Just for the record I was fully prepared for a fun, silly movie like the original Piranha. But apart from some good moments I found this movie messy and rather pointless too.There are some good things. The big attack is gory and one of the few scenes in the film I'd call tense, the special effects look great and well-incorporated here and the scenery is really beautiful. Elizabeth Shue is very good in her role, and Richard Dreyfuss's cameo was really quite neat.

So what was wrong? Sadly, pretty much everything else. The script was mostly very weak and cheesy, the music verged on gimmicky and obvious and the story is dull with little surprises. The piranhas are effectively designed, but they're not really that threatening until the big attack and a lot of scenes suffer from a lack of tension and excitement. The editing could've been more tight and less sloppy, while the direction lacks focus and the female nudity does get too much after a while.

The acting apart from Shue and Dreyfuss's cameo is not that great in all honesty, Christopher Lloyd overdoes it badly to the point you can't keep a straight face whenever he appears and Jerry O'Connell is so obnoxious you feel nothing but irritation for him. The actors are not helped by the fact the characters are written in a very shallow manner, while I disliked the stupid and unnecessary "it's not over yet" ending. All in all, a messy and pointless film. 3/10 Bethany Cox

I'm a massive fan of the 'underwater menace' B-movie. From old-time 'classics' like HUMANOIDS FROM THE DEEP through to modern-day disasters like AQUANOIDS, I make a point of sitting through every one I can track down. Having loved Joe Dante's original PIRANHA, it was inevitable that I went to the cinema to see this remake. Even better, it was in 3D, so there's plenty of stuff popping out of the screen as the story progresses (although not quite as gimmicky as the 3D seen in MY BLOODY VALENTINE 3D and THE FINAL DESTINATION 3D, the effects are great here).

This film is a blast. The movie succeeds admirably because it never tries to offer anything else than B-movie thrills, namely nudity and gore. The scant running time is absolutely packed to the brim with naked women and people being destroyed by piranha in increasingly gory ways. Director Alexandre Aja, who handled another fine remake (THE HILLS HAVE EYES),knows exactly how to deliver a fun, thrill-packed film and he does his job admirably. This is one of the most hands-down entertaining creature features I've seen in a while and the kind of film you think they don't make anymore.

The ensemble cast is rather impressive, although most of the familiar faces contribute little more than extended cameos while the youthful likes of Steven McQueen (Steve's grandson),Jessica Szohr, and Adam Scott take the major roles. BACK TO THE FUTURE's Elizabeth Shue is good value as the resourceful sheriff, though, and I liked the majority of the young stars, with the exception of Jessica Szohr. Elsewhere, we get Ving Rhames playing a customary hard-ass, Jerry O'Connell hilarious as a sleazy porn director, Christopher Lloyd good fun as the exposition-heavy doctor, Kelly Brook beating off supporting porn starlets as the hottest woman in a bikini (and out of it),Richard Dreyfuss contributing a sly cameo, Eli Roth in a great cameo, plus brief turns from Dina Meyer and Ricardo Chavira as divers.

The first half of the movie builds the suspense with some murky underwater shenanigans and a tense, terrifying showdown in an underwater cave system. The second half lets rip as partying teenagers fall foul of the piranha (who number in their thousands and make short work of the partygoers). The gore is pretty extreme but done in a humorous way that doesn't leave a bad taste in your mouth. Let's just say body parts are removed and flesh stripped from the bone as the fish go to work. The CGI effects aren't spectacular, but a lot of effort has gone into them and I ended up enjoying them a lot. PIRANHA 3D is no classic but I'll look forward to watching it again once it comes out to buy.

It's spring break at Lake Victoria and kids have gathered for their annual drunken party. Deputy Fallon (Ving Rhames) and Sheriff Julie Forester (Elisabeth Shue) are trying to keep the peace. Kelly (Jessica Szohr) has come home from college and Jake Forester (Steven R. McQueen) is still pinning for her. Derrick Jones (Jerry O'Connell) hires him as a guide for his video shoot. He has to babysit his siblings and recent earthquakes have released a school of prehistoric piranhas. Julie takes out a group of scientists to investigate the tremors. Jake ditches the kids and Kelly comes along for the shoot.

It's fun to have Richard Dreyfuss killed off in a fish horror movie right off the bat. It sets the right campy tone. It's sexploitation horror. It knows exactly what it is and doesn't try to be more. It's got blood, gore and hot bods. The acting isn't too silly even with Jerry O'Connell. There are some good actors in this functional horror.