Don't go in the water...

Rating: 10/10 (13 February 2006)

I was saddened to hear of the death of Peter Benchley, the author of Jaws, and I decided to go back and look at what was his most successful book-to-movie adaptation, which of course was "Jaws". No matter who you are, you will love this film. Essentially the first "blockbuster" (grossing more than $100 million dollars) film to hit theaters, it's surprising how minimalistic the movie really is. It's just three guys and a shark out in the sea for over a third of the film. What makes the film work so well is the performances of the three main actors (Schieder, Dreyfus, and Shaw) and the editing style that Steven Spielberg used to create the atmosphere and tension in the film. We still feel the influence of "Jaws" even today, as it has caused thousands of people to swear off swimming in the ocean due to a fear of sharks. If you've already seen this film, you don't need me to tell you how good it is. It is, by all rights, still a film classic, and it's legend will endure for some time yet.
Bottom Line: If you saw it, go see it again. If you haven't seen it, go buy the Anniversary Edition DVD. NOW.