Movie review: Sharknado: The 4th Awakens

It has been five years since the last sharknado during which time Fin and his family may have finally been able to live their lives. But now the sharks and tornadoes are back and spending a few days in Las Vegas where Fin may be the only one who can stop them.

Ian Ziering (Fin), Tara Reid (April), Masiela Lusha (Gemini), Cody Linley (Matt), Ryan Newman (Claudia), Imani Hakim (Gabrielle), David Hasselhoff (Col. Shepard), Tommy Davidson (Aston), Cheryl Tiegs (Raye), Gary Busey (Wilford), Gilbert Gottfried (Ron).

There are comedies, satire, and B-movies that tell a story in an unusual, often campy way. Then there is Sharknado. While the first few films seemed to focus on the campy comedy, aiming squarely for B-movie stardom, Sharknado: The 4th Awakens has taken a new approach. There is no solid storyline, the plot has been tossed in the trash, acting and even costuming appears to have been without direction, continuity and realism have been completely avoided. What we are left with is a perfectly pointless film of poorly executed cameo appearances and absolute lack of energy or intelligence. Brilliant all around!

Acting was consistent with the first few films so no big surprises here. Ziering remains unable to express emotion or even imply connection with other actors. Reid remains lifeless until opening her mouth, at which point she becomes annoying. Hasselhoff, Busey, and Gottfried all delivered as expected though Gottfried apparently missed the Don't Shave memo.

Camera work, sets, and backgrounds are all an inconsistent mess further exacerbated by the ridiculous, over-the-top CGI. Dialogue was a pointless waste of time that only frequently did nothing but showcase a serious lack of talent. Sound and soundtrack were both forgettable and quite possibly the best components of the film.

Overall Sharknado: The 4th Awakens is possibly the worst entry in this franchise so far which makes it quite possibly the best film to see. Put this one in at the top of your Must See list and if you haven't seen the previous films yet, do so first so you don't miss a single moment of this spectacular train wreck of a franchise!

With absolutely no redeeming qualities this film may cause brain damage in anyone under 14 years of age, or anyone over 21 years of age who is currently sober.

Released: 2016
Reviewed: 2.13.17
Star rating: 1 out of 5
Genre: Horror, Sci-Fi, B-movies, Cult Movies, Campy Films

copyright ©2017 Dave Riedel