Steven Spielberg’s seminal shark horror classic Jaws turns 50 this year, and Beast of War, the latest by filmmaker Kiah Roache-Turner (Sting, Wyrmwood: Apocalypse), draws inspiration from the historical account that directly inspired Quint’s unforgettable monologue in Spielberg’s film. Roache-Turner, who writes and directs, gives his own spin with his 1942 Australian war movie, featuring stunning practical effects, including one menacing, hungry shark.
The squad at the center of the carnage in Roache-Turner’s latest barely survives boot camp before getting ejected into battle. That means a ragtag group of soldiers who’ve only just begun to learn what teamwork, let alone survival, is like. Almost immediately, their ship is sunk by enemies, stranding survivors on wreckage debris with no aid in sight. Exposed at sea and vulnerable to enemies, the surviving soldiers quickly discover the water isn’t safe either, with a ravenous beast on the prowl.
[L-R] Sam Delich as “Des”, Maximillian Johnson as “Stan”, Lee Tiger Halley as “Teddy”
and Joel Nankervis as “Will” in the thriller film BEAST OF WAR. Photo courtesy of Well Go USA Entertainment
Anchoring this atmospherically shot war thriller is Leo (Mark Coles Smith), the kind-hearted protagonist harboring a traumatic past with the sea. It not only informs his practical skills and expertise, but also his empathetic nature and unwillingness to leave any man behind. Smith deftly navigates Leo’s vulnerabilities and resolute leadership with ease, especially when playing against baby brother-type Will (Joel Nankervis) or butting heads with the brash and arrogant Des (Sam Delich). Smith’s emotional complexities add dramatic heft and carry Beast of War through the quieter stretches between shocking shark horror or frenetic war action sequences.
Cinematographer Mark Wareham infuses Beast of War with a rich visual language that not only elevates the production value but also lends a rich Gothic style, enhanced by bold hues and dense fog. The fog doesn’t just serve an aesthetic purpose; it narratively isolates the men from rescue and lowers visibility when spotting threats. It speaks to Roache-Turner’s smart direction; Beast of War offers style and substance in poignant ways.
True to form, Roache-Turner doesn’t hold back from the nature of war and its merciless ability to cull down men with unforgiving ease. The deaths are grisly and frequent, with intense action and gory aftermaths. The squad may be trapped at sea, but the filmmaker finds no shortage of creative ways to cull the soldiers’ numbers at a steady clip.
[L-R] Mark Coles Smith as “Leo” and Joel Nankervis as “Will” in the thriller film BEAST OF WAR
. Photo courtesy of Well Go USA Entertainment
That means that the shark isn’t the star here, though it is a constant lurking presence that never strays very far. When it does appear, it’s glorious; Formation Effects created a jaw-dropping killer shark via practical effects, animatronics, and puppetry. Like Jaws, Roache-Turner deploys his killer beast conservatively to great effect; Beast of War arguably offers the best on-screen shark to come long since, perhaps, Jaws.
Beast of War is Roache-Turner’s most impressive effort yet. It captures the grit of war and the speed at which it can rip apart human life, but also the triumph of the human spirit. It’s also not without levity or stylistic flourishes for storytelling sake; one of the film’s biggest crowd-pleasing moments hails not from war or the shark but an unconventional approach to a serious survival predicament.
A familiar historical account gets an invigorating reinterpretation in Beast of War, one that places equal weight on every single vital component, from the soldiers to the breathtaking animatronic shark. It makes for a slick action thriller that isn’t afraid to draw from atypical gothic horror influences, yielding a unique genre-bender.
Beast of War made its North American premiere at Fantastic Fest and releases in theaters and on VOD on October 10, 2025.
