A cinematic achievement.

Rating: 10/10 (3 August 2014)

I know what some of you may think, the shark looks fake, sure it does, but put yourself into the shoes of a movie-goer in the summer of 1975.
Jaws is one of the greatest films ever made, not because of it's technical achievement at the time being, but because how Steven Spielberg, frankly took a far-fetched idea and made it scary.
Jaws has a simple story of a twenty-five foot great white shark terrorizing civilians of Amity Island. Eventually, the town's chief of police(Roy Scheider), a marine biologist(Richard Dreyfuss), and a fisherman(Robert Shaw) are tasked to taking down the shark.
The film was known for have technical difficulties with the animatronic shark, but that was a blessing in disguise. Because of this, Spielberg manages to create tension and fear among the audience because you don't see the shark at all. Leaving your imagination to do all the work. The opening scene is downright terrifying hearing the woman screaming in agony, being dragged around by a shark we cannot see. Also the use of barrels was a stroke of genus by Spielberg and his team as it implied that the shark was near or present.
What really makes this film work are the three leads. They share an impeccable chemistry between each other. Brody is a paranoid police chief, effectively portrayed by the great Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss is hilarious as the wisecracking marine biologist Matt Hooper, who frequently butt heads with the rough and tough fisherman Quint, brilliantly portrayed by Robert Shaw. The three leads make these character believable and so the audience can go on a real journey with them.
I cannot see this film without Steven Spielberg. In the end he put all this together, with no script, no crew, technical malfunctions, and scrutiny. How Spielberg managed to pull this movie off under massive pressure is beyond me. It's a testament on how great he is. Give credit to the writers Peter Benchley, Carl Gottlieb, and uncredited writer Howard Sackler for providing the film's story and sharp dialog.
Who can also forget the incredible score by John Williams. Outstanding.
Along with Star Wars, Jaws was pivotal in establishing the modern Hollywood business model, and the start of the blockbuster trend.
10/10