Bait 2012
Directed by
Kimble Rendall
Made by
Screen Queensland
Bait Plot Summary
Read the complete plot summary and ending explained for Bait (2012). From turning points to emotional moments, uncover what really happened and why it matters.
Josh wakes up in a haze after a night out, only to be snapped to attention by a bleary voice: Rory warning him that proposing to his sister, Tina, might be a bad idea. Rory hands him his grandmother’s hangover remedy and adds that Tina has something for him down at the beach. Josh spots Tina bending down and habitually picks up what she’s holding—she reveals a seahorse, a small moment of normalcy before danger arrives. An old man swims nearby as Rory sits on his lifeguard board. A shark appears, and a lifeguard on the watchtower hears the chaos unfold as the old man is dragged under. In a panic, Josh grabs a jet ski to reach him, but the shark rips the board away, hurling Rory into the surf. Josh fights to pull Rory onto the jet ski, but the predator drags him under, leaving Rory’s body floating and the beach in stunned silence while Tina watches in shock.
A year passes and Josh is alone in his house, watching a news segment about a shark migration. He sees a newspaper article about Rory’s death and heads to the supermarket where a plan begins to unfold. In the parking lot, Doyle and Kirby scheme to rob the store, while Kyle and Heather share a tense moment in their car. Inside, Jaime—who later admits to shoplifting—steals again, and her boyfriend, Ryan, tries to keep things quiet until their boss, Pessup, arrives, fires Ryan, and scatters the tension. Josh and Naomi stock shelves, and Josh’s attention is drawn to Tina, now accompanied by her new partner, Steven. He introduces Tina to a cop he’s called, who turns out to be Jaime’s father, Todd, creating a tangled web of relationships that underpins the coming crisis. The uneasy mix of past mistakes and present danger sets the stage for a catastrophe neither the shoppers nor the staff could have anticipated.
When the floodgates burst, the store and the car park flood in seconds as a titanic tsunami rolls in. The living quickly outnumber the dead, and a chaotic scramble ensues: Neil—the Oceania store owner—falls to a 12-foot great white shark, and the scene erupts into panic as another shark circles the flooded car park. The power fails and the danger multiplies as the water rises and sparks threaten to electrocute anyone who remains. In a daring bid for survival, Ryan distracts the first shark, allowing Kyle to escape into an upside-down van, while the two attempt a risky swim to safety. The group discovers that the sharks respond to live bait, forcing a brutal choice: someone must be the lure.
Inside the supermarket, the crew improvises a plan to trap the predators. Kirby grabs a hook and drags a life-threatening risk toward the water, but Doyle acts decisively, stabbing Kirby to seize control and using Kirby as bait to lure the shark toward Naomi—whose life is placed in jeopardy. The ploy pays off, and the group manages to reel in a victory of sorts by catching the shark. A desperate escape follows as the tremor violently shakes the building and a second shark breaches the floodwaters, threatening everyone as they scramble for the remaining exits. Josh’s resolve deepens as he apologizes to Tina for his part in Rory’s death, trying to protect those he cares for as best he can.
In the chaotic aftermath, the survivors are forced to improvise: Josh, Ryan, Todd, Jaime, Tina, Heather, Heather’s dog, Doyle and Naomi endure the wreckage and press on toward any sign of safety. They crawl through vents, cling to debris, and flee through ruined streets as the tsunami’s wreckage confirms the sheer scale of the disaster. The store’s dramatic escape ends with them emerging to a destroyed cityscape, where the horizon is punctuated by smoke, water, and a sense that the fight isn’t over. As the camera drifts away, a final image lingers: a bird glides toward the sea, and a shark erupts from the waves, leaping toward the viewer in a chilling close.
Oh Shit.
Bait Timeline
Follow the complete movie timeline of Bait (2012) with every major event in chronological order. Great for understanding complex plots and story progression.
Beach tragedy: Rory's death
Rory wakes Josh from a hangover and warns him about proposing to Tina. Tina is at the beach showing Josh a seahorse, unaware of the danger. A shark attack erupts as Rory is killed when a shark bursts through his lifeguard board, and Josh can only watch in horror as Rory disappears.
A year later: Josh's life after Rory
One year passes and Josh is living with the memory of Rory's death. He watches a TV report about shark migration and reads a newspaper headline confirming Rory's death. The memory haunts him as he heads toward the supermarket where he works.
Parking lot setup for a robbery
In the supermarket's parking lot, Doyle and Kirby discuss a planned robbery while Kyle and Heather arrive in a car. The two couples exchange tense glances and line up their respective roles. The scene sets the stage for the store-wide crisis to come.
