New age horror film, bleeds fear throughout audience!

Rating: 9/10 (2 April 2016)

Steven Spielberg is a known name in the film industry, though it wasn't until after 1975 and the release of Jaws, was he a house-hold name. The intensity of the film is kept up through the entire length, until the very end. The homely town of Amity, which means friendship, is a summer town that survives off the tourists who come and enjoy their beautiful beaches until late September. To create such a horrific film, the director had to establish great exposition for the story, and the homelier the family, the better. Mr. and Mrs. Sheriff Brody, and their two boys are new to town, helping celebrate their first summer in such an attractive area. Establishing the main characters are outsiders, helps the audience understand the severity of the attacks and the danger that can come from not acting sensibly during this high- traffic season. The mystery of the shark is what keeps the senses high, even the shark expert is astounded at the discovery. Spielberg's use of open space, and overcrowding shows the chaos thoroughly through the film. The crowded beaches, give a sense of entrapment, while the open water gives a space for the unknown to strike fear within the citizens of Amity. Each characters plays an important role, the supportive wife of the Sheriff who is only doing his job, but trying to save as many as he can. The role of the mayor is important, because of his defiance, but near the end, he realizes his kids play on those beaches too, leading to a change of heart. Hooper's intelligence on the subject leads him to be one of the most reliable characters, spouting facts and threats, left and right. His certainty and his own fear creates the atmosphere Spielberg's audience is waiting for. This film is a masterpiece before, and after it's time.