New shark thriller that's climbing up the Netflix rankings is like Deep Blue Sea meets Cocaine Bear

Deep Fear
(Image credit: Brilliant Pictures)

New shark thriller Deep Fear is quickly climbing up the Netflix rankings after landing on the steamer just two days ago, and it's giving us major Deep Blue Sea meets Cocaine Bear vibes.

Starring Gossip Girl's Ed Westwick and Mădălina Diana Ghenea, the flick sees Naomi, an accomplished sailor, gets more than she bargained for when she stops to pick up two people floating on debris during her solo trip to Grenada. 

Turns out, the stranded strangers were ferrying 200 kilos of cocaine across the waters before a storm thwarted their plan. What started as a rescue mission soon becomes a fight for survival, as the crooks order her to dive down and retrieve the pricey powder still stuck in the wreckage. There's just one issue... there's a big ol' shark swimming down below, and it may or may not be a little bit high...

According to FlixPatrol, Deep Fear is sitting pretty in the #6 spot on Netflix's worldwide film chart, with the likes of Society of the Snow, Lift, and Badland Hunters ranking above it. It is currently the number one movie on UK Netflix. 

Despite its popularity on Netflix, Deep Fear hasn't seemed to impress critics, and is currently rated just 13% on Rotten Tomatoes – though it seems worth noting that there are only two reviews logged on the aggregator so far. That said, even those tuning in on Netflix have had mixed reactions...

"Deep Fear is one of the best shark movies I've ever watched recently, especially after the Meg," said one viewer, while another added: "Deep Fear- 8/10. Not your average shark movie, if you want blood and gore find another movie. Full of danger and plot twists, this movie will leave you pondering if its safe going on a boat."

"Have a high tolerance for cheesy shark movies but Deep Fear is really bad," argued somebody else. "85 minutes and most of it is padding. Sharks barely do anything. Just incredibly dull. There is one hilarious moment though where a character screams that a shark is high on cocaine. Needed more of that."

Deep Fear is streaming now on Netflix. For more, check out our picks of the best Netflix movies for some viewing inspiration.

Amy West

I am an Entertainment Writer here at 12DOVE, covering all things TV and film across our Total Film and SFX sections. Elsewhere, my words have been published by the likes of Digital Spy, SciFiNow, PinkNews, FANDOM, Radio Times, and Total Film magazine.