SHARKNADO 3: OH HELL NO!

US, 2015, 88 minutes, Colour.
Ian Ziering, Tara Reid, Cassie Scerbo, Frankie Muniz, Ryan Newman, David Hasselhoff, Mark Cuban, Bo Derek, Blair Fowler, Michael Winslow, Jackie Collins, Robert Klein, Jerry Springer, Penn Gillette, Matt Lauer, Kathie Lee Gifford, George R.R.Martin.
Directed by Anthony C. Ferrante.

The first Sharknado was something of a cause celebre, appearing on the Science Fiction Channel, making headlines because of its unashamed absurdity. It became something of a cult classic instantly.

The writer was Thunder Levin (who also wrote the two sequels). The director for all three films was Anthony C. Ferrante. The principal star was Ian Ziering, popular star of such television series as Beverley Hills 90210.

The basic idea, a blend of science and fantasy, was that the United States would be plagued by not just tornadoes, but tornadoes which gathered up sharks from the ocean – or anywhere – and had them falling down to earth with deadly effect, attacks galore, bites galore, decapitations and arm breaks galore, blood galore. Weather bureaus were iin confusion. National Guard and other forces had to combat the sharks. Our hero, who could be a crash- hot pilot, took to the air to destroy the sharks. There will also threats to family.

The setting was the West Coast, and California. With such popular success, a sequel, Sharknado 2, went quickly into the works, with our hero, Fin Shepard, with his new wife, played by Tara Reid, going to New York City, she having written a book, he a celebrity. Needless to say, it all happens over again, this time destruction in New York, Same effects, sharks galore, killings galore, random victims for shock value, split-second timing, and heroics.

So, now, the third episode. Since so much was spoof, with tongue-in-cheek comic touches, situations and dialogue, the third film capitalised on this. There is a lot of deadpan dialogue, the type that can be laughed at and created for that purpose. The situations become more exaggerated, heightened, ultimately preposterous.

Within the first 10 minutes, before the credits, Washington DC is destroyed by the sharks, loads of victims and blood, characters with whom the audience is involved for some seconds, with some personal touch, are instantly despatched. The Lincoln Memorial is destroyed with the sharks sitting on Lincoln’s lap. The Capitol is destroyed. Fin is on his way to the White House to be presented with the President’s Freedom Medal by the President – just in time before the sudden sharknado arrives with devastating effects on the White House itself, the President and Fin warding off the sharks, DC mayhem.

In the meantime, April, Tara Reid, is in Florida with her mother – a nice, surprising cameo from Bo Derek. Suddenly, a shark falls out of the air in the Universal Studios Orlando Park – which receives an enormous amount of publicity. In the meantime, Fin is hurrying to Florida, has a breakdown, encounters Nova, Cassie Scerbo, his previous ally, in a huge IT truck-tank, with her associate, Frankie Muniz (Malcolm in the Middle). More shark attacks, driving south, reaching Daytona with the NASCAR rally in progress, thousands in the grandstands, sharks falling from the sky on the cars. Fortunately, there are programs and explosives to destroy the sharks – though Frankie Muniz (perhaps written in his contract) has to lose a leg, another leg, arm, another arm, as he strives and crawls to set off the detonation, finely pressing the button with his chin.

Then, of course, all kinds of mayhem at Universal Park, with Fin’s daughter and her friends, the threat to April and her mother, sharks seen going round the rollercoaster…

We are used to the mayhem by then, the sudden and random victims, but it is all in the spirit of the thing.

But, it doesn’t end there. Fin contact his father, NASA space explorer, played by David Hasselhoff, who then makes connections, is able to access the Star Wars Defence System and Fin, his father and April all set for outer space, with Hasselhoff having to go out into space and make the detonation connections himself so that the deadly rays will destroy the sharks – but, not entirely, as sharks fall to earth with Finn and April inside. And, the most preposterous thing, April giving birth within the shark and presenting Finn with the new baby at the end.

The joke in all the films is that it does not say The End but Fin. This time with a question mark!
Who would have thought we would see Bo Derek and David Hasselhoff in the same film as grandparents! Lots of guest appearances including Jackie Collins congratulating Fin, Congresswoman Michelle Bachmann, author of Game of Thrones, G.R.R.Martin, and a whole range of authentic television news hosts including Matt Lauer and Kathie Lee Gifford. But, as a shark falls on the studio, Matt Lauer will not be in the sequel…