The all-time classic?

Rating: Null/10 (18 August 2002)

"Jaws" is, quite simply, my favourite movie, of any genre, of all time. A true blockbuster, it brought a new kind of fear to the movie-goer, and director Steven Spielberg holds us spellbound with masterly sleight of hand throughout the glorious two hours.
My own feelings are that "Jaws" should have been a pure-and-simple one-off. After all, how do you top a classic like that? It was questionable, at best, to bring out the first sequel in 1978, although it passes as watchable. The third in the series in 1983 was poor, and the last, in 1987, was quite laughable. I cannot make my mind up as to whether these sequels devalue the classic original, or merely serve to remind us of the first film's greatness. But there is no doubt that after 1975, the series had lost its bite (pun most definitely intended).
Finally, I can thoroughly recommend watching the film on DVD. If you haven't experienced this, do yourself a big favour and invest in one. Then, to add to the effect, use headphones, darken the room and enjoy the brilliant combination of John Williams' superb score and Spielberg's chilling opening scene. I have been watching this movie for 27 years and still love it every time.