Steven Spielberg's first great success...

Rating: 9/10 (27 January 2007)

If it hadn't been for Jaws, Steven Spielberg would probably never have become the success he is today. His direction is truly brilliant - capturing the horror and sudden shock of shark attacks in a way that has not been equalled yet. The special effects are good, even by today's standards - the blood actually looks half convincing even if the mechanical shark itself isn't exactly top-class. Jaws was a simple idea - a shark plaguing a beach and killing the civilians - turned into a great film that inspired several followings (this isn't exactly a cult film) and several less-than-brilliant sequels. Steven Spielberg owes all the success he has today to Jaws - 30 years on, people are still loving it like it's still the 70s. And it is actually quite harrowing in parts - lots of fake blood and screaming. Jaws' death at the end is massive - an image that will stick in your mind long after the screen in front of you goes blank. And that is Steven Spielberg's greatest talent - creating monumental images in film. From the menacing start to the action-packed end, this is, in every sense, a classic. 9/10