Angelin Lopez

Dr. S. Nelson

English 1301-119

2 December 2022

‘The Reef: Stalked’ Analysis

"Welcome 2 Paradise" is the phrase used in the horror/ mystery film "The Reef:

Stalked"(Figure 1), which was released in late July 2022. The promotional poster used to lure

people into watching this film contained an image taken high above the water with the camera

positioned above, overviewing the ocean. Within the image is a massive yet blurry shark seen

‘stalking’ two women that are canoeing toward the ocean reef. Even though the women are seen

in the same water as the shark, both have yet to realize the danger they seem to have found

themselves in. The poster for this movie uses many visual elements, such as the shark, the ocean,

and the two women, which, when combined, are purposely used to emplace certain unsettling

and uncomfortable emotions to attract a certain type of audience for the film.

When looking at certain images, specific emotions begin to come to the surface as a

reaction to what is being seen. The position of the camera from which the film poster was taken

plays a significant role in how many may feel when looking at the image. In particular, when

looking at the image’s background, there is a noticeable color difference between the top and the

bottom of the ocean. Upon viewing the image, it is easy to see that the top portion of the

photograph holds a darker shade of the ocean, which in turn, begins to depict a sense of deepness

underneath the water. On the other end of the visual, the complete opposite is shown. When

looking towards the bottom half of the image, the two canoeing women are seen heading toward
what looks like a reef or a more shallow end of the ocean. Not only do we see the ocean water in

a lighter shade of blue, but we also are able to witness the small white waves crashing through

the surface and fading into the shallow water. From the contrast of the colors, it is possible to

infer that the darker part of the ocean is supposed to emplace certain set emotions into the

viewer, such as feelings of fear and danger, which are usually associated with the deeper portions

of the sea where you truly cannot see what could lay underneath you. The lighter end of the

ocean, on the other hand, is meant to develop feelings of hope and safety, as the reef can

represent a sense of security when being in the sea. It is when looking at the entire image that

you are then conflicted with both sets of emotions upon viewing the shark and the situation, yet

the emplacement of emotions doesn't end here. The placement of the camera does not only affect

our feelings towards the ocean but the shark as well. From the position that the poster is seen, we

can perceive that there is a shark in the ocean that is not completely visible to the eye. The

distorted picture of the shark in the ocean can bring a feeling of distress and uneasiness from not

being able to clearly see what exactly the shark may look like. Aside from the distorted image of

the shark stalking the women, there is one part of the carnivorous animal that is clearly seen as it

breaks through the ocean’s surface, its fin. While the fin itself does not give us much emotion, it

does provide us with clarity as to what the animal is and makes us aware of the dangerous

outcome that could potentially happen.

Most would say that "Welcome 2 Paradise" (Figure 1) is an accurate description of what

it feels like to be surrounded by the peace of an ocean. While the feeling of being near water

brings a sense of comfort and calmness to many, a shark brings the opposite. The way the

filmmakers decided to use this phrase in the promotional poster was by taking what the ocean

typically stands for and finding the irony in it to darken the mood. A big part of the movie
advertisement photo was the two supposed main characters at the bottom, who are seen not

swimming but canoeing in the ocean together. As these women are seen canoeing, they are also

depicted as having a good time in each other's company. This and their lack of awareness of the

shark following close behind make for the dark realization that the two canoeing women are on a

trip to a supposed 'paradise' that has gone wrong. The comprehension of this adds to the feeling

of unease and distress to the reality that this could potentially happen to anybody on a trip to the

ocean. Not only this, but the use of the color red in the title "THE REEF"(Figure 1.) contributes

even more to the feelings of danger and fear. The reasoning behind this is that red is heavily

known for its involvement in the symbolism and depiction of evil, bad, and negative outcomes.

Thus, when looking at the red lettered title, ocean background, and the shark, viewers will

perceive the visual elements displayed in the poster and begin to foreshadow scenes of bloodshed

and distress.

Considering this film takes place in an ocean, which most would define as calm and

relaxing, and turns it into one of distress says something about what audience this poster aims to

attract. From the utilization of the many visual elements described, viewers can concur that the

demographic for this audience is not just those who like movies about sharks and the ocean, but

also those who like to watch films for the different emotions they can grant to a person. Elements

such as the shark, color lettering, and the ocean were all choices made purposely for the sole

intention of making the viewer feel a range of different emotions, such as uneasiness and

anxiety. These emotions are exactly what the creator aims to make people feel because if they

can do this, they have successfully promoted their film to a specific audience and have achieved

their goal of bringing out certain emotions to get people to view their film.
 To conclude, the promotional poster used to advertise this film is created with the

intention of targeting a specific audience, as well as is used to bring certain emotions out of the

viewers. The advertisement photo for the film The Reef: Stalked (Figure 1) serves to bring out

different uncomfortable and uneasy emotions to hook a person into wanting to find out how the

circumstances portrayed and perceived in the advertisement image play out. The use of the many

visual elements occupied within the poster itself is how the creators attract their audience by

piquing their interest and achieving their promotional goals.

Appendix
 Work Cited

Poster for the film The Reef: Stalked. bloody-disgusting, 2022

https://bloody-disgusting.com/movie/3719014/the-reef-stalked-trailer-a-great-white-shark-turns-

into-a-stalker/. Accessed 3 October 2022