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Released onNetflixon June 5,2024, the amusing killer shark outingUnder Parisimmediately chomped its way to the top of the most-viewed movie charts. The eco-conscious thriller follows disgraced scientist Sophia Assalas (Berenice Bejo), who tries to redeem a past professional error by freeing an evolved Mako shark trapped in the Seine River. However, a shiver of sharks attacks the public when the Mako rapidly reproducesbeneath the Paris catacombsahead of an annual triathlon.
Under Parisconcludes with a gory and hyper-violent shark attack on several triathlon swimmers in the Seine, prompting Sophia and a police officer named Adil (Nassim Lyles) to orchestrate a rescue mission and return the mother Mako to the ocean. The action-packed finale has several moving parts that are easy to miss with a single blink. Therefore, a closer look at Sophia’s plan and the results is necessary to determine if she succeeds and redeems her past mistakes.
What Is Under Paris About?
Directed by Xavier Gens,Under Parisis a French shark thriller that quickly swam to the top of the Netflix movie charts. The story follows Sophia Assalas, a once-prominent oceanographer reeling over a tragic error that left her in public disgrace. Demoted to working at the Paris aquarium, Sophia gets a chance to redeem her past and overcome her grief when a Mako shark is spotted in Paris' Seine River.
Sophia meets a collective of young activists led by Mika (Lea Leviant) dedicated to protecting the seas. Unlike most shark attack movies that necessitate killing the lethal predator,the scary French filmdifferentiates itself when Mika attempts to free the Mako shark from the Seine.The weakened Mako is named Lilith and is tracked by the collective, rushing to rescue the shark before it dies in an unnatural freshwater environment. As the team races to return Lilith to the ocean, Sophia makes a crucial discovery that alters the plan.
During a bloody massacre beneath the Catacombs of Paris, Mika is devoured by Lilith in front of Sophia and Adil. Lilith sustains wounds from police officers, can hardly breathe in freshwater, and is incapacitated. Upon examining Lilith’s baby’s body,Sophia discovers that Lilith is not a Mako shark, but a rapidly evolving new species that can reproduce without the presence of a male. Despite being two months old, the baby shark is already pregnant. With the annual Parisian triathlon planned, Sophia and Adil race to prevent the swimmers from being eaten by Lilith and her offspring.
What Happens at the End of Under Paris?
The ending ofUnder Parisbegins with Sophia and Adil arranging a plan of attack. With Lilith’s babies nesting in the Catacombs,the plan is to explode the tunnels, cut the drainage grate, and funnel the sharks into the Seine. To keep the sharks in place until the detonation occurs, Sophia uses infrasound emitters. A team of divers combined with demolition experts plan to divert the shiver of sharks into a concentrated area and blow them to pieces. Between the three-minute ticking clock scenario of the detonation and the triathletes swimming in the Seine, the tension and suspense end in pure carnage.
Once the triathlon begins, Sophia’s plan goes swimmingly. However, Lilith is nowhere to be found. After two failed, fatal attempts to detonate the explosives, Sophia and Adil manage to explode the Catacombs. Afterward, they are attacked by Lilith’s surviving offspring. Adil sustains an injury in the blast, while Sophia swims deeper into the river and comes face to face with Lilith. Upon emerging from a rock blockade, Lilith veers toward the triathlon swimmers as Sophia and the others try to stop her.
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Lilith devours several swimmers and turns the Seine into a bloody river of carnage, prompting a full-fledged military attack on Lilith and her surviving babies. Pandemonium ensues and the ripple effect from large bombs creates a tsunami that washes ashore and wipes out the crowd of spectators.Sophia finds Adil in the water with more injuries and swims him to safety. Adil comes to and asks Sophia if it’s over, andthe camera pulls back to reveal Lilith and several babies surrounding them in the Seine. The implication is that it is not over, and the terrifying takeover of Paris has just begun.
What Happens to Sophia at the End of Under Paris?
Sophia ultimately survives at the end ofUnder Paris,finding redemption in the process.Although she will inevitably have to deal with Lilith and her babies in the future, Sophia atoned for the professional mistakes alluded to at the beginning that led to her professional demotion and public disgrace. By orchestrating and executing the plan, Sophia saved Adil’s life, something she couldn’t do years prior.
Meanwhile, Adil also redeemed himself through his heroic bravery inthe popular Netflix movie. Earlier in the story, Adil confessed to Sophia that he abandoned his soldiers during a battle and was forced to leave the army afterward. Adil and Sophia overcome their grief and guilt by doing precisely what they couldn’t before.
Instead of abandoning his colleagues, Adil sacrifices his life to keep his fellow Parisians safe. Instead of failing to rescue a co-worker, Sophia saves Adil and redeems her past transgressions. Yet, despite Sophia and Adil redeeming themselves personally and professionally, Lilith’s rapid reproduction remains a looming existential threat to the City of Light.
