Hotspring Sharkattack Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		3.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		3.0

Hotspring Sharkattack Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf December 21, 2025

People love shark attack cinema. Earlier this year, “Dangerous Animals” found release, which attempted to subvert the norm in the subgenre, playing around with human predators instead of strictly oceanic ones. And now Japan tries their luck with horrors from the deep in “Hotspring Sharkattack,” which is about an unserious as a film can get. We’ve done the “Sharknado” thing too many times, but writer/director Morihito Inoue delivers a different kind of wackiness with his presentation of death and destruction. He goes camp, but creatively so in the picture, which examines chaos caused by deadly ancient sharks awakened from the deep due to commercial development, seeking revenge on all for such an offense. “Hotspring Sharkattack” is low-budget and loving it, and while there’s definitely a limit on such exaggeration, Inoue has some imagination for his lunacy, mounting a bizarre and amusing riff on sharksploitation bedlam.

Atsumi is a developing city in Japan, referred to as the “Monaco of the East,” and Mayor Kanichi (Takuya Fujimura) is determined to keep advancement going, overseeing the construction of Grand Atsumi Resort, which is being built by a giant 3D printer. The area is known for its luxurious “onsens,” or hot springs, and tourism is heating up, promising a bright financial future for the town. Chief Tsuka (Kiyobumi Kaneko) keeps an eye on the area, and trouble soon emerges when shark attacks arrive, taking lives through tunnels and water sources. Arriving to investigate the situation is Dr. Kose (Yuu Nakanishi), a marine biologist who identifies the threat but can’t stop it from spreading. Sharks from the depths quickly take over Atsumi, causing panic and casualties, inspiring Mayor Kanichi and Dr. Kose to join forces as they make a plan of attack, adding bodybuilder Macho to the team, using his power as they attempt to defeat the oceanic threat.

“Hotspring Sharkattack” isn’t interested in being realistic. Tone is established right away, introducing the bizarre situation during a sequence that follows a young man’s attempt to get rid of his fiancée at sea, only to encounter an odd threat from the depths. Inoue also creates the world of Atsumi, which is about to be home to a major resort that could transform the area into a major tourist destination. The influence of “Jaws” is present, especially in the character of Mayor Kanichi, who wants big business to flourish, refusing to pay attention to signs of distress as his 3D printer continues work on a hotel tower. “Hotspring Sharkattack” actually introduces quite a few characters, but it only pays close attention to three of them for the first two acts, following concern from Chief Tsuka as he glumly surveys the state of his town, and Dr. Kose is incredibly excited about the shark situation, helping to identify the threat as “Carcharodon fons calidus,” who haven’t been around for centuries.

A massacre of sorts begins in “Hotspring Sharkattack,” putting Inoue to work creating moments of low-tech terror as budget CGI comes for the victims. Death is widespread, tracking the presence of influencers coming to Atsumi to go viral with their hunting adventures, and there are those who simply want to enjoy a soak in a hot spring, unaware there’s a predator on the loose capable of traveling through pipes and, soon enough, puddles on the ground. Pandemonium breaks out, and Inoue has fun with his madness, blending crude digital effects and puppet creations, while construction efforts are brought to life through miniatures. Visuals are lively, and the story gets crazier as the sharks unleash methane gas and EMP attacks, often announcing their presence with a hissing sound to keep the population on the run.

Hotspring Sharkattack Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The visual presentation (1.78:1 aspect ratio) for "Hotspring Sharkattack" struggles with consistent compression issues. Flare ups are a common sight, with significant banding during the final act tour of oceanic activity. Some blockiness is found as well. Detail is decent, offering a textured examination of skin particulars on the cast, noting differences in age, and oiler bodybuilding displays are intact. Shark appearances are also appreciable, especially when working with puppetry. Exteriors maintain dimension, examining city life and beach panic. Interiors are passably dimensional. Color is alert, working with exaggerated hues for aquatic events and graphics. Clothing and ship designs deliver more powerful primaries, and red blood is distinct. Delineation is satisfactory.

Hotspring Sharkattack Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA mix for "Hotspring Sharkattack" offers crisp dialogue exchanges from a variety of actors and performance choices. Hysterical behavior remains balanced throughout. Scoring favors a thinner sound, but instrumentation is understood and dramatic emphasis is present. Surrounds are limited to musical moods and milder atmospherics, finding the listening event mostly frontal. Sound effects are reasonably defined. Low-end isn't robust, but some emphasis is found with violent events and bass stings.

Hotspring Sharkattack Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features writer/director Morihito Inoue and assistant director/special FX coordinator Jun Shimazaki.

• "Recording the Musical Score" (2:39, HD) provides a brief look at the recording sessions for "Hotspring Sharkattack," watching the musicians perform.

• "Making the Practical Special FX" (6:02, HD) is an interesting examination of crew labor when preparing violent visuals for "Hotspring Sharkattack," handling the particulars of miniatures, explosions, and shark events.

• "Making the Visual FX" (6:32, HD) supplies a collection of unfinished shots from "Hotspring Sharkattack," tracking the development and implementation of CG work.

• Crowdfunding Promotional Video (1:49, HD) provides a glimpse of "Hotspring Sharkattack" for potential financial support.

• Social Media Trailers (2:31, HD) provide promotion, dancing, and animation meant to celebrate the release of "Hotspring Sharkattack."

• "Cheering Audience Footage" (5:30, HD) covers crowd reactions to "Hotspring Sharkattack" during its screening at the 2024 Tokyo International Shark Film Festival.

• "Scorching War Song" (5:23, HD) is a lyric video for the "Hotspring Sharkattack" single.

• "Shark Count Confirmation Frames Collection" (2:47) offers visual proof of the large shark gathering in the picture.

• Atami Monster Film Festival Trailer (1:40, HD) is provided.

• Teaser Trailers (HD) "Fake News" (:41) and "Hot Spa Shark" (:16) are offered.

• And a Theatrical Trailer (1:32, HD) is included.

Hotspring Sharkattack Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Hotspring Sharkattack" transforms from a disaster movie to a deep sea adventure in its final act, loading a few of the characters into a specialized submarine to explore the source of Atsumi's woes. Macho joins the story, representing the most cartoonish aspect of the production as he swims through the depths, battling the electrified menace with his bare hands. Inoue tries to get a lot of mileage out of Macho, and while laughs are present, such weirdness loses its appeal as the film carries on. Even with a short run time, (70 minutes before end credits), "Hotspring Sharkattack" wears out its welcome, as so much B-movie tomfoolery starts to feel heavy, especially without the presence of a solid plot. Still, the helmer remains delighted with his goofiness, pulling excitable performances out of his cast, and visuals have moments of invention, especially when it's clear little to no money was spent to make the feature. As shark attack craziness goes, Japan delivers a passable sensorial pummeling here, delivering strangeness and silliness with a healthy amount of enthusiasm.