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Jaws

Starring: Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss, Robert Shaw
Director: Steven Spielberg
Genre: Thriller
Year: 1975
Rating: 4 / 5

You're gonna need a bigger boat. Those immortal words, uttered by Amity Police Chief Martin Brody, remind us all of the pure thrills contained in the Steven Spielberg classic, Jaws. Twenty-five years after it paved the way for nearly all future summer blockbusters, Jaws still chills us, even as bigger and more expensive imitators line multiplexes across the country. Spielberg, still shy of thirty when he translated this Peter Benchley novel to film, served notice to fans and critics alike that he would be a force in Hollywood for years to come. It is likely his film's chief villain - a great, while shark - that will live on in the mind's of filmgoers, however, as we will always wonder whether or not it's safe to go back in the water.

Chief Martin Brody (Roy Scheider) is the head of the police department in the small, New England town of Amity. Relocated from New York City with his wife Ellen (Lorraine Gray) and sons Michael and Sean, Brody is focused on enjoying the quiet lifestyle of a tranquil vacation spot. His typical problems include petty theft and minor vandalism - certainly things a big city law enforcement officer can handle. Brody's world is shaken, however, when the body of a teenage girl washes up on shore just prior to the busy summer tourist season. Harmless accident or harbinger of evil?

Amity survives throughout the year on tourist revenue, so Mayor Larry Vaughn (Murray Hamilton) has a clear view on this disturbing incident. Despite evidence pointing to a shark attack, Mayor Vaughn orders the beaches opened, and the tourists come streaming in. Bodies suddenly begin piling up, and it soon becomes apparent to Chief Brody that this "little" problem is not going to go away of its own accord. There is a large shark off the coast of Amity, and something has to be done. Brody hires local fisherman Quint (Robert Shaw) and out-of-town expert Matt Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss) to join him on the ocean, as they go hunting the terror that has struck this once-peaceful town of Amity.

Director Steven Spielberg weaves a masterful tale, building the tension through the use of a captivating score and some left-to-the-imagination visuals. Spielberg clearly understood a concept that is foreign to so many directors, that sometimes less is more. We rarely see the shark in question, at least until some of the climactic sequences, but its presence is very real. This twenty-five-foot great white shark is the true star of the film, though Spielberg's three human leads manage to hold their own with their more distinguished co-star. Robert Shaw is especially engaging as the crusty, seen-it-all fisherman who relishes the thrill of the hunt. Jaws wastes little time getting us involved, drawing our enthralled selves in and holding as until the captivating conclusion.

Cast:

Certification: Rated PG-13 for violence.
Running Time: 124 minutes.

Additional Info: Internet Movie Database
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