Morihito Inoue’s ‘Hotspring Shark Attack’ (2024) – Movie Review

Morihito Inoue’s Hotspring Shark Attack is taking over the United States on July 11, 2025.

I have seen a lot of movies that fall under the horror comedy genre, and I have enjoyed almost every single one. There is something magical about movies that make themselves out to be absolutely ridiculous, but in a good way. Hotspring Shark Attack welcomed me in with open arms as I cautiously stepped into it, hoping the filmmakers wouldn’t take this movie too seriously and make it boring. Thankfully, that was not the case at all. Let’s get into the review.

Synopsis

There have been cases of mysterious disappearances of onsen visitors in Atsumi city in S prefecture. The victims were eventually found dead with signs of severe injuries to their bodies resembling a vicious shark attack.

The Rundown

Hotspring Shark Attack is on an entirely different level of absurdity. In a world mystified by Cocaine Bear and Crackcoon, we are sleeping on a gold mine. What makes this film so different is you can tell that the director and cast just wanted to have a good time. Nothing here is surprising. As you move forward in the story, you’re going to lose your mind, and I mean that in a good way. All of the best things are left unsaid. Don’t question the film’s magic… just embrace it. Hotspring Shark Attack was so over the top, it made Ed Wood’s spirit jealous.

I grew up on late-night horror, full of terrible and cheesy movies. This was kind of a shoutout to my childhood and the hours I spent watching soldiers take on a giant lobster that is destroying their city. This movie isn’t dubbed, which may take a bit of the magic away for some, but not enough to bother me. I was still impressed and amused.

A Cut Above The Rest

This time, it wasn’t a century-old dinosaur that came out of the ocean; instead, it was rabid sharks, and they meant business. Does it sound silly that sharks could manage their way into a hot spring? It absolutely does, and that’s why I loved it so much. We already saw some pretty bad movies about a tornado of sharks. Hotspring Shark Attack gave that series a run for its money. Personally, I would watch this film a hundred times. That’s how much I enjoyed it.

The acting fits the film’s mood. Everyone knew they were turning up the volume to eleven when it came to chewing the scenery in this film, and they aced the test. I think that may be what attracted me the most. Forget the giant 3D printer surrounded by toy trucks or the sharks that could fit into a pipe that looked like it should be under someone’s kitchen sink. The acting made this film.

In The End

I can’t really question the logic here, because I don’t think there was any logic to find. Hotspring Shark Attack could save all of us from depression. Sometimes you need to ask yourself, “What the hell just happened?” However, you know something so ridiculous doesn’t exactly have the best storyline. Hotspring Shark Attack brought a few big belly laughs for me, and it positively released all those endorphins. The absurdity should be appreciated for what it is. Some movies, you just can’t explain. Those types of films will always win me over. I even loved the completely obvious CGI. You can find Hotspring Shark Attack available for streaming and making a small theater run on July 11, 2025.