The greatest thriller of our time

Rating: 10/10 (7 May 2006)

JAWS by Will February 10, 2006.
Summer. It's a time for people to take their families and go swimming at the beach; however, in the summer of 1975 this all changed. Half the people spent their summers in the movie theaters while the other half spent their time at home too afraid to go swimming. In one way or another, everyone was affected by Steven Spielberg's JAWS.
The story takes place in Amity, a small charming island where obese New Yorker's come to spend their summer weekends at the beach. This one however, will not be so charming. The resort town has been plagued by a killer shark that plans on staying in Amity until the food source (people) is depleted. JAWS follows the story of Police Chief Martin Brody (Roy Scheider)'s attempt to rid the resort town of this monster. Martin is a sea-fearing father of two, who has recently moved to Amity from New York City.
The theme of JAWS  which seems to include the importance of facing your darkest fears - is revealed through his character. When first dragged into the conflict, Martin is an observer who prefers to stay behind the water's edge. When prompted by oceanographer Matt Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss) to board a boat, Martin refuses and only complies after being intoxicated with several glasses of wine. Then things get more personal, after the near death of his son, Martin realizes that he must face his fear of the water and take on the monster. With the help of Matt Hooper and hardened, eccentric sea mate 'Quint' (Robert Shaw) he sets out to play a grand game of Cat-and-Mouse through the frigid waters of New England.
The film is amazingly crafted in every way possible. The camera is operated beautifully, always staying at the level of the human eye, just inches above the water level, which personalizes the fear of the film. The casting is first rate, each actor fits his role well, creating realistic characters and (with the help of screenwriter Peter Benchley) realistic conversations. Director (then rookie, now famous) Steven Spielberg pulls the whole film together wonderfully and strikes terror deep inside us like no one since Alfred Hitchcock. However, with the exception of a few memorable lines, no aspect of the film is remember as much as it's music, which earned legendary composer John Williams a well deserved Academy Award for Best Original Score; furthermore, the thesis of the score can be achieved by simply hitting 2 notes on the average piano, and yet the score is arguably the most recognizable of any movie ever.
The concept of the film, in it's most basic form, is simple: monster attacks man, man runs from monster, monster attacks man again, man fights back, man kills monster. Never before though, has this simple story been so well crafted, so well developed, and so well told. From this simple premise, Steven Spielberg and the other filmmakers behind JAWS have fashioned the greatest thriller of our time.