Karina Testa as College Teacher, Mahily Dement Elismar as Aquarium Child, Hugo Trophardy as Victor, Yves Calvi as TV Journalist, Balthazar Boncza as Little Girl's Father, Julien Jakout as S.O.S Sharks Member (uncredited), José Antonio Pedrosa Moreno as Reporter (uncredited)