No Way Up, currently streaming on Apple TV, is an example of a movie that is good for those who enjoy the genre, but is bad for anyone else.
The premise of the movie is simple: A plane crashes into the ocean with passengers inside. They are running out of air, the plane is caving in, sharks are circling, and the plane is slowly sliding down the edge of an underwater ravine.
No Way Up is a survival thriller movie similar to every other shark movie. However, that doesn’t mean it’s bad.
People don’t watch “shark movies” for the excellent character development or interesting plot; they watch it to find out who survives.
One thing that helps get viewers invested in these types of movies is how they introduce the characters. The more a viewer cares about the characters, the more reaction people have to them dying or surviving.
No Way Up does an acceptable job at this. The scenes with a little girl and her grandparents show a loving family relationship, which makes viewers want them to survive. However, most of the other characters lack the necessary background. The movie tries to get viewers to care about the protagonist, Ava, giving her a shallow backstory, but it ultimately falls through.
No Way Up lives up to most other shark movies in terms of realistic science. There are many parts of the movie that require the viewer to suspend their disbelief, more than other movies like it. Some can be explained away by saying the plane is faulty, but the real scientific culprit is the depiction of sharks.
The sharks behave unrealistically to get scares, but then at times they are peaceful.
Obviously, there is gore, because where there are sharks, there are bites, so don’t watch the movie if gore is a concern. Also, the effects can at times be bad, though they are mostly solid.
Overall, No Way Up is similar to every other shark movie, so people shouldn’t watch if they want something deep and profound. It is enjoyable to watch for those who love the genre.
