Survival Shark Thriller 'Trash' Becomes Netflix's Newest No. 1 Streaming Hit

Netflix has found its latest streaming hit by way of a new survival horror thriller from Violent Night director, Tommy Wirkola. Premiering on Apr. 10, it took just three days for the film to skyrocket into first position on the streaming charts, and topple some tough competition in Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, and Idris Elba's Beast, both of which have been in the #1 spot over the last week. In addition to Violent Night, Wirkola is, of course, the Norwegian filmmaker who brought us such satirical horror movies as Dead Snow, the Jeremy Renner and Gemma Arterton fantasy flick, Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters, and the wildly bizarre adult animated musical sex comedy, Spermageddon. His latest sees a coastal town under siege from a barrage of bull sharks after a Category 5 hurricane causes massive flooding throughout the region. Titled Thrash, the Netflix survival thriller now stands head and shoulders above the competition, and is the most popular movie on the streaming service following its debut on Apr. 10. First announced in 2024, Sony had initially planned for the film to be a theatrical release, but later shifted distribution rights to Netflix, making it a direct-to-streaming movie. Is 'Thrash' Worth Watching? Starring the likes of Phoebe Dynevor, Djimon Hounsou, Whitney Peak, and Alyla Browne, Thrash's wild premise is enough to pique anyone's interest, which is the main reason it's currently #1 on Netflix. The idea of sharks being somewhere they aren't supposed to be and ravaging townsfolk in their own homes is certainly a fun one, but unfortunately, the film doesn't really offer much beyond that. Thrash holds just a 35% rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, making it Wirkola's second-worst movie behind Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters. Sadly, its audience score is even lower at 28%, proving that not a lot of people were impressed with the new shark thriller. As Brian Tallerico from RogerEbert.com writes: "Its worst sin isn't its stupid characters doing stupid things; it's that the whole thing feels remarkably lazy, failing to find any tension or even B-movie thrills." That being said, if you're looking to put something on and turn your brain off for 90 minutes, you could do worse. While it's no Jaws, Thrash has enough shark action and gore to keep the most bloodthirsty viewer satisfied, and – like the rest of Wirkola's filmography – there's some absurdly humorous moments that will no doubt cause a chuckle or two. Tommy Wirkola Will Be Back This Year With 'Violent Night 2' David Harbour in Violent NightUniversal Pictures Thrash isn't the last we've seen from Wirkola in 2026, as the director will be back at it again this December with a sequel to his 2022 Christmas action thriller, Violent Night. Widely regarded as one of the filmmakers' best movies, the original took in nearly four times its budget a few years ago, raking in an impressive $76 million at the box office. Violent Night 2 will feature the return of David Harbour as Santa Claus, and also star Daniela Melchior, Kristen Bell, Jared Harris, Joe Pantoliano, and current AEW champion, Maxwell Jacob Friedman. Look for it to hit theaters on Dec. 4 from Universal Pictures. Release Date April 10, 2026 Runtime 83 Minutes Director Tommy Wirkola

View Original Article