In a remote underwater facility, doctors Susan McCallister and Jim Whitlock are conducting research on mako sharks to help in the re-activation of dormant human brain cells like those found in Alzheimer's patients. After one of the sharks escapes the facility and attempts to attack a boat full of young adults, financial backers send corporate executive Russell Franklin to investigate the facility.
Susan and Jim prove their research is working by testing a certain protein complex that was removed from the brain tissue of their largest shark, which suddenly bites off Jim's arm upon awakening in the laboratory. Tower operator Brenda Kerns calls a helicopter that flies through heavy rain and strong winds to evacuate Jim. As Jim is being airlifted on a stretcher, the cable jams and he is dropped into the shark pen. The largest shark grabs the stretcher, which is still attached to the cable, and uses it to pull the helicopter into the tower the resulting explosions kill Brenda and the helicopter pilots while severely damaging the facility.
Susan, Russell, shark wrangler Carter Blake, marine biologist Janice Higgins, and engineer Tom Scoggins witness the shark smash Jim's stretcher against the laboratory's main window and shatter it, drowning Jim and flooding the facility. They go to the facility's wet entry, where they plan to take a submersible to the surface. Susan confesses that she and Jim genetically engineered the sharks to increase their brain size as they were not naturally large enough to harvest sufficient amounts of the protein complex, breaking protocol and making the sharks much smarter and deadlier. In the flooded kitchen, cook Sherman Preacher Dudley hides in the oven from a stray shark that eats his pet parrot. The shark accidentally causes a gas leak from the oven while trying to break into it, and Preacher sneaks away and kills it by setting off an explosion with his lighter.
When the group reaches the wet entry, they discover that the submersible has been damaged and is unsuitable for use. While delivering a monologue emphasizing the need for group unity, Russell is dragged into the submersible pool by the largest shark and devoured. The remaining crew opt to climb up the elevator shaft at the risk of destabilizing the pool. As they climb, explosive tremors cause the ladder to break. Janice loses her grip and falls into the water. Despite Carter's attempt to save her, a shark drags her under and devours her.
Spoken languages: English
Subtitles: Danish,Swedish,Norwegian,Finnish
Language on cover: Danish
