Is 'Under Paris' factually correct? From freshwater sharks to 'virgin births', and all those jumping sharks
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: The sharky waves of Netflix's 'Under Paris' are roaring high thanks to its heart-pounding adventurous plot, where a bloodthirsty shark, Lilith wreaks havoc in dazzling Paris.
One major triumph for the Xavier Gens-directed horror thriller is that it has already drawn comparisons to the iconic movie 'Jaws'.
The main storyline of the film centers on scientist Sophia (Bérénice Bejo), who, following a terrifying event in her life involving the shark Lilith, gets a tip from a young environmental activist named Mika (Léa Léviant) about the existence of a large shark swimming deep in the Seine River—an anomaly that shouldn't be possible.
Although the main focus of the film is stopping the shark attack while the city gets ready for the triathlon, there are several issues that raise doubts about the accuracy of the narrative.
Is it feasible for virgin sharks to give birth? Is it truly possible to swim from the Atlantic to Paris? Let's discuss these points further.
Can sharks live in freshwater?
One of the primary plot lines in the film is Lilith's ability to exist in freshwater, which is practically impossible.
Sharks are wonderful creatures that have evolved properly to live in the ocean's salty waters. However, their physiology poses considerable challenges to surviving in freshwater.
The Le Monde contacted Sébastien Brosse, a researcher at the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) and professor of animal biology at the University of Toulouse, who refuted the myth that sharks do not swim up rivers.
The exception is the bulldog shark, which can travel thousands of kilometers up the Amazon, but that is a tropical species, contradicting the fact and making it plain that Lilith living in freshwater is nothing but a piece of fiction.
Is Parthenogenesis a real thing?
The film also suggests the idea of parthenogenesis, a type of asexual reproduction in which an egg develops into an embryo without being fertilized.
While this hypothesis may be used for the infusing thrill in the movie, is it truly possible for a giant shark to breed without the assistance of a male counterpart? The answer is yes.
Parthenogenesis, as strange as it sounds, is a fascinating natural occurrence that occurs in many animal groups.
According to National Geographic, a zebra shark named Leonie, who lives with other female sharks at Australia's Reef HQ Aquarium, surprised her caretakers in 2016 when three of her eggs hatched into live pups.
It was also reported that parthenogenesis has been seen in over 80 vertebrate species, with fish and lizards accounting for almost half of these.
Can a shark really swim from the Atlantic Ocean to Paris?
How Lilith manages to swim from the Atlantic Ocean to Paris is another plot point that causes a lot of people to scratch their heads throughout the film.
The film feeds on the creative license, and the thought of a shark traveling from the Atlantic Ocean to Paris is extremely unlikely in reality, but that does not mean the creatures cannot.
According to a Metro report, Ali Hood, the director of conservation at the Shark Trust, suggests that the Seine is approximately 485 miles long and can be navigated by ocean-going ships for 75 miles of that length.
At that point, ships and marine life cross the first of many locks that separate the open ocean from Paris. Given that sharks are highly intelligent creatures, it is possible that they could swim from the Atlantic Ocean to Paris.
Are there really catacombs and lakes under Paris?
The movie also referred to catacombs and lakes. And, if you're wondering if there are lakes beneath Paris, sorry to bust your bubble, but they don't exist.
However, the catacombs are real. The catacombs are a real network of tunnels and chambers that house the bones of millions of Parisians who were transported from overflowing cemeteries in the late 18th Century. It's a fascinating and rather scary underground realm that may be discovered on guided tours.
According to Atlas Obscura, the popular site includes the bone remains of perhaps six to seven million former Parisians. Not all parts of the Catacombs are open to the public.
One of the most prominent examples of catacombs was highlighted in the 2014 horror film 'As Above, So Below', which was shot in Paris for two months in 2013. The film was shot in the real catacombs of Paris with authorization from the French authorities, making it the first film to be permitted to film in a restricted area.
Can sharks really leap into the air like shown in 'Under Paris'?
Yes, sharks can leap into the air, a behavior known as breaching. This dramatic action is most generally linked with great white sharks and is usually spotted while they are hunting fast-moving prey such as seals.
According to SharksInfo.com, great white sharks can jump up to 8–10 feet out of the ocean, and Mako sharks, on the other hand, are thought to be able to jump as high as 9 metres.
According to the article, in addition to great white sharks and Mako, a few other species can leap. This comprises the spinner and thresher sharks. Apart from that, you may see basking sharks and blacktip sharks doing the same.
How to stream 'Under Paris?'
'Under Paris' is exclusively available to stream on Netflix.
Don't you have Netflix? Don't worry! Access to the film requires a Netflix account, available starting at $6.99/month for the regular plan with commercials.
The regular plan without advertisements costs $15.49/month, while the premium plan costs $22.99/month.
'Under Paris' trailer