%photo1% Here's a surprise: "Piranha 3D," the over-the-top horror flick about killer fish who take particular joy in munching on college students on spring break, isn't entirely based in fact. Cue the sarcastic "Oh. My. God."
You don't have to be Jacques Cousteau to know that a few artistic liberties were taken. But, still, there has to be some truth beneath the gore. 'Cause, you know, piranhas are deadly, right? And they have been known to attack people, right? Riiiight?
In the interest of preserving the peace around beaches, we thought it our duty to fact check "Piranha 3D." Yes, we realize it's a tad ridiculous to examine whether frat boys are really in danger from hyper-intelligent, man-eating fish. Think of this as a companion piece to our award-winning 2006 exposé on your odds of being eaten by a snake while on a plane.
Photos: Not-to-be-missed moments from 'Piranha 3D' >>
There are no piranhas in Lake Havasu
The film takes place in the fictional Lake Victoria, but was filmed in and around Lake Havasu, a popular spot for spring break. According to a buzzy blog from the Los Angeles Times, some locals who rely on tourism are getting a bit nervous that tourists will steer clear of Lake Havasu. Some concerned tourists have asked whether or not there are really any piranhas in the lake. Fear not, travelers! You're far more likely to see tipsy boaters than flesh-eating fish.
They'll eat anything... or not
In the movie, the piranhas attack as though they were shoppers on Black Friday and their victims were deeply discounted TVs. In reality, according to the Discovery Channel, piranhas are a bit more discerning. "Piranhas don't immediately attack their prey. Instead, they launch a series of small attacks to discover which fish is the weakest." While they are deadly and have razor-sharp teeth, their reputations have been exaggerated over the years. HowStuffWorks writes, "Attacking a live animal isn't out of the question for piranhas, but it's not likely they could take down a healthy, full-grown human."
Surprising review for 'Piranha 3D' >>
The origin of the legend
Fun fact: Piranhas earned their deadly reputation in part thanks to President Theodore Roosevelt. While traveling in Brazil many years ago, the president wrote that he witnessed a group of piranhas attack a cow and strip all its meat down to the bone: "They are the most ferocious fish in the world. Even the most formidable fish, the sharks or the barracudas, usually attack things smaller than themselves. But the piranhas habitually attack things much larger than themselves." The legend was born.
The film's pedigree
Believe it or not, this is actually the third film in the "Piranha" series. The first one wasn't an Oscar-winner, but several people involved in its creation went on to have prestigious careers. Joe Dante directed "Piranha" before going on to helm "Gremlins." And the original was written by indie hero John Sayles, who wrote and directed "Eight Men Out." Oh, and "Piranha II: The Spawning" was James Cameron's first directing job. He was fired during filming.
Watch the trailer for 'Piranha 3D' (Viewer discretion advised: Contains violent content):
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