Man against shark...terrifying and vastly entertaining...

Rating: 8/10 (3 July 2005)

What PSYCHO did for not taking showers, JAWS did for keeping people away from the ocean. And it's no wonder! The first terrifying attack is awesome in its ferocity, thanks to the screaming torments of the young woman trying to get away from the thing below the surface. After that, the film builds slowly but gathers suspense with each scene, especially each beach scene. The mayor's refusal to shut down the beach is simply an act of greed (it's the height of the tourist season), but once the attacks begin to multiply it's up to Roy Schneider, Richard Dreyfuss and Robert Shaw to do something about catching the great white shark.
All three carry the second half of the film aboard a boat that has Schneider delivering the unforgettable line: "We should have had a bigger boat!" after he spots the shark for the first time. The plot gets a fair share of thrills once it becomes clear that killing the shark is not going to be an easy matter.
Adding greatly to the suspense is a wonderful John Williams score and great cinematography. Incredible that Stephen Spielberg was only 29 when he directed this little masterpiece of man against beast.
Well worth watching--and guaranteed to hold your interest throughout the final hour especially. One can sense the influence of MOBY DICK on the screenplay, especially with Quint's obsession to kill the shark.