It is hard to believe that the same production company that gives us Z Nation can continue to produce such irredeemable rubbish. In Sharknado 4: The 4th Awakens the plot is that no sharknadoes have been spotted for five years. Sadly this is not the case in our world.
The Asylum churns these cheese-fests out like so many Babybels. With substandard gags, acting, stunts and FX the bloom has gone off this teeth filled rose. Perhaps the only thing left to do is play “spot the cameo” where z-list celebs can be found in their dozens.
It is amazing how many actors actually appear in these things. From David Faustino to Alexandra Paul (who literally looks no different from her “Baywatch” days) the scope was pretty amazing, more so that the actual movie. (At one point it even looked like Melissa Joan Hart was consumed by a flying shark, but her name is not in the credits. So Melissa, was that you?)
Reality “stars” made appearances also. Even Dog the Bounty Hunter, aka Duane “Dog”Chapman and his wife have a small set piece as proprietors of a chainsaw store.
Even Carrot Top made a cameo. (Like Gottlieb he was also on the Jim Gaffigan Show “The Trial” episode.)
As these “movies” continue to punish those bored enough to watch, the search for “stars” to appear must be hitting rock bottom. Performers so far past their “use by” date popped up in number four. Poor old Wayne Newton, a fixture in Las Vegas since time out of mind, looked like a Spitting Image puppet version of himself. (Quite sad really.)
Cheryl Tiegs, a personal favorite from back in the day, proved that despite still looking fabulous should have been left to play a silent role. To be succinct, acting is not the lady’s forte.
Others were as funny as the material allowed them to be. Stacey Dash was suitably “witchy” as was her character’s demise. Gilbert Gottfried was, perhaps, the best cameo as he bellowed out “COW-NADO” and so on. (Although not as funny as his cameo on The Jim Gaffigan Show “The Trial.” His “AFFLECK” was truly hysterical.)
Some cameos made no real sense. For instance, Jedward. Does anyone this side of the pond care or even know who these X-Factor twins are? A minor sensation in 2009 – they came sixth in the competition – is was puzzling to see them included in the movie. The Asylum are either fans or the cameo well has dried up in the US.
One cameo was purely business related. Steve Guttenberg, another personal favorite, stopped by to plug his upcoming SyFy film “2 Lava 2 Lantula! ” Sharknado 4: The 4th Awakens is not the first installment to do this, Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No gave a plug to The Asylum’s “Z Nation.” The beautiful and talented Kellita Smith appeared as her character in Sgt. Warren and zombies were alluded to.
Sidenote: It looked like another sort of cameo appears in the movie. At one point, one of the ‘nado’s whirled past the arch in St Louis, Missouri. It smashes the top of the arch and it suddenly looks like the damaged article in another SyFy series Defiance. The show was cancelled. But, is this a hint that it will be returning withJulie Benz and co?
The main plot dealt with Las Vegas, where a real-life party was held to aid animal charities so at least some good came from this movie, and a shark themed hotel casino. A giant sandstorm releases the sharks within and the new threat waltzes across the US.
Tara Reid‘s character did not die, she was resurrected by her father played by Gary Busey. Ian Ziering returned to play Fin Shepard, yet again. (Surely the pay cannot be that good? Ziering must want to do something else by now.)
There really is no discernible plot for this (hopefully) last offering from the Sharknado franchise. It consists of set pieces slapped together at random. It seems that even writer Thunder Levin is tiring of this mess he created.
The film ends with all the previously eaten Shepard friends and family are rescued by Fin’s son with his tiny chainsaw. (An odd scene that uses the device of those matryoshka nesting dolls but with sharks…and a whale.) As the family reunite Fin spots Nova Clark (Cassandra Scerbo) – she was in Sharknado 1 and 3 – atop the Eiffel Tower.
Does this mean there will be a Sharknado 5? One with an international slant? For the love of all that represents good taste, please no. Another TV movie with deliberately bad FX, a skeleton storyline and more bad acting than one wet paper bag could possibly hold is too much to bear.
The first one only became “popular” when derogatory tweets during the movies broadcast thrust it into the publics eye line. Please SyFy, stop now.
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