On a remote top-secret floating facility called Aquatica, a team of scientists are searching for a cure for Alzheimers disease. The team consists of Dr. Susan McCallister , the scientist behind the experiment who decided to begin finding a cure after seeing her father suffers from Alzheimer Jim Whitlock; Dr. Janice Higgins; Carter Blake , a shark wrangler; Tom Scoggins, an engineer; etc.
Despite Blakes warnings, McCallister violates the code of ethics and creates three genetically engineered mako sharks. Her intent is to increase their brain capacity so the scientists can harvest tissue as a cure for Alzheimers. Unfortunately, the increased brain capacity also makes the sharks smarter, faster and more aggressiveas well as growing to the size of great white sharks, gaining increased memory, and being able to swim backwards. Aquaticas financial backers are skeptical about the tests and following the attack on the teens, send corporate executive Russell Franklin to visit the facility.
In order to prove that the research is worth it, the team schedules a test to remove brain fluid bearing the protein complex from the largest shark. After removing the tissue, they rejoice as it brings test cells back temporarily. However, after the test, the shark breaks free and bites off Whitlocks arm. Blake tries to shoot it, but McCallister saves it by pressing the release button, sending it back to the holding pen. An emergency request is made for paramedics, while the team gets Whitlock to the surface.
