Shark's Landmark

Rating: Null/10 (12 August 2009)

Spielberg's 'Jaws' is a thriller in the true sense. Even though Spielberg is popular for his blockbusters, the man is incredibly versatile and has proved with almost each and every film that he can handle any subject matter and give it life on screen. For many reasons 'Jaws' has become a landmark classic throughout the years. What sets this one apart from the usual monster flick is the creation of tension. It is rather an atmospheric film where the monster only appears halfway through. The director tones down the visual horror by not overdoing blood and gore. There is the shocking sequence of a boy getting devoured by the shark which is so horrifyingly executed. One hardly witnesses a child being killed by a monster in the movies and here Spielberg does it smoothly without being too visceral. The use of a robot shark is highly effective and looks eerily real, much more frightening than any CGI shark. John Williams's score is another plus. Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw, Richard Dreyfuss and Lorraine Gary don't let the shark overshadow their performances. They play their characters like humans rather than caricatures. 'Jaws' is definitely another landmark film by Spielberg. There have been numerous shark flicks ever since but nothing has been as impactive as 'Jaws' which had lead to a small loss in the American tourist industry.