Jaws (1975)

Genres

Horror, Thriller

Director

Steven Spielberg

Country

USA

Cast

Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw, Richard Dreyfuss, Lorraine Gary, Murray Hamilton, Carl Gottlieb, Jeffrey Kramer, Susan Backlinie, Jonathan Filley, Ted Grossman, Chris Rebello, Jay Mello, Lee Fierro, Jeffrey Voorhees, Craig Kingsbury, Robert Nevin, Peter Benchley

Storyline

When a shark starts attacking the people on Amity Island, Cheif Police Brody (Roy Scheider) attempts to hunt it down with the help of a marine biologist (Richard Dreyfuss) and a shark hunter (Robert Shaw).

Opinion

I've always avoided Jaws like the plague because I thought it was going to be another of those poorly aged movies from the 70s that are supposed to be scary and tense but actually are pretty lame and dull. Yes, I knew Spielberg is the man behind it, but he did some pretty terrible stuff in the past - 1941 - so I wouldn't be surprised if that happened. But obviously that didn't happen. Jaws is so tense and gripping, it sure deserves all the fame.

And Spielberg is the one to be thanked for that. He took a paper-thin and rather stupid story - that was my biggest concern, to be honest - and he turned it into a great story filled with tension that, in spite of its simplicity, has some nice plot twists. They are not mind-blowing, but they are surprisingly good considering the overall story.

If I have to be completely honest, the story isn't even that scary. So, once again, thank you, Steven, for making of Jaws such a scary film. It's the atmosphere he sets up and the suspense he masterfully builds towards the climax that make the film as effective as it is. I was glued to the screen and on the edge of the seat from start to finish. There were moments when I even held my breath. This is the kind of things I usually/only experience with football (soccer).

Jaws is also the ultimate proof that having the right musical score really helps in the making of a great film. I'm not only talking about the famous, iconic theme song - I knew and loved that already prior watching the film -, but the entire score. John Williams's easily is one of the most effective scores of all-time, not only in the horror/thriller genre.

At last but not least, this classic film also has some damn fine acting, which really came as a surprise considering it's a blockbuster. Scheider, Shaw and Dreyfuss are a real bliss to watch, especially the latter who brings so much energy and some humour as well as the marine biologist.