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Action horror film

Santa Jaws (2018): Cast & Ratings

Santa Jaws (2018) movie poster

Santa Jaws is a 2018 action horror film directed by Misty Talley, starring Reid Miller as Cody, Creek Wilson and Ritchie Montgomery. It runs 1 hour 28 minutes and was made on a reported $700,000 budget. Its Echo Score is 42/100.

Echo Score
42
budget
$700K
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Santa Jaws (2018) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 28m (88 min)
Director
Misty Talley
Genres
Action , Horror , Fantasy
Original language
English
Studio
Syfy
Budget
$700K
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is Santa Jaws About?

The premise of Santa Jaws without spoilers.

Trying to survive the family Christmas, Cody makes a wish to be alone, which ends up backfiring when a shark manifests and kills his entire family.

Santa Jaws Themes & Keywords

· 29 tags
  • great white shark
  • santa claus outfit
  • fistfight
  • punched in the face
  • kicked in the balls
  • comic book
  • reference to spock
  • christmas eve
  • crossbow
  • comic book shop
  • car bicycle chase
  • christmas ornament
+17 more
  • frozen turkey
  • shark fin above water
  • fictional character comes to life
  • psychotronic film
  • creature feature
  • shark feature
  • shark
  • sharksploitation
  • shark attack
  • bitten by a shark
  • pen
  • boat
  • teenage boy
  • marina
  • title directed by female
  • holiday season
  • christmas horror
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Cast & crew

Santa Jaws Cast & Characters

Reid Miller leads the cast as Cody, with Creek Wilson as Evil Santa and Ritchie Montgomery as Papa Joe. Directed by Misty Talley; 15 actors are credited in all.

From the director

More from Misty Talley

More films directed by Misty Talley: Mississippi River Sharks, Ozark Sharks and Zombie Shark.

Full filmography
Ratings

Santa Jaws Reviews & Ratings

Our Echo Score gives it 42/100, strongest in rewatch factor (57) and weakest in art & craft (32).

42 /100

Santa Jaws Echo Score Breakdown

Santa Jaws delivers a concept that aims for tongue‑in‑cheek holiday horror but is hampered by uneven execution. Reviewers consistently note subpar visual effects, clumsy dialogue, and a scattered plot, which undermine its novelty. Nevertheless, a segment of viewers appreciates its self‑aware humor and occasional entertaining kill scenes, granting it modest cult appeal. The net result is a largely disappointing film with limited rewatch value.

Our own 0–100 rating, built from five aspects: art, character, story, the sensory experience and how well a film rewatches.

  • Art & Craft 32

    In terms of art and craft, the film falls short of professional standards. Critics and viewers alike point to cheap CGI, jarring visual continuity, and a low‑budget aesthetic that detracts from immersion. A few comments mention a decent location and modestly shot camera work, but these are outweighed by pervasive technical flaws. Consequently, the overall impression of the film's craftsmanship is negative.

  • Character & Emotion 46

    Character and emotion receive mixed feedback. While the child actors occasionally deliver believable moments, adult performances are described as awkward and forgettable. Some reviewers commend the occasional spirited cameo, yet the majority cite flat delivery and lack of chemistry. The limited depth of the protagonists further weakens emotional resonance, leading to an overall moderate assessment of the acting quality.

  • Story & Flow 40

    Story and flow are perceived as uneven. The premise of a magical comic bringing a shark to life is acknowledged as novel, but execution is criticized for incoherent plotting, excessive exposition, and forced humor. A handful of reviewers enjoy the absurdity in a "so‑bad‑it’s‑good" sense, yet the prevailing view is that the narrative fails to engage reliably.

  • Sensory Experience 34

    Sensory experience suffers chiefly from substandard sound and visual design. Reviewers emphasize atrocious CGI shark work, uneven sound effects, and a soundtrack that fails to enhance mood. Some praise isolated shark scenes and ambient location sounds, but these moments are insufficient to offset the dominant perception of a jarring and low‑quality sensory presentation.

  • Rewatch Factor 57

    Rewatch factor is modestly positive among a niche audience. Certain viewers recommend the film for campy laughs and note its occasional entertaining kill scenes, suggesting limited repeat value for horror enthusiasts. However, the majority find the experience too flawed to merit multiple viewings, resulting in a balanced yet slightly optimistic appraisal of its replay potential.

Videos

Santa Jaws Trailers & Videos

The trailer of Santa Jaws.

Santa Jaws - Trailer (2018)
Cars

Cars in Santa Jaws

1 car on screen: the 1957 Ford Fairlane 500.

  • 1957 Ford Fairlane 500 in Santa Jaws 1957 Ford Fairlane 500 Important role
Details

Santa Jaws Also Known As

4 alternative titles, including “Санта Щелепи” and “Tubarão Assassino”.

Also known as
  • Санта Щелепи
  • Tubarão Assassino
  • Un Deseo Mortal
  • Noel Baba Köpekbalığı

Seen Santa Jaws?

FAQ

Santa Jaws FAQ: Cast, Runtime & Release Date

Runtime, release date, director, cast, budget and post-credit scenes of Santa Jaws, each answered in a sentence.

How long is Santa Jaws?

Santa Jaws runs 1 hour 28 minutes (88 minutes).

When was Santa Jaws released?

Santa Jaws was released on August 15, 2018.

Who directed Santa Jaws?

Santa Jaws was directed by Misty Talley.

More films by Misty Talley

Who is in the cast of Santa Jaws?

Santa Jaws stars Reid Miller as Cody, Creek Wilson as Evil Santa and Ritchie Montgomery as Papa Joe, among 15 credited actors.

What was the budget of Santa Jaws?

Santa Jaws had a reported budget of $700,000.

Does Santa Jaws have a post-credit scene?

No. Santa Jaws has no extra scene during or after the credits.

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