It’s a Matter of Survival for Blake Lively in ‘The Shallows’

Dyan James

Blake Lively is on the menu in “The Shallows,” an intense thriller about a woman who battles a shark for survival. In the film, Lively plays Nancy Adams, a pro surfer and full-time med student at Houston’s Baylor College of Medicine. Nancy is grieving the loss of her mother and, following her mom’s advice given long ago, seeks out a secluded beach ironically named “Paradise,” which offers killer waves among a serene backdrop.

After hiking to the shore, waxing up her board and taking in the beautiful scenery, a relaxed Nancy paddles out to sea in anticipation of the waves she’s excited to ride. Unfortunately, the tranquility of the day is broken by a shark who has other plans for Nancy. Reminiscent of “Jaws” and “Soul Surfer,” Nancy is attacked by the shark as it drags her straight down below the surface, taking a chunk out of her leg in the process. The battle of wills then ensues as Nancy fights to free herself and swim to safety. She lands on a huge rock which, only 200 yards from shore, seems to Nancy like a million miles away. With no one around to help, she must evaluate how she’ll get back to shore without becoming the shark’s dinner.

It was Lively’s husband Ryan Reynolds who inspired her to take on what she feels was a very challenging and gratifying role. “My husband did a movie called ‘Buried,’ and that was one of the reasons why I wanted to take on this movie so much because I know how tough that was for him and how rewarding it was,” she said in an interview. “It was terrifying and one of the most vulnerable things you can do, but you gotta do it, right?”

Formerly titled “In The Deep,” “The Shallows” was originally set to be directed by Louis Leterrier (“Now You See Me,” “The Incredible Hulk”) who withdrew from the project before filming began. Director Jaume Collet-Serra (“Non-Stop,” “Unknown”) then stepped in to direct the film, which was written by Anthony Jaswinski and also stars Óscar Jaenada and Brett Cullen. It was filmed in New South Wales, Australia, which provided an exquisite setting for a gruesome situation.

“The Shallows” will be in theaters June 24.