Right, folks, buckle up for my dive into “Shark Bait 2 (aka The Reef 2).” I went in with a mix of excitement and trepidation—cause let’s face it, sequels can be a bit iffy.

First off, the CGI sharks—oh dear. They didn’t quite send chills down my spine, more like a lukewarm dip in Oresjön, vår lokala sjö. In terms of plot, we’re following another band of hapless adventurers who, surprise surprise, find themselves surrounded by deadly marine life. The suspense? It’s hit-or-miss. Sometimes you’re biting your nails, othertimes you’re just biting into that leftover pizza.

Character-wise, there’s plenty of efforts to flesh them out, but most felt like they were plucked straight out of a Svensson’s summer barbecue rather than a gripping horror thriller. Still, there are moments—a few bits that made me reminisce about my own summer escapades on the Swedish west coast, complete with its unpredictable watery dangers. One scene where the characters huddle on a rock for dear life? Reminded me of that one Midsummer when we (ingeniously idiotic, I must add) took a boat to a tiny archipelago island and got stranded by the tide.

Director’s got a mixed bag of tricks, visually speaking. Some panoramic shots were breathtaking, but then again, other times, you could see where the budget ran out.

There’s an odd blend of humor and horror here that feels a bit misplaced. Maybe I’ve been spoiled by other shark thrillers, but it felt like they were trying to chat with two mouths—one for laughs, the other for scares. And yeah, there’s a couple of jump scares that got me off guard. But eh, I mean, if you’re into a bit of cheeky thrill mixed with nostalgic sequels, this might just float your boat.

Bäst till årets kräftskiva? Kanske inte. But hey, grab some friends, some drinks, and give it a whirl. You might just find it to be a surprisingly fishy experience.

See it for yourself: Shark Bait 2 (aka The Reef 2)