‘The Devil’s Mouth’ shark flick scary enjoyable

In a summer time dominated by a retelling of historical past’s most well-known monster-plagued sea voyage, “The Devil’s Mouth” might appear to be a mere bagatelle.

Like Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey,” this final trip nightmare encompasses a fearless chief, recognized for cleverly getting the staff out of all types of jams, who refuses to heed any cautionary recommendation to the disastrous detriment of all.

Unlike “The Odyssey,” nonetheless, “The Devil’s Mouth” encompasses a mondo and super-hangry bull shark that’s in a position to survive in salt and contemporary water.

In a cheeky bid for “Shark Week”-adjacency, “The Devil’s Mouth” debuted Wednesday on Amazon Prime Video, proper in the midst of Discovery’s annual weeklong paean to the apex predator. Like just about each good, dangerous and ludicrous shark movie ever, “The Devil’s Mouth” opens with carefree revels. In this case involving a quintet of carefree, Jägermeister-loving younger people who’re celebrating their school graduations with a visit to Thailand.

While negotiating a ship cruise, the group dynamics turn out to be immediately clear: Max (“To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before’s” Lana Condor) is the chief/risk-taker/decision-maker; flanked by Sara (Kathryn Newton from “Big Little Lies”), her admiring and extra cautious bestie; and James (Nico Hiraga), her devoted and sometimes exasperated boyfriend. Their pal Adrienne (Tommi Rose) and her very non-permanent boyfriend Greg (Gavin Casalegno) are simply alongside for the journey (and anybody aware of shark films is aware of what meaning).

And if the personalities are painted in broad strokes, the performances, significantly by Condor and Newton, create a resonant sufficient emotional palette.

After telling Max that she goes snorkeling, Sara will get left behind amid a bloom of jellyfish proper out of “Finding Nemo.” Though stung, bodily and emotionally, Sara carries on with a visit to the Devil’s Mouth caves as a result of her just lately deceased father visited them. And, as she is assured repeatedly, they’re freshwater caves so she doesn’t have to fret about pesky ocean critters.

This, in fact, makes actually no sense. Thailand’s freshwater caves are inland; the coastal caves are saltwater. But no matter, it’s a shark film.

Max calls for that their information Wat (Tayme Thapthimthong) take them alongside a difficult route. The group swims alongside, admiring the bats and stalactites whereas Wat reminds them to respect the caves. All is nicely.

Until, in fact, it isn’t. Moving deeper, they’re out of the blue surrounded by useless sea creatures compelled into the cave by a storm. And it turns into very clear that at the least a type of creatures — particularly an infinite bull shark — may be very a lot not useless.

In a glutted style, “The Devil’s Mouth” gives a intelligent twist, a robust setting and, by means of Sara, sufficient character transformation to offer it a toehold in hero-journey territory. Which is fairly good for a shark movie.

More vital, it’s nice enjoyable to look at.

(“The Devil’s Mouth” incorporates violent content material, bloody photos, some language and suggestive materials)

Tribune News Service

‘THE DEVIL’S MOUTH’

Rated PG-13. On Prime Video

Grade: B+