Some of the acting and dialogue was a bit...awkward at times. The whole romantic backstory doesn't really pay off in any way, it just seems to be there to add some tension/character traits and extent the runtime. The whole "based on true events" tagged on to the front and back of the film is unnecessary, but I suppose the director saw Wolf Creek and liked the idea. Once the characters are in the open ocean, it was well done in terms of blending live shark footage with the actors and there is some tension to be had here, though there is really only so much you can do with it, it gets repetitive and then it ends somewhat abruptly. If you like shark films it's at least worth a watch but it's nothing spectacular.

scary and tense an actual nail-biter of a thriller the terror takes shape when everyone is forced to swim for their lives against the perilous waters and escape being eaten by a shark in the process the viewer will get creeped out and the psychosis of it all is all the more terrifying when no one is around thank goodness these characters are very likable and not disposable B-movie horror to be tossed out really is scary when the footage of the shark is edited and filmed with such precision lackluster of an ending but you do learn not to ever go swimming in the open currents again

Neither a horror, nor suspenseful, it is more of a drama loosely based on a true story - which is intriguing, filmed with real sharks (I've searched for the documentary, but can't find it), so at least there is a spine of truth to the story. Besides all of that, it doesn't really have anything of substance and kind of floats along at the same low level of entertainment from start to finish. I didn't care for any of the characters, and so had no real thoughts about the outcome once revealed. I would likely enjoy the 'making of' documentary

Good low-budget shark movie based on a true story! Acting is ok. Nice thrills! 3.5 stars

Gripping once in the water, this thrilling film needs no CGi underwater

In my opinion this is the second greatest shark movie in history and just a step under JAWS. Perfection at its best ever. If you want total and complete thriller intense stuff, this is the movie. Shockingly realistic.

As creature features go, it's a cut above. It's kind of like Open Water, but the characters are given more challenges.

The most realistic shark film to date with gripping moments

Visually impressive and incredibly tense, "The Reef" is a triumphant and successfully terrifying shark-infested thriller.

Oscar for whimpering goes to Suzie. Did they have something else on because the end is abrupt but welcome I guess.

So slow. Poor acting too

Probably the most suspenseful shark movie since Jaws. Viewers who didn't like it because they don't see enough of the shark or gore are simpletons who don't understand the essence of true tension. I also think the fear displayed by the actors was realistic and downright palpable.

Decent shark movie but nothing beats the fear of it happening in real life.

The reef is the part-time cast that didn't show up but made it the title...

One of the better Great White (White Pointer) movies I've seen. The Reef provides a real life true event story with plenty of terror and realism to fill up anyone's chum bucket...

I don't believe anyone should make movies "based on a true story" when there are tragic casualties. Let me get that out of the way first of all. Secondly, this is literally a movie where you watch to see whether or not people survive and that's pretty much the extent of why you'd watch it. So there will be spoilers from this point forward. You should have expected that. Ok, so Hollywood is not in the business of telling true stories, they're in the business of selling drama. And suspense. And just selling in general. So I believe that this version of the story is about as true as the story of Santa Claus and Krampus. Which is to say, it's tragic that these people lost their lives in this situation and it's even more tragic that their deaths were exploited in this film for the sake of sales and profits. With all sympathy for those who did die (and respect for their families) there was one survivor out of 5 people so we're getting a very dramatized version of one person's angle of the situation. Particularly the ending was way, way too dramatic to have happened that way. If I was a family member of one of those lost, I would be angry that their final hours were packaged and sold in a poorly made movie that focuses on dramatic deaths rather than their lives. But that's the name of the game, right? In the end, this movie is no more suspenseful than watching a Gazelle being stalked by lions in the Sarenghetti. You know the people are sitting ducks and have no options and you know that sharks have an instinct to attack anything that moves in the ocean. The "professional" critic who compared this to Jaws should lose his job and be vanquished to a deserted island. It's nothing like Jaws and it's a real story where real people tragically died, we just don't know the exact details of their deaths even after watching this movie. It's all cat and mouse and not very well done in that regard, a simpleton chase story where the only real suspense is who will live and who will die and on a story knowing that some version of this actually happened, it kind of makes me sick that it was turned into entertainment for people to casually watch as a way to spend a Friday night or whatever. Gross. Stick to fiction…or at least don't take movies like this and base them on tragedies and sell it as casual entertainment.

The shark does not show up in this "shark" movie until FIFTY MINUTES IN ???

Based on the emphasis of certain characters during the first ten minutes of the film, the viewer kind of knows who is or is not likely to survive at the end. This takes away some of the suspense. The shark attacks are not overly gruesome. At the conclusion, I pondered the question: Considering the fact that most of the them were seasoned boaters or sailors (I do not know what the correct term is), wouldn't they have been better prepared for an emergency?

It has a weak script and not-so-good acting, but also an amazing atmosphere, great score, some good scares, and... one REALLY hungry shark as well.

One of the best shark movies.