Handlingen begynner mens en gjeng ungdommer holder en strandfest på øya Amity. En av jentene forlater festen for å ta et nattbad. Men den nattlige badeturen tar en brå slutt da en stor hvithai trekker henne under. Dagen etter blir levningene etter henne funnet på stranda. Brody, Stedets sheriff, tror jenta er offer for et hai-angrep, og tilkaller derfor en som er ekspert på hai.
An exploratory dive into the deepest depths of the ocean of a daring research team spirals into chaos when a malevolent mining operation threatens their mission and forces them into a high-stakes battle for survival.
Peter Gimbel and a team of photographers set out on an expedition to find and film, for the very first time, Carcharodon carcharias—the Great White Shark. The expedition lasted over nine months and took the team from Durban, South Africa, across the Indian Ocean, and finally to southern Australia.