REVIEW: ‘Under Paris’ Struggles To Take Itself Seriously

Three years ago, Sophie (Bérénice Bejo) lost her crew and her husband when a rogue shark attacked them. That same shark has been driven into the Seine River due to humanity’s environmental impact, changing its habitat, behaviors, and even physiology. Now it’s up to Sophie and the few willing to listen to prevent the shark from creating a bloodbath at an anticipated triathlon in Under Paris (Sous la Seine), directed by Xavier Gens (Lupin Part 3).

The opening sequence for the film takes place during Sophie’s initial encounter with the Mako shark known as Lilith. Sophie and her crew catch up to the shark on the outskirts of the famous landmass of garbage in the Pacific Ocean. This opening sequence combines the movie’s environmental themes and the tension of the ever-present threat of a shark attack brilliantly.

The obvious impact humanity’s disregard for the oceans has had on the environment is palpable. That such a hazardous shift in a creature’s ecology could cause it to develop new behavioral patterns and drive it into previously unknown waters for its species makes perfect sense.

The terror and brutality of the opening shark attack are handled with equal skill. There is an excellent balance between what is shown and what isn’t, giving the viewer enough hard visuals to allow their imagination to run away with the rest.

As Under Paris moves from the Pacific to its titular city, the movie fantastically services both of these elements. Every scene featuring individuals diving in the Seine left me feeling mildly nauseous for how disgustingly polluted with filth the river is. If I had to be one of those divers, my first stop after getting out would be for a tetanus shot. However, while the early build-up of the film handles its themes and terror with skill, much of its work comes apart in the final stretch.

Rarely has there been a sudden shift in focus as off-putting as while watching Under Paris. For the first two-thirds of the movie, the viewer understands what they are getting: a Jaws-style animal attack movie with strong, environmental tones. However, as the film builds up to its climactic ending, the movie transforms its starring shark into nothing short of a nightmarish monster. Not only does it become a ceaseless killing machine that plucks swimmers out of the river with abandon, but it also changes so much due to “pollution exposure” that Sophie declares it an entirely new species—one with the makeup to overrun the oceans if it’s not stopped.

Normally, this sort of twist in a run-of-the-mill animal attack movie is par for the course. However, the film tries hard to lay out the environmental aspect of its story in the early portion. Taking the narrative to this extreme undercuts the whole concept. It turns from a cautionary tale about how environmental impacts can alter behavior patterns, causing species to intersect with the world in unpredictable ways, into a joke about impossible organisms that could never exist.

While the themes of Under Paris are swept away, the terror of the film hits throughout. One particular sequence manages to capture the claustrophobic element of a shark attack I never expected to experience. The specific setup and nature of the moment come together perfectly, playing out in a brutal fashion that showcases many of the worst elements of people in a crisis.

Several interested parties further exacerbate the difficulties surrounding Lilith’s apprehension. A local environmental group refuses to accept that the shark is a danger, exposing numerous people to the beast in their reckless approach to making a difference. And, of course, we have the mayor of Paris, who is more than willing to simply brush the entire situation under the rug until it’s too late. These supporting elements provide adequate, though predictable, complements to the main plot.

Under Paris is a solid film that could be better if it knew what it wanted to be. Its inability to pick a course between a grounded environmental piece and a monster movie leaves the film with a severe identity crisis. Nevertheless, if a shark attack film with plenty of tense moments is all you are looking for, this film will satisfy.

Under Paris is streaming now on Netflix.