Jaime's theft and Ryan's firing
Jaime shoplifts and is chased by a security guard, eventually hiding in the delivery area where she meets her boyfriend Ryan. He gives her an iPod as a gift, then the boss Pessup discovers the theft and fires Ryan. The tension between workers and thieves thickens the store's atmosphere.
Tina and Steven appear at the store
Josh spots Tina with her new boyfriend Steven in the supermarket. Steven interrupts and tells Josh to go clean himself up, signaling ongoing tension and jealousy. The encounter adds personal drama amid the store's unfolding chaos.
Steven meets the cop who is Jaime's dad
Steven introduces Josh to a cop he had called, who turns out to be Jaime's dad, Todd. Jaime reacts with shock, realizing the tangled family ties behind the unfolding events. The revelation heightens the sense that alliances will be tested.
Heist escalates into direct confrontation
Doyle and Kirby push forward with the robbery as Todd closes in, culminating in Kirby threatening a woman with a gun. Pessup and a security guard respond, turning the store into a tense standoff. The plan begins to unravel as authorities close in.
Tsunami floods the store and car park
A tremor triggers a tsunami that floods the supermarket and its car park, trapping survivors inside and around the building. Tina, Josh, Doyle, Kyle, Heather, Ryan, Steven, Jaime, Pessup, Kirby, Todd, Naomi and Neil scramble for safety. Neil is killed by a 12-foot great white shark, underscoring the film's deadly turn.
Survival in the flooded car park
Kyle and Heather are trapped in their car as sharks circle the water around them. Ryan distracts the predators by tossing a severed hand into the water, enabling Kyle and Heather to swim toward Ryan's upside-down van. The group fights to reach safety amid drowning and panic.
Pessup's vent attempt and shark attack
Pessup volunteers to crawl through a vent, but a swarm of crabs erupts from the vents, drawing the attention of a lurking shark. The creature leaps from the water and bites Pessup in half, while Kirby is knocked into the water and Doyle scrambles after him.
Heather's anger and Kyle's fate in the car park
Heather blames Kyle for killing her dog as they continue to struggle for survival. Ryan climbs toward the van but is knocked back by the advancing threat, while Kyle is eventually pulled underwater by the sharks. The tension among survivors peaks as more danger closes in.
Live bait plan and bodyguard drama
Inside the store, the survivors realize the shark wants live bait and devise a plan using hooks and meat to lure it. Doyle seizes Naomi as bait after stabbing Kirby to stop him, turning the plan toward saving Naomi and turning the tide momentarily in their favor.
Final battles: two sharks and Todd's car
Jaime and Josh climb onto Todd's car as chaos unfolds; Josh uses a Taser and shotgun to kill the first shark after diving into the water. A tremor loosens a second shark, which Josh kills with the Taser, and the survivors push toward safety.
Escape into a ruined city
The survivors emerge from the store and stagger onto a wrecked street, battered by water and debris. The city itself bears the scars of the disaster as they begin to process what just happened. They press on, searching for a way to survive in the wake of the flood.
Closing image: shark leaps toward the camera
The final moment follows a bird out to sea as a shark jumps toward the camera, leaving the fate of the survivors and the city to the audience's imagination. The film ends on the ominous note of nature's unpredictable, dangerous power.
Bait Characters
Explore all characters from Bait (2012). Get detailed profiles with their roles, arcs, and key relationships explained.
Josh (Xavier Samuel)
Haunted by Rory's death, Josh becomes the reluctant heartbeat of the group, pushing for escape while grappling with guilt. He navigates the flooded supermarket and car park with practical resolve, coordinating moves to keep people alive. His quick thinking and leadership keep hope alive as threats from sharks and collapsing spaces loom.
Tina (Sharni Vinson)
Josh's sister who witnesses Rory's death and endures the chaos with a mix of trauma and determination. She forms part of the stranded group and shares tense moments with her allies, including her new partner Steven. She remains a steady presence as survival logic takes precedence over emotion.
Rory (Richard Brancatisano)
Josh's friend and a lifeguard who is killed early when a shark attacks. His death serves as a catalyst for Josh's drive to save others and seek out safe routes amid the floodwaters.
Doyle (Julian McMahon)
A strategist in the robbery plot who adapts to the disaster, maintaining control as chaos erupts. He stays pragmatic and calculated, guiding actions within the group and ensuring his people stay ahead of danger.
Kirby (Dan Wyllie)
Doyle's accomplice who wields a gun and participates in the caper. He remains engaged through the crisis and is drawn into the peril as the group fights for survival.
