I Was Frustrated At Netflix’s Thrash When Dakota Didn’t Evacuate Before The Hurricane, But Whitney Peak Defended The Choice

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I think we can add a new title to the best shark movies to stream, thanks to Thrash, which has already climbed to the top of the Netflix charts. But, as per usual when it comes to thrillers like this one, I got mad at one of the characters for making a poor decision. Thankfully, this time around, I got to talk to the actor who played her about it!

Whitney Peak plays the role of Dakota, a young woman who receives the opportunity early in Thrash to evacuate from a deadly hurricane that ends up being infested by sharks. Dakota, however, has a moment of panic and turns her neighbor down, which ultimately leads her to have to fight for her life. When CinemaBlend talked to the Thrash cast, I asked Peak about this choice. Here’s how she defended it:

For Dakota, the fact that she even left her house to walk less than 10 minutes down to go get food, that in itself was a giant feat for her. She’s dealt with a lot of loss, and she’s so young, and she just needs to feel safe and has kind of not really figured out how to find that outside of her house, her safe space where she has all her things and she knows what she can do and whatever.

I think what’s interesting about her answer in association with the movie is we really get thrown into the action before we know much of Dakota’s history. So while I could surmise she’s going through it, and is practically alone when the hurricane hits, I really appreciate the clarity from Whitney Peak about why she shuts down while in imminent danger. And, as she added:

So I think when she leaves, she doesn’t go with the neighbor because she thinks this interaction is already too much. There’s too much unknown here. There’s too much that I can’t control if I come with you and your family and people that I don’t know. And I would feel safer just going back home. Also, she doesn’t believe she’s accepted the intensity [of the situation]. Also, she doesn’t believe this hurricane is gonna be a real thing. She’s just kind of like, ‘Nah, they’re being dramatic again.’

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While the opening scene of Thrash with Dakota really stressed me out and had me saying, “Go with them, girl!” I think Whitney Peak makes a really good point about the courage it can take for some people to completely leave home, even when all signs point to doing so. I’m sure there have been plenty of cases of people simply not evacuating during a hurricane for reasons like this, and the character of Dakota is an example of this.

As Thrash goes on, Dakota finds her bravery in other ways, such as helping out Phoebe Dynevor’s Lisa, who is a nine-month pregnant woman who’s also caught in the storm. This was my first time seeing Whitney Peak in a movie, and her awesome performance has me excited for her role in the next Hunger Games movie, Sunrise On The Reaping.

Perhaps Thrash is a cautionary tale, too, regarding what can happen if you don’t listen to evacuation warnings! It is just a movie after all, and watching what happens with Dakota is super entertaining. You can check out Thrash right now with a Netflix subscription, and stay updated on what’s next by checking out the 2026 Netflix schedule!