"How come the sun didn't use to shine in here."

Rating: 10/10 (10 August 2016)

About four minutes into Jaws and one can quickly understand why it was the first summer blockbuster. Directed by Steven Spielberg in 1975, Jaws sets the tone of anticipatory horror that it maintains throughout the whole film immediately from the opening shots. Starring Roy Scheider; in a brilliantly subtle commanding performance, along with Robert Shaw and Richard Dreyfuss, Jaws tells the tale of a quiet beach town that gets the shock of their lives when they discover their calm waters have been overtaken by a man- eating shark intent to kill. The second entry on AFI's 100 Years 100 Thrills list, it is no wonder audiences around the globe still site Jaws as the reason they are reluctant to enter the water at the beach.
Amity Island's brand new Sheriff, Martin Brody (Roy Scheider) is trepidatious of the water anyway and seems like he'd be happier to return to his family's home in New York. Shortly after his arrival, there is evidence of a shark attack, as a girl turns up dead on the shore after a night of partying. For a town that solely depends on the revenue from its beaches for survival, Mayor Vaughn (Murray Hamilton) scoffs at the initial recommendation from Sheriff Brody to close the beach. Unable to surmount the incredible resistance, Brody relinquishes his better judgment in favor of keeping the beaches open, as few people knew about the incident with the girl anyway. To Brody's regret, a boy is attacked and killed by a shark the next weekend. The boy's mother causes an influx of fisherman flooding Amity Island after she offers a $3000 reward for the capture and killing of the shark that killed her son. Among those that flood the Island are Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss), from the Oceanographic Institute who specializes in hunting Great White sharks. Still reluctant to close the beach, Mayor Vaughn instructs Brody to assemble a team and go to any means necessary to make the beach safe. A local fisherman, Quint (Robert Shaw) agrees to hunt the shark, vowing to be able to kill it and bring peace to Amity Island. The three men, arm themselves into a boat that they soon realize is too small, and immerse themselves into the habitat of the creature.
Steven Spielberg is at his best in this film. No stone is left unturned in the creation of the world of Amity Island. Each aspect of filmmaking, among them: the camera work, the writing, and the acting are nothing short of fantastic. Most of the success of this film must be paid to the famously haunting score composed by John Williams. As good as the story and as visually striking as Jaws was, had it not been for Williams' score, I doubt that people would be talking about it as much as they still do, 40 years after its release. Character development is phenomenal in Jaws, as well. Each main character has a completely fleshed out (see what I did there) story which is often lacking in films. Spielberg's camera work in this film, especially his exquisite use of foreground, middle ground, and background illustrates why he has the status as a director that he does. Filled with incredible shots, such as the scene in which the audience sees Brody typing "shark attack" on the death report of the first victim are a tribute to Spielberg's prowess in the director's chair. With a cast of likable characters, an infectiously adventurous plot, and a thrilling unpredictable protagonist, it is easy to see why Jaws still lives in the recesses of our minds 40 years after its release.
Still noted for being the first summer blockbuster, the reputation of Jaws has not been lost despite its 1975 release date. Surprisingly, notwithstanding the advancements in special effects since the mid- 70's; Jaws has not dated very much at all, still creating a scare for today's audiences. Jaws does the amazing feat, indicative of a highly skilled director, of scarcely showing the beast of the film, yet instilling fear in the audience. Thankfully, there is not much of summer left for me to ponder the chances of my being attacked by a shark; yeah, Jaws is that good, even in 2016.