Kyle (Lincoln Lewis)
Heather's boyfriend who becomes trapped in the car park during the flood. He fights to survive but is ultimately overwhelmed by the sharks, ending in tragedy.
Heather (Cariba Heine)
Kyle's girlfriend who endures the car park calamity with the group. She is angered by Kyle's actions (including the dog's fate) but survives alongside the others, contributing to the group’s survival efforts.
Ryan (Alex Russell)
Jaime's boyfriend who shares a tense dynamic with his boss and teammates. He aids in the escape and helps coordinate plans to outlast the flood and predators.
Steven (Qi Yuwu)
Jaime's partner who tries to assist by turning off electrical hazards, but drowns in the struggle against the rising waters. His actions contribute to the tense attempts to avert further peril.
Jaime (Phoebe Tonkin)
A shoplifter who becomes part of the survival group; her quick wit and street-smart approach help the team navigate the store's labyrinth. She ends up surviving alongside the core group.
Todd (Martin Sacks)
A police officer who crosses paths with the group during the crisis. He plays a stabilizing role, offering guidance and ultimately surviving the ordeal.
Naomi (Alice Parkinson)
A woman used as live bait during the peril, who is saved by Doyle and the others. She survives the disaster and becomes part of the group striving to escape.
Pessup (Jessup) (Adrian Pang)
Ryan's boss who orchestrates the robbery; he volunteers to squeeze through a vent during the chaos and is killed by a swarm of crabs. His presence heightens the tension between criminal aims and survival.
Neil (Oceania Store Owner) (Nicholas McCallum)
The store owner who survives the flood and plays a role among the remaining survivors in the store and streets after the disaster.
Bait Settings
Learn where and when Bait (2012) takes place. Explore the film’s settings, era, and how they shape the narrative.
Location
Beach, Supermarket parking lot, Coastal town
The action unfolds across a sunny coastal beach that borders a busy supermarket and its adjacent parking area. As a tsunami hits, the spaces transform into a perilous flood zone where water, debris, and predators invade familiar settings. Survivors move between the open shore and the flooded store, turning ordinary spaces into claustrophobic battlegrounds as they search for an exit.
Bait Themes
Discover the main themes in Bait (2012). Analyze the deeper meanings, emotional layers, and social commentary behind the film.
🧭
Survival
Characters must improvise and adapt in the face of sudden disaster. Trust is tested as resources become scarce and life-or-death choices arise. Leadership and courage emerge in small acts of protection, coordination, and sacrifice.
🌊
Nature's Fury
The narrative centers on overwhelming natural forces—a tsunami and the peril of great white sharks—that overwhelm human plans. The environment repeatedly reshapes the stakes, forcing rapid, risky decisions. The sea's power exposes the fragility of urban life and the unpredictability of disaster.
🤝
Morality under Pressure
In crisis, characters blur moral lines: some exploit others as bait, while others risk themselves to save strangers. Alliances form and fracture under stress as personal motives collide with collective survival. The story probes how far people will go when social norms collapse.
Bait Spoiler-Free Summary
Discover the spoiler-free summary of Bait (2012). Get a concise overview without any spoilers.
In a sleepy coastal town, a sudden tsunami reshapes an ordinary day of errands into a claustrophobic nightmare. The wave floods the parking lot and forces the doors of a busy supermarket shut, leaving a disparate group of shoppers and staff stranded beneath the flickering lights. As the water rises, the ordinary hum of checkout scanners is swallowed by the unsettling sound of surf and a distant, primal presence lurking in the flooded aisles—a massive great‑white shark that has somehow entered the building with the flood.
Among the trapped few, Josh is a weary employee who carries the weight of personal loss, while Tina returns to the store with a new relationship that hints at unresolved tensions. Naomi, another crew member, navigates the chaos with quiet competence, and Steven watches the unfolding drama with a mixture of skepticism and protectiveness. A handful of customers—Jaime, Ryan, Doyle, Kirby, and Todd—bring their own secrets and uneasy alliances, turning the survival scenario into a fragile social experiment. Their interactions crackle with nervous humor and strained camaraderie as they grapple with limited supplies, growing darkness, and the ever‑present threat of the predator beneath the water.
The film blends the stark realism of a natural disaster with the pulse‑pounding terror of a creature feature, all set against the stark, fluorescent glow of a supermarket transformed into a pressure‑cooker arena. The tone oscillates between tense suspense and moments of uneasy levity, reflecting how ordinary people respond when the familiar becomes deadly. As the wave recedes and the shark circles, the stranded group must confront both the external menace and the internal frictions that surface when survival hangs in the balance.
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