"You're gonna need a bigger boat."

Rating: 8/10 (25 August 2013)

Steven Spielberg's "Jaws" was a revolutionary motion picture for its time. Before its release, the notion of a 'summer blockbuster' simply didn't exist. Then, this movie came along and became an unstoppable pop culture phenomenon, grossing a then-record $123 million dollars at the box office amidst a wave of critical praise.
The story is a fairly simple one. In the sleepy island community of Amity, the normally placid waters are disturbed by an unwelcome visitor in the form of a deadly great white shark. The police chief immediately senses the danger but the town's mayor is reluctant to close the beaches just as tourist season is kicking into gear. When matters escalate the police chief takes it upon himself to recruit a grizzled fisherman to hunt down the dangerous predator.
Since the producers wanted to make the shark the star of the picture they didn't go out of their way to cast any big names in leading roles. Instead, they went for talented actors best known for supporting or ensemble roles. To that end, they decided on Roy Scheider as police chief Brody, Robert Shaw as grizzled fisherman Quint and Richard Dreyfuss as shark expert Hooper. All three gave memorable performances, especially Robert Shaw, whose 'U.S.S. Indianapolis' speech is one of the movie's high points. Apart from these three, the acting is ably handled but fairly undistinguished except for Murray Hamilton as the fast-talking mayor.
Spielberg's direction is superbly handled, yet he was unaccountably snubbed by Oscar voters. His handling of the film's suspense is so assured that I found the hairs standing up on the back of my neck when watching scenes that were already deeply embedded in my memory. The fact that the mechanical shark didn't work very well was actually serendipitous since it meant that Spielberg had to employ a 'less is more' approach that left more to the viewer's imagination. Another absolutely essential part of the film's allure is the iconic theme music. John Williams' score ratchets up the tension to an almost unbearable degree.
Ultimately, the movie brings together fine actors and a compelling script, guided by a master director just beginning to come into his own. The effects may not be absolutely perfect but given all of the difficulties faced, that's no surprise. Minor imperfections aside, "Jaws" is undeniably a top notch thriller that could very well make you afraid to go into the water.