★½ (1½ out of 4)
How many of you readers think I might say that this shark movie is different and well worth your time? I didn’t think so. And yet summer cinema demands that we at least acknowledge the existence of another “Jaws” ripoff that can serve as an effective time killer before fall comes and forces us all to wake up to serious matters like mid-terms and the potential collapse of civilization.
Sad to say, “The Devil’s Mouth” will not supply our hunger for sweet oblivion. Though it tries. It really does. A game of tequila shots between scenes can make all the difference. Just kidding. Hold on till the bull shark swims in for the kill. The shark is described as “ravenous,” as opposed to diet conscious and Ozempic-adjacent.
The tagline for “The Devil’s Mouth” goes like this: “Five friends set out on one last adventure along Thailand's stunning coast, eager for a final thrill before life in the real world begins.”
Sounds good.
Then it continues: “They sign up for a guided tour through a remote cave system known as The Devil's Mouth, a natural setting that's as breathtaking as it is unforgiving. Deep inside the labyrinth of narrow waterways, their journey takes a terrifying turn when they discover that a freak storm the week before flooded the caves with sea life. The creatures died in the fresh water, but something survived...and it's hunting them now--fast, silent, and deadly.”
Sounds cornball.
It gets worse. “The corridor they round is overflowing with anxiety, and every wrong turn becomes a deadly encounter. As panic spreads and their sense of direction slips away, the group begins to fracture. Trust erodes, fear takes over, and survival becomes a savage game. In the suffocating darkness, every choice could be their last as they learn that to make it out alive, sacrifices must be made.”
Ah jeez.
If watching hot-and-tasty young bodies getting chewed on is your thing, this Thailand-set Sharknado ripoff won’t disappoint.
The only thing not generic is the exotic location. And so director Jeff Wadlow wisely makes the most of that. The location shoot, under the keen camera eye of James Kniest, is the most authentic thing about this movie. Don’t even ask me about the bull shark. Not scary.
The characters come straight from central casting. Gavid Casalegno is Greg, Nico Hiraga is James and Tommi Rose is Adrienne. They become fish food so fast, there’s no need trying to figure them as out. But they do look hot. So there’s that.
The focus, such as it is, falls on sweet Sara. She’s on a post-graduation vacation (that is sweet) and she’s played by Kathryn Newton, who’s already been cast in “Avengers: Doomsday,” so she’ll survive this. I’m not so sure about Lana Condor as Max, her ego-driven, diva bestie. Max calls herself “the CEO of fun.” Even the bull shark might find that that hard to swallow. Up next for Condor is “Ruby Gillman: Teenage Kraken,” which sounds like a real bottom feeder, except Jane Fonda and Toni Collette are in it with her. Times are hard, folks. Is it stupid to judge actors on their next projects? Maybe. But neither Newton nor Condor get to do much acting, at least none that you’d notice. I will put in a good word for Tayme Thapthimthong, who is kind of fun as a guide named Wait until, well you know, it’s a shark movie.
You may be surprised to learn that “The Devil’s Mouth,” with a script by Aja Gabel and Myung Joh Wesner, was once featured on the Hollywood Blacklist of the most liked unproduced scripts. All I can say is, “What happened?” Look, if watching hot-and-tasty young bodies getting chewed on is your thing, “The Devil’s Mouth” won’t disappoint. Glad I could help.