Chattanooga Film Fest 2025 Review: Hot Spring Shark Attack

A rogue shark turns Japan’s steamy spa town into a splash zone of gore and chaos.

Hot Spring Shark Attack – Bathhouse Bloodshed with B-Movie Bite

★★½☆☆ (2.5 out of 5)

By Travis Brown

If you told me Hot Spring Shark Attack was a lost relic from Japan’s direct-to-video splatter era, I’d believe you—right up until the influencer subplot kicks in. Morihito Inoue's feature debut is a nostalgic blast of bathhouse bloodshed, green screen gags, and low-budget lunacy that proudly swims in the same waters as Tokyo Gore Police and The Toxic Avenger. Unfortunately, it stays in the hot tub a bit too long.

Released in Japan as Onsen Shaku, this cheeky horror-comedy had buzz heading into its North American debut. Distributed by Utopia and landing in theaters July 11th, Hot Spring Shark Attack sets up a ridiculously fun premise: a small tourist town—lovingly referred to as “the Monaco of Japan”—becomes the hunting ground for a rogue shark making its way through the town’s hot spring pipelines. It’s a setup ripe for practical gore, satirical chaos, and plenty of exposed backsides.

And for a while, the film absolutely delivers. The first half is energetic, leaning hard into visual absurdity and delightfully dumb science logic. There’s even a charming sense of reverence for Japanese B-movie culture—from VHS-era aesthetics to grindhouse sound design. A flood of oddball characters and vanity-driven influencers add fuel to the fire, especially when the attacks go viral.

But somewhere in the final third, the gags wear thin and the pacing stalls. Instead of a satisfying, blood-soaked finale, we get an overlong epilogue that feels more like a bonus sketch reel than a climax. The charm doesn’t disappear, but it overstays its welcome—and with a film this loud and chaotic, overstaying can feel like a sin.

Still, there’s plenty to appreciate in Ino’s bold, gooey debut. It’s a love letter to Japanese genre cinema—flawed, excessive, but clearly made by someone who grew up on the weirdest, wildest tapes in the video store.

Final Score: 2.5 out of 5.

Hot Spring Shark Attack brings the bite early, but fizzles before the final splash. See it with a rowdy crowd, then go dig up some old-school Japanese gore classics it lovingly nods to.

Selected Hot Spring Shark Attack July 11 Theatrical Openings:

Los Angeles: Laemmle Glendale (weeklong)

New York: Posteritati (one night)

Dallas: Texas Theatre (one night)

Atlanta: The Plaza (one night)

St. Louis: Arkadin Cinema (7/5)

Tickets