Post by slayrrr666 on Oct 25, 2008 10:25:31 GMT -5
“Jaws” is perhaps one of the finest films in any genre.
**SPOILERS**
Following a mysterious swimming accident, Police Chief Martin Brody, (Roy Scheider) is called in and they find the victim completely mangled. Fearing the worst, Mayor Larry Vaughn, (Murray Hamilton) talks him down until more victims are found, forcing them to call in Matt Hooper, (Richard Dreyfuss) a shark specialist. Thinking it’s finished when a shark is caught, they soon discover that the shark is still out there. When the time comes after another shark attack, the Mayor finally relents and decides to hire shark hunter Quint, (Robert Shaw) to track down and kill the shark. As the three men board the boat to get the shark, they realize that it’s much bigger than initially anticipated and a long, drawn-out battle between them and the shark for supremacy of the waters begins.
The Good News: There’s a really lot to like about this one, as it’s one of the greatest films around. There’s one main reason why this works, and that’s because of it’s theme. This is one of the very few films that actually uses a well-known and believable human fear as the basis for it’s thrills. The idea of a huge shark or sea creature attacking us when we’re completely vulnerable is a scary notion, and this here plays this up to perfection. The fact of making us right there with the victims when the shark’s about to attack is the best way of showing this, and it gives a chilling sense of fear of the sea. This also helps to give the moments where the shark is there but unseen and there’s a reason to believe it is. By making it seem like it’s there but we can’t see it, the feeling of dread that’s captured by this technique. The several beach attacks are the best examples of this, which are some of the better scenes in the film. There’s a ton of suspense in these scenes as the vulnerability of the potential victims in an unnatural environment makes it all the more frightening. This also adds the extra dimension of having the film appear to be more realistic, since this could actually happen. The realism of having a giant creature invading recreational waters and prey on defenseless humans without cause or care over who is attacked where is a truly scary feeling, and this plays off those feelings as well. These are mostly helped with the most innovative technique where we’re right up there in the face of danger with the camera-work. This is a beautiful looking movie, and it causes most of the film’s biggest scares to come from it. From the sweeping vistas out at sea that capture the entire sea, to the up-close-and-intimate work during the attacks to a simply marvelous sequence where an attack is foreshadowed by sweeping across the witness closer-and-closer when a new victim crosses by, the camera-work in here is simply outstanding. Of course, the ferocity of the attacks is what really makes them stand-out, and the main attacks in here are so brutal and scary that they still drive home the point countless times over. It’s hard not to pick a standout as they’re all timeless in their quality and simply marvelous in their brutality. The film’s high-point, if one such spot exists, is the ending fight against the shark. This is a series of innovative, interesting and logical events to destroy the creature, and everything in here is a joy to behold. From the cage assault to the barrel sequences to the beginning stages of hunting it down, every scene here scores wonderfully. It’s also got everything needed to enjoy the sequence, as the lulls are eminently watchable, there’s tons of fast-paced action and every step is also logically done, which is perhaps the greatest plus of that series. They’re totally believable, which is the greatest trick possible done in the film. It’s also a long, drawn-out affair, making sure that time is taken with it so as to make sure that the shark comes off as a strong, imposing threat to the group, which it is, and that every resource imaginable must be thrown at it to bring it down. There’s countless words that can be thrown at it to describe these scenes as they’re loads of fun. The last big plus is it’s great score, which is simple, catchy and really manages to drive up the tension, making the scares work wonders. All these make this a simply wonderful film.
The Bad News: There’s only a few relatively minor problems associated with this one. The main one is that the shark doesn’t look that good. When the shark is on long enough to get a good look at it, it looks fine but it’s biologically different. The snout is way too pointed compared to a real shark. That’s a big giveaway, but the major one is that the creature’s upper lips don’t retract when biting, like a real shark does. As that’s a big reason for a shark’s fear, not including that feature makes the shark standout slightly. The last big problem is that this so easily features implausible scenes simply for scares. The attack on the cage is a sterling example, as even though it’s a great-looking, action-packed scene, sharks don’t exhibit that kind of behavior. The ferocity and intent of the attack is what gives it away. The finale is another excellent example, which simply can’t happen in real life. There’s several others, but those are the most prevalent, and are the only real flaws in this one.
The Final Verdict: One of the greatest films of any genre, this one here is great entertainment with plenty to love about it. A must-see film, not only for genre and creature-feature but for movie fans in general. Highly recommended.
Rated PG: Graphic Violence, Language, Brief full Nudity and children in danger
