'Don't mess with the sharkies' is competently made. Depicting the ruins of a post-apocalyptic world where human dominance of the planet has been toppled by other intelligent beings, the short mostly takes the form of found footage, a video recorded by two unlikely human survivors on a camera they found. Filming locations and set pieces look good, as do makeup and wardrobe contributions.
For all but the last two minutes of the short, though, the film is indistinguishable from countless similar tales that have been told before. Switch out "sharkies" with zombies, aliens, any other collective antagonist, and the audience couldn't tell any difference. Bonus points for the sudden appearance of the cat, but that only counts for so much.
In the last two minutes we're presented with a twist that is unexpected - and, I admit, a little clever. Our expectations are turned on their head, and the narrative's reversal of a familiar notion is played off with a pointed, sardonic air that I appreciate. It's a dry observant humor on hand, good less for a laugh and more for an acknowledging smile, but I'll take it.
Yet that's where the short should have ended. That the meat of the feature is bookended with unnecessary title cards is a bit annoying, and the very final scene following the concluding expositional text - brief as it is - feels totally gratuitous. I understand that these aspects were an attempt to solidify the mild humor of the film, but they're not meaningfully funny, and thusly all the more superfluous.
'Don't mess with the sharkies' isn't bad, but it's mostly unremarkable, partly dispensable, and not witty enough with the closing spin to truly spark the imagination. It's a fair view if you come across it, but don't go out of your way to seek it out.
