‘Sharknado’: The film franchise that doesn’t take itself seriously, ranked

Sharknado is a six-part science-fiction comedy disaster film franchise produced by Syfy. While the original Sharknado film was far from a success, it quickly became a well-loved cult classic, spawning sequels, comic books, and video games. The films center around Finley “Fin” Shepard (Ian Ziering) and April Wexler (Tara Reid), who must navigate a new world in which tornadoes scoop man-eating sharks out of the ocean to terrorize and destroy.

Although the plots are laughable, the science wildly inaccurate, and the CGI abysmal, the movies can be terrible in a good way. But to enjoy them, you must suspend belief and understand that the films are meant to be ridiculous and that they’re charming in their own campy way. Let’s look back at them, from worst to … um … best.

6. Sharknado 4: The 4th Awakens (2016)

It’s been five years since the East Coast was ravaged in Sharknado 3, and Fin and his family have been sharknado-free for a blissful period. But now, sharknados are appearing in unexpected ways and places. Out of all the franchise’s films, this one is by far the most ridiculous as it has phenomena such as a bouldernado and a bionic woman.

At this point, it was clear that many people were over the series’ gag. After all, with a Rotten Tomatoes rating of 14%, not much is to be expected from this movie. 

5. The Last Sharknado: It’s About Time (2018)

Many people would agree with this title – it’s about time that the Sharknado series ends. Ultimately, a joke might be funny the first, second, or third time, but by the sixth time, it gets tired.

As the final film in the series, the stakes are higher than ever. Earth has been destroyed after the events of Sharknado 5, and Fin and his son must travel back to the Cretaceous period to prevent the first sharknado and eliminate the phenomenon once and for all. The consensus is that the movie isn’t bad enough to be good and doesn’t have the same charm as its predecessors. 

4. Sharknado 5: Global Swarming (2017)

Thankfully, the fifth film is an improvement on the fourth, although that isn’t saying much. After a brief time of peace, an expedition of sharknado researchers accidentally triggers a wave of ferocious and bigger-than-ever sharknados. Fin and April are the only ones who can save the world, so they must travel across the globe to locations such as Sydney, Giza, and Rio de Janeiro using portals at the top of the tornadoes.

While the plot is still laughable, the series regains some of its original appeal and is somewhat enjoyable to watch again.

3. Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No! (2015)

While Fin is receiving a medal of honor in Washington, D.C. from the president for his heroics against the sharknadoes in the second movie, sharknadoes threaten America’s East Coast. So, chainsaw-wielding Fin must once again risk his life to save his family and the world. But as he fights his way south, the sharknadoes combine and become an even bigger problem than before.

At this point in the series, fans knew what to expect, and while the film is still enjoyable in some capacity, the weak plotline and lacking special effects left fans somewhat disappointed.

2. Sharknado 2: The Second One (2014)

In this first sequel to the original Sharknado film, Fin and April are flying to New York City to promote April’s new book, How to Survive a Sharknado and Other Unusual Disasters, when their plane is attacked by airborne sharks. When the plane loses an engine, the freak weather system turns deadly, and passengers and crew on the flight are killed. Following this, New York City’s most cherished and iconic sites such as the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, and Citi Field are threatened. Only Fin and April can save the Big Apple.

Fans of the first Sharknado were ecstatic to receive a sequel to the well-loved first movie. And while it was the highest-premiering film on the Syfy Channel, most likely due to the hype from the first movie, it was considered to be less entertaining than its predecessor, but still enjoyable to watch. However, it’s still an iconic sequel to an iconic film, making it the second-best Sharknado film.

1. Sharknado (2013)

In the first film of the Sharknado series, a waterborne tornado known as a waterspout, caused by ‘Hurricane David,’ scoops man-eating sharks out of the water, flooding Los Angeles with shark-infested waters. When bar owner and surfer Fin sets out with his friends to find his estranged wife, April, and their daughter, Fin bites off more than he can chew when the storm proves to be more deadly than expected. Together with his crew, Fin must save the Santa Monica coast and its inhabitants.

The film received an unexpected cult following, causing it to spawn the Sharknado film series. The reviews are mixed at best, with the good reviews being sarcastic and facetious. However, considering it’s the catalyst that caused the Sharknado franchise to come into existence, it can be regarded as the best film of the series.