Writer-director Justin Sago features prominently throughout Unmasking Monsters Below. The documentary is a call to action concerning the predators lurking in the ocean depths, namely sharks. Sago was born in a landlocked state, but after his first visit to the beach, he became enamored. That pull of the waves never faded as he grew, and as an adult, Sago learned a lot about the inhabitants of the sea. What he learned somewhat shocked him, as popular culture has fed the masses a different story about sharks, crocodiles, and whatnot for entertainment’s sake.
To battle these myths, Sago teams up with fellow filmmaker/director of photography Ryan Mathews. The two dive into the ocean and capture footage of sharks being curious, playful, or just swimming wherever they like. The filmmakers talk to Cade Stuermer, a 12-year-old shark diver who wants to save these creatures for his generation as well as future ones. Cassandra Scott is an activist trying to stop finning (the act of capturing a shark and cutting its fin off) the world over. Debbie Salamone survived a horrific shark attack but realized that what happened to her was not the shark’s fault and founded the Shark Attack Survivors for Shark Conservation group. All the interviews are intercut with factoids about shark attacks and the underwater footage Mathews shoots.
“…a call to action concerning the predators lurking in the ocean depths…”
Unmasking Monsters Below is a fascinating film. The passion everyone involved has for sharks comes through every second of the 86-minute runtime. Each interviewee, including those not directly named above, is fiercely devoted to protecting sharks and getting the truth out. As with any documentary, some interviewees are more memorable or engaging than others, but there’s no denying anyone’s dedication. That sincerity makes the film quite engaging, especially when Salamone enters the scene. The fact that she survived an attack and now campaigns on sharks’ behalf speaks volumes to the true intentions of the animals.
However, Mathews’ cinematography is the true selling point of the film. Every single underwater sequence is beautiful and awe-inspiring. The sharks are captured in all their mighty yet graceful movements. The blue of the ocean is crystal clear, and the way the sharks glide through it is marvelous. If nothing else, Sago and Mathews make all watching appreciate the way sharks look and move.
Unmasking Monsters Below is engaging, thanks to the passion of the filmmakers and interviewees. It is a fantastic film due to the cinematography, which rivals most big studio efforts in terms of awe-inspiring beauty while still serving a narrative function. This film will surely give everyone a lot to think about, no matter their current feelings about sharks.
For more information about Unmasking Monsters Below, visit the Global Digital Releasing site.
"…the cinematography...rivals most big studio efforts in terms of awe-inspiring beauty..."
