Spielberg at his very best

Rating: 10/10 (3 September 2000)

I saw this movie for the first time a the age of six. I wish I hadn't, because it spoilt my holidays on the beach...
Spielberg seems to be the only director of a JAWS-movie who understands how to make his movie scary. I mean very scary, and not laughable as the sequels are.
How did he succeed in that? Because he didn't do any more than show us what we are and have always been afraid of: that there is something in the water that can attack us at any time. And we don't get to know much more than Brody (the chief of police) about the shark, and that's why we can fully identify with him: When Brody is looking in a book about sharks what these animals look like and how they attack, we look with him over his shoulder, as fascinated as he is; When Brody is uncomfortable sitting on the beach (being a guard, knowing there may be a shark around), we are.
Spielberg keeps his story simple, but very effective. I couldn't find a single weakness in the entire movie, although I have seen it about 15 times or so. The first part of the movie is a lesson in how to build up tension; the second part is a fascinating 'Duel' (referring to Spielbergs debut, which is about as good as 'Jaws') between the shark and the three men. Although they don't seem to be the perfect trio to fight the shark, I think they are the best to appear in this film. At least, I can't imagine who would have played the roles of Brody, Quint and Hooper better than Scheider, Shaw and Dreyfuss did. Especially Robert Shaw (my favourite actor) is fantastic: I have never seen a more adorable macho than Quint. What a pity that this great actor died in 1978. I almost forgot to mention the terrifying music: couldn't have been better for 'Jaws', the ultimate horror film and my personal favourite.