“You may be smearing a 450 million year old super predator on your face and not know it!”
In the 2006 documentary, Sharkwater, conservationist Rob Stewart exposed the cruel practice of shark-finning and the multi-million dollar industry that it supports. In my 2008 review of the movie, I likened it to An Inconvenient Truth about sharks. Unlike that film, however, Sharkwater prompted many changes to laws and policies. The cruel practice of shark-finning was banned nearly worldwide.
In 2016, Stewart began work on a sequel, Sharkwater: Extinction, to explore the reason sharks are still being killed at an alarming rate despite the widespread ban on shark-finning. Over 150 million sharks are killed by humans per year. A statistic at the end of the film breaks that down into an even more relatable number: 25,000 sharks will die during Sharkwater: Extinction‘s one hour and twenty-four minute running time. Why are these sharks being killed if shark-finning has been banned?
Stewart and other conservationists begin to explore the likely culprits. Unsurprisingly, shark-finning hasn’t really stopped; it’s just been driven underground. Much more surprising is that Stewart also reveals that shark meat and shark by-products, under different names like rock salmon and cape steak, are appearing on our tables, pet food, and cosmetics with alarming regularity. As he puts it, “You may be smearing a 450 million year old super predator on your face and not know it!”
The original Sharkwater was focused on the problem of shark-finning and, even though it meandered a bit when it told Rob Stewart’s personal story, it really drove home the message that sharks need to be protected. As apex predators of the ocean, they’re responsible for keeping the sea as healthy as possible. Without them, the natural balance of the oceans and, therefore, the world will be altered with devastating effects to humanity.
While making Sharkwater: Extinction, Rob Stewart died in an accident while diving off the coast of the Florida Keys. His parents finished the film and, sadly, the film suffers as a result. I can’t overstate enough that Stewart’s passing is a huge loss to shark conservation. But the film contains a noticeable amount of filler to pad an already short running time.
Sharkwater: Extinction never delivers a conclusive statement that sets it apart from the original movie. While it does include some new information about why sharks are still being slaughtered in staggering numbers, its message could have been more effectively delivered in a shorter, more concise documentary. It’s still worth seeing, but is not as essential as Sharkwater. As a tribute to Stewart, though, my hope is that it (and the original film) do enough to inspire others to take up the challenge and help the sharks survive.
3.5 out of 5.0 stars
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