Shark attack movies are clearly trying to mount some sort of cinematic comeback, with 2026 having already seen the releases of Deep Water and Thrash. Despite tossing in atypical elements to the subgenre — a plane crash and a hurricane, respectively — both were largely dismal affairs, offering little in the way of excitement or innovation in a well-trodden Selachian landscape. And now we have Chum, which hopes to return things to the basics, sticking a group of survivors on a boat in the middle of the ocean while an apex predator ominously circles the vessel. Even if one aims only for cheap thrills, this is not a formula that is easy to screw up. But somehow, co-writer/director Jonathan Zuck finds a way, turning in what might be 2026’s lousiest movie so far. Haphazardly edited, abysmally performed, and featuring some stunningly atrocious visual effects, Chum more than lives up to its title. But just how bad could a film with no fewer than 20 credited producers be? Let’s dive in and find out.
It’s time for a wedding celebration on the island country of Malta, where bride Tina (Alice Eve, who is also a co-producer) and groom Tom (Eric Michael Cole) tie the knot amongst family and friends. What should be a momentous occasion is instead riddled with gloom, as the newlyweds down glass after glass of champagne to mask their apparent unhappiness with one another, desperate to survive the proceedings. Part of the friction lies in their careers: as an attorney, Tina represents Big Oil, while Tom is a member of Greenpeace, working to save the planet. Looking to restore harmony are wedding party pals Rachinda (Sarah Siadat) and Rick (Johnny Gaffney), who have booked a three-hour tour off the Mediterranean coast. Accompanied by friend Britney (Lisa Yaro) and Tina’s sister Sadie (Elle Haymond, giving the film’s worst performance), the group sets sail for a little fun in the sun. But Mother Nature has other plans, of course, as a great white shark emerges from the watery depths ready to pick off some fresh prey, soon throwing the group into peril. When their yacht capsizes, and their captain is devoured, the remaining group is picked up by local fisherman Roy (Jim Klock), sailing by just in the nick of time. However — and also of course — Roy has other plans of his own, revealing his own vendetta with the shark, hoping to use the newly-rescued wedding party as bait to lure in the beast that wronged him.
Most bad films take their time to reveal their true nature, electing a gradual approach not unlike a ritualistic disemboweling, slowly letting on to viewers that something is not quite working with the picture. Chum goes off the rails almost immediately, kicking things off with a clunky backstory for Roy, who shares details of the loss of his wife to a great white, delivering a hilariously portentous monologue about how “he is not the sea, he is a man, and a man does not forget.” Er, sure thing, Roy. The story then quickly shifts to Tina and Tom, already discussing plans for an annulment. It seems like it’s the end of the line for these two, but not without a quick intervention from Rachinda and Rick, forcing the couple to spend more time together as they head out into the open ocean, where danger lurks beneath the surface.
For as incredible as Jaws is, it’s a miracle that the film turned out to be watchable, let alone a timeless classic, as it was marred by a notoriously troubled production that included a frequently malfunctioning mechanical shark. But this turned out to be a godsend, as Spielberg ultimately drew suspense from keeping the monster offscreen for as long as possible, saving the real star’s big moment for choice reveals. Turns out, director Zuck probably could have learned a thing or two from the master, as he unwisely opts not to keep Chum’s killer hidden, and instead doles out the great white as often as possible. Unfortunately, there are no practical effects here, but rather AI — lots and lots of AI, generating an impossibly-smooth, phony-looking predator that sucks all life out of the picture. It’s an egregious misstep, but the bad AI is only half the (losing) battle, as Zuck further demonstrates his incompetence behind the camera, ineptly staging action sequences that are then edited to within an inch of their life. The actors — so often the saviors of such D-level fare — fail to instill any energy into the production either, running the gamut from bored to dreadful. And it’s at this point that we return to the 20 credit producers, whose combined efforts amount to a single, hideous AI shark. Actual chum would have looked better on screen.
DIRECTOR: Jonathan Zuck; CAST: Alice Eve, Eric Michael Cole, Jim Klock, Elle Haymond, Sarah Siadat; DISTRIBUTOR: Independent Film Company; IN THEATERS/STREAMING: June 5; RUNTIME: 1 hr. 27 min.
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