Film

Sharknado

Name: Sharknado
Genre: Action, Comedy, Horror, Science Fiction, TV Movie
Released: 2013
Cast: Ian Ziering, Tara Reid, John Heard, Cassie Scerbo, Jaason Simmons

Disaster
Science fiction
Parody
Strange
Relentless

A tornado sweeps man-eating sharks through Los Angeles. Sharknado is pure disaster-movie absurdity played with a straight face and genuine affection for its own ridiculousness. It's a film that knows exactly what it is: creature-feature spectacle on a TV-movie budget, helmed with infectious enthusiasm. Perfect if you want to stop thinking and start grinning.

TMDb rating

2.0

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you want a deliberately silly creature feature where the badness is the point, and you enjoy a film that knows exactly how ridiculous its premise is and leans into it with a grin.

Skip it if you need your monsters scary or your characters convincing, since the tone is goofy throughout and the effects are cheap on purpose, which may wear thin for anyone wanting real suspense.

What it asks of you: Eighty-seven minutes, mostly quick scenes and loud set pieces, with little patience for slow build-up; you sit back and let the absurdity roll rather than paying close attention.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

Deep Blue Sea1999

Intelligent sharks, claustrophobic terror, and Samuel L. Jackson in a wetsuit. The DNA of Sharknado but filtered through genuine menace and smart set design. A creature feature that actually builds dread.

But Slow pacing and a plot that meanders before the action kicks in. Some may find the eighties-action-movie tone dated.

Anaconda1997

A giant predator loose in an impossible location, a ragtag crew trying to survive, and delicious scenery-chewing from Jon Voight. It commits to the spectacle while keeping its sense of humour intact.

But The CGI snake looks like a video game cutscene now. It's campy in places where it wants to be thrilling, which doesn't always land.

Tremors1990

Giant worms attacking a small Nevada town, played with perfect comedic timing and genuine charm. It proves that B-movie creature features can be genuinely clever and endlessly rewatchable without ever winking at the camera.

But Slower than you might expect if you're just here for creature carnage. The humour is dry, which won't appeal to everyone.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Sharknado

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Big Trouble in Little China1986

Both film's best weapon is refusing to apologize for their own ridiculousness. They commit fully to an impossible premise and sell it through sheer force of will and affection.

John Carpenter directing a movie that plays B-movie absurdity and mystical action with absolute sincerity and visual brilliance. Kurt Russell as a trucker god. It's the film that proves you can be both funny and thrilling without sacrificing spectacle.

But The tone is slippery and some sequences feel meandering. Eighties action pacing won't appeal to everyone, and the film's sexual politics are dated.

The Meg2018

A prehistoric megalodon loose in the ocean, Jason Statham fighting it with his face. Big dumb spectacle with an enormous creature budget and zero apologies for its own nonsense.

But Jason Statham's charm can only carry so much dead weight. The script is thin and the stakes feel hollow.

Piranhaconda2012

A creature that's half-piranha, half-anaconda, wreaking havoc on an island. Roger Corman's SyFy sensibility—low budget, high concept, genuine fun. Made with the exact same spirit as Sharknado.

But The budget shows, badly, in every frame. The acting is earnest in a way that sometimes tips into uncomfortable.

Lake Placid1999

A giant prehistoric crocodile in a Maine lake, Bill Pullman and Bridget Fonda banter while people die horribly. The balance of horror and comedy is nearly perfect, and the creature design still holds up.

But The tonal shifts are uneven—sometimes it wants to be scary, sometimes funny, and they don't always marry well. Pacing dips in the middle act.

Big Ass Spider!2013

A genetically modified tarantula terrorizes Los Angeles. Low-budget creature feature made with such infectious enthusiasm and practical charm that the budget becomes an asset, not a liability.

But The humour relies heavily on improvisation that doesn't always land. Some of the CGI is genuinely rough.

Eight Legged Freaks2002

Giant spiders overrun an Arizona mining town. Smart creature design, genuine scares mixed with dark comedy, and a cast that plays it straight even when things get delightfully weird.

But The middle section drags and the CGI is uneven. Some will find it takes itself too seriously for what it is.

Arachnoquake2012

An earthquake releases venomous spiders into a swamp. Made with genuine care and practical ingenuity on a tiny budget, it's the kind of creature feature that respects its own concept.

But Very low budget shows everywhere. The plotting is thin and the pacing can drag between creature attacks.

Rubber2010

Both movies take a premise that's irredeemably silly and choose not to make the premise itself the joke. They play it straight, which is the only way it works.

A sentient killer tire terrorizes a desert town. Absurdist horror-comedy that leans into the surreal. It's what Sharknado's DNA looks like refracted through an art-house prism—same gleeful commitment to an insane concept, utterly different execution.

But Deliberately alienating and meta. It mocks its own audience and the horror genre simultaneously. Many will find it exhausting rather than clever.

Deadly Prey1987

Sharknado and Deadly Prey share a refusal to punch down at their own ideas. Made by people who love action and spectacle more than they love being clever, which paradoxically makes them more clever than films that are constantly winking.

A Vietnam vet hunted for sport in the woods by mercenaries. Shot on a shoestring with zero cynicism, genuine action sequences, and complete faith in its own sincerity. Pure early-eighties action trash made with actual enthusiasm and craft.

But The budget is visible in every frame. The acting is broad and the dialogue is corn. The politics are dated and sometimes offensive.