Film Review: Shark Whisperer
4 Stars
Launched in July of 1988 by Discovery Channel, Shark Week (mother-f’ers) quickly became a cultural phenomenon: combining our social fear and fascination for sharks into a primetime bingeable opportunity of shark content that went viral.
37 years later, Shark Week has turned into a multi-network month, with every channel and streamer competing for their own big bite of the audience. Add to that this summer’s re-release and 50th anniversary of Jaws in IMAX, and we have more shark fever than ever before with no end on the watery horizon.
So forgive me, fans, for recommending a shark film that comes with more heart than chum. One that also features a self-taught marine biologist who doesn’t roll her sleeves up to show off scars, but instead to fight for shark protection. And a film that features more love than death, as it pushes us to rethink these massive, misunderstood creatures who existed in our oceans for a mind-blowing 450 million years.
In Shark Whisperer, the new feature documentary playing exclusively on Netflix, we dive into the controversial work of marine conservationist Ocean Ramsey and her life partner Juan Oliphant as they swim freely and unprotected with sharks—challenging perceptions and advocating for shark conservation in the wild.
Born and raised in Hawaii, Ocean (her real name) grows up to be an epic free diver, explorer, author, and social media starlet. Her experiences enable her to advocate for the conservation of marine life as she struggles to change public perception of the mysterious creatures she loves.
Equally enamored of sharks, her husband, Juan, is the perfect cohort for her mission in life. As a photographer and filmmaker, he captures Ocean’s encounters in awe-inspiring and other-worldly cinematography that will leave you speechless.
Together, their viral videos provoke both fascination and intense debate, with supporters praising their advocacy and critics questioning their tactics. A major focus of the narrative arc is their years-long effort to pass legislation in Hawaii in 2022, the first legal protection for sharks enacted anywhere in the world.
As media savvy subjects in a documentary, along with writing and producing credits on the film, it’s hard to know how one-sided Shark Whisperer might really be. (Some people featured in the project have become vocal critics of it.)
If anything elevates the tone and impact, it’s a case for subjectivity itself, as Ocean’s instincts and irrational curiosity are the major premise for risk. As one researcher describes it, “she just decided not to be afraid.” Ocean also endures the added challenges of misogyny all around her, only adding to the impressive way she conducts herself online.
Shark Whisperer was directed by a team of filmmakers: J.P. Stiles, Harrison Macks, and James Reed (who also directed the Oscar-winning documentary My Octopus Teacher). They use a first-person narrative approach to piece it all together, weaving interviews on land with confessionals as you watch the spectacular underwater encounters take place.
There seems to be no end in sight for our intrigue with the over 500 species of sharks, and no doubt Hollywood will keep producing as many finned-spinoffs as possible to keep up with it. Most will remain red-flagged work exploring apex-predatory powers, attacks and survivals, and the same moody terror.
For me, Shark Whisperer offered a genuine surprise to add to the canon of work: a love letter.
Available on Netflix and rated PG-13 for adult language and sometimes disturbing recollections of shark attacks. For more on her work, follow @oceanramsey on Instagram. The 50th anniversary re-release of Jaws hits the AMC Cherry Blossom 14 for a limited run starting August 28, 2025.
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