After the Bite

Last updated
After the Bite
After the Bite poster.jpg
Official poster
Directed by Ivy Meeropol
Produced by
  • Ivy Meeropol
  • Xan Parker
  • Johnny Fego
Cinematography
Edited bySeth Bornse
Music byMorgan Visconti
Production
companies
Distributed by HBO
Release dates
  • June 15, 2023 (2023-06-15)(Provincetown)
  • July 26, 2023 (2023-07-26)
Running time
88 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

After the Bite is an 2023 American documentary film directed and produced by Ivy Meeropol. It follows the local community of Cape Cod, as they grapple with the alarming amount of sharks being spotted, while investigating the science behind it.

Contents

It had its world premiere at the Provincetown International Film Festival on June 15, 2023, and was released on July 26, 2023, by HBO.

Plot

Following the death of young man at a local beach in Cape Cod, the local community and vacationers grapple with the amount of rising shark spottings while local scientists and researchers investigate the reason for their appearance. Lisa Sette, Greg Skomal, Meg Winton, Alec Wilkinson and Crocker Snow appear in the film. [1]

Production

Following the death of a young man at a local beach in Cape Cod, Ivy Meeropol was aware and noticing the changes and effects with sharks in the community, having the idea for a film. [2] Meeropol followed fishermen, researchers and lifeguards. [3] Meeropol, cinematographers Stephen T. Maing and Soren Nielsen would go out shooting in the water with fishermen, with the chance they wouldn't capture anything. Maing used an underwater GoPro on a stick to capture footage of sharks, seals, and fish. [4] Meeropol was unable to obtain permits to film researchers at work, researcher Milton Levin contributed footage of seals. [5] During post-production, Meeropol picked subjects who were essential to moving the story along, with some subjects being cut. [6]

In May 2021, it was announced Meeropol would direct the film, with HBO Documentary Films producing, and HBO distributing. [7]

Release

The film had its world premiere at the Provincetown International Film Festival on June 15, 2023. [8] [9] It also screened at the Nantucket Film Festival on June 22, 2023. [10] [11] It was released on July 26, 2023, by HBO. [12]

Reception

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes , 100% of 6 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 8.40/10. [13] Metacritic , which uses a weighted average , assigned the film a score of 70 out of 100, based on 5 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews. [14]

Nick Allan of Roger Ebert gave the film a three and a half out of four stars, writing: "An impressive tapestry of conflicting perspectives—man and animal—that's far more entertaining and insightful than your average Shark Week fare." [15] Chase Hutchinson of Collider gave the film a B+, writing: "Through the eyes of a Cape Cod community where disaster strikes, director Ivy Meeropol gently moves beyond the spectacle that defines the history of sharks to immerse us further in their world while grappling with many pressing questions on the journey." [16]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cape Cod</span> Peninsula in Massachusetts, United States

Cape Cod is a peninsula extending into the Atlantic Ocean from the southeastern corner of Massachusetts, in the northeastern United States. Its historic, maritime character and ample beaches attract heavy tourism during the summer months. The name Cape Cod, coined in 1602 by Bartholomew Gosnold, is the ninth oldest English place-name in the U.S.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Provincetown, Massachusetts</span> Town in Massachusetts, United States

Provincetown is a New England town located at the extreme tip of Cape Cod in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, in the United States. A small coastal resort town with a year-round population of 3,664 as of the 2020 United States Census, Provincetown has a summer population as high as 60,000. Often called "P-town" or "Ptown", the locale is known as a vacation destination for its beaches, harbor, artists and tourist industry.

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Nantucket is an island about 30 miles (48 km) south from Cape Cod. Together with the small islands of Tuckernuck and Muskeget, it constitutes the Town and County of Nantucket, a combined county/town government in the state of Massachusetts. Nantucket is the southeasternmost town in both Massachusetts and the New England region.

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Barnstable County is a county located in the U.S. state of Massachusetts. At the 2020 census, the population was 228,996. Its county seat is Barnstable. The county consists of Cape Cod and associated islands.

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Woods Hole is a census-designated place in the town of Falmouth in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States. It lies at the extreme southwestern corner of Cape Cod, near Martha's Vineyard and the Elizabeth Islands. The population was 781 at the 2010 census.

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Chatham is a town in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States. Chatham is located at the southeastern tip of Cape Cod and has historically been a fishing community. First settled by the English in 1664, the township was originally called Monomoit based on the indigenous population's term for the region. Chatham was incorporated as a town on June 11, 1712, and has become a summer resort area. The population was 6,594 at the 2020 census, and can swell to 25,000 during the summer months. There are four villages that comprise the town, those being Chatham (CDP), South Chatham, North Chatham, and West Chatham. Chatham is home to the Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge, and the decommissioned Monomoy Point Light both located on Monomoy Island. A popular attraction is the Chatham Light, which is an operational lighthouse that is operated by the United States Coast Guard.

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References

  1. "HBO Original Documentary AFTER THE BITE Debuts July 26". Warner Bros. Discovery . July 18, 2023. Retrieved July 26, 2023.
  2. Schaefer, Stephen (July 26, 2023). "HBO's 'After the Bite' spotlights Cape Cod's shark scene". Boston Herald . Retrieved July 26, 2023.
  3. Sobey, Rick (June 2, 2023). "Cape Cod shark documentary 'After The Bite' will stream on HBO Max this summer: 'We can find ways to coexist'". Boston Herald. Retrieved July 26, 2023.
  4. Saito, Stephen (July 26, 2023). "Ivy Meeropol on the Confronting the Complexities of Coexistence in "After the Bite"". The Moveable Fest. Retrieved July 26, 2023.
  5. Zarra Aldrich, Anna (July 19, 2023). "UConn Researcher Gets a Bite of Upcoming Documentary". University of Connecticut . Retrieved July 26, 2023.
  6. Rooney, Alison (July 21, 2023). "The Shark Attack That Changed Everything". The Highlands Current . Retrieved July 26, 2023.
  7. Pederson, Erik (May 27, 2021). "Pic About Great White Shark Surge Off Cape Cod Lurking At HBO Documentary Films; Ivy Meeropol Directing". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved July 26, 2023.
  8. "After the Bite". Provincetown International Film Festival . Retrieved July 26, 2023.
  9. M. Alvin, Rebecca (June 13, 2023). "Beyond the Postcard". Provincetown Magazine. Retrieved July 26, 2023.
  10. "After the Bite". Nantucket Film Festival . Retrieved July 26, 2023.
  11. Lidner, Larry (May 26, 2023). "Taking the Bate". Nantucket Magazine. Retrieved July 26, 2023.
  12. Lattanzio, Ryan (July 18, 2023). "HBO's 'After the Bite' Is a Smart Doc Complement to Shark Week — Watch the Trailer". IndieWire . Retrieved July 26, 2023.
  13. "After the Bite". Rotten Tomatoes . Retrieved July 31, 2023.
  14. "After the Bite". Metacritic . Retrieved July 31, 2023.
  15. Allan, Nick (July 26, 2023). "After the Bite". Roger Ebert . Retrieved July 27, 2023.
  16. Hutchinson, Chase (July 25, 2023). "After the Bite Review". Collider . Retrieved July 27, 2023.