The Requin

The Requin is a 2022 survival thriller directed by Le-Van Kiet, starring Alicia Silverstone in a gripping tale of isolation, loss, and primal fear. Set against the backdrop of a tropical paradise turned nightmare, the film explores the terror of being trapped at sea — with a deadly predator lurking beneath the surface.

Silverstone plays Jaelyn, a woman trying to rebuild her life after a recent trauma. She and her husband Kyle, played by James Tupper, travel to a remote resort in Vietnam for healing and reconnection. But when a violent storm tears their overwater bungalow from its foundation, they find themselves adrift in the open ocean, alone and far from help.

As desperation sets in, the couple faces dehydration, injury, and worst of all — the appearance of a massive, relentless shark. The ocean becomes a vast and unforgiving enemy, and survival depends on courage, instinct, and the will to fight against impossible odds.

The film is part psychological drama, part creature feature. While the early portions focus on the couple’s strained emotional bond and the horror of nature’s indifference, the second half dives headfirst into survival horror. The tension builds as the shark — the “requin,” French for shark — circles closer, turning their floating refuge into a deadly trap.

Alicia Silverstone delivers a raw and committed performance, portraying Jaelyn’s transformation from grief-stricken victim to fierce survivor. The visual effects are uneven at times, but the film compensates with claustrophobic tension and emotional weight.

The Requin may not reinvent the shark survival genre, but it offers a haunting, intimate portrayal of trauma and endurance. It reminds viewers that the greatest danger may not always be what's beneath the waves — but what we carry within.