Deep Blue Sea (1999)

Deep Blue Sea is a 1999 science fiction horror film directed by Renny Harlin and written by Duncan Kennedy, Donna Powers, and Wayne Powers. It stars Thomas Jane, Saffron Burrows, Samuel L. Jackson, Michael Rapaport and LL Cool J. The film follows a team of scientists in an isolated underwater facility who are researching the brains of mako sharks to help fight Alzheimer's, only for the sharks to go on a rampage after two of the scientists, Susan McCallister and Jim Whitlock, genetically enhance their intelligence in secret.

An international co-production between the United States and Mexico, Deep Blue Sea represented a test for Harlin, who had not made a commercially successful film since Cliffhanger (1993). The film was primarily shot at Fox Baja Studios in Rosarito, where the production team constructed sets above the large water tanks that had been built for James Cameron's Titanic (1997). Although the film features some shots of real sharks, most of the sharks used in the film were either animatronic or computer-generated. Trevor Rabin composed the score, while co-star LL Cool J contributed the songs "Deepest Bluest (Shark's Fin)" and "Say What" to the soundtrack.

Released on July 28, 1999, Deep Blue Sea received generally mixed reviews; some praised its suspense, pacing, and action sequences, but criticized its unoriginality and B-movie conventions. However, it has received much more praise in retrospect, and is now often cited as one of the greatest shark films of all time. It is especially lauded for its success within a limited genre dominated by Jaws (1975). It was also a commercial success, grossing $165 million worldwide on a budget of $60–82 million. The film spawned a franchise of the same name, and was followed by the direct-to-video sequels Deep Blue Sea 2 (2018) and Deep Blue Sea 3 (2020).