Stephen King has admitted he was wrong to doubt a new horror film that’s been released on Netflix.
The author of novels including Carrie, The Shining and Misery regularly shares his verdict on new releases in the world of film and TV, with many relying on his recommendations to choose what to watch.
One such recommendation, which is one of Netflix’s June additions, has rolled in – and King himself has expressed surprise over the quality of the film.
The film in question is Under Paris, a brand new shark horror film that’s high in the streaming service’s most-watched charts.
King thought the film would be more of a “jokey” film, in the same vein to the made-for-television Sharknado, but was convinced to put the film on having received several messages of encouragement from his followers.
On Thursday (13 June), the author wrote on X/Twitter: “I thought UNDER PARIS would be a jokey movie, like SHARKNADO, but Twitter convinced me to give it a watch, and it’s really quite good.”
King was particularly impressed by the final act, adding: “The last 25 minutes were amazing.”
The film, directed by Xavier Gens, follows talented scientist Sophia (Bérénice Bejo), who discovers a huge shark has somehow entered the Seine river the day before the city’s renowned triathlon event.
Despite Sophia’s attempt to alert the authorities of the bloodbath that could occur, her concerns are overlooked, leading to utter chaos and catastrophe at the competition.
While the film has received middling reviews from critics, many Netflix users praised the film on social media and urged prospective viewers to sit back and enjoy the film’s silliness.
After being branded a “shockingly good movie”, Under Paris was described by one viewer as “basically Jaws in Paris! Seriously, that’s the whole pitch. And it’s played completely straight”.
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Another viewer added: ”Honestly, I can’t remember the last time I enjoyed a Netflix original this much. Fun, slightly preposterous scenario, solid performances, ecological concerns and some genuinely awesome effects work.”
Find the full list of every movie and TV show being removed from Netflix here.
