Good Structure, Cho(m)py Execution

Rating: 7/10 (11 January 2019)

Having experienced the luxury of modern cinematography, I am fairly spoiled when it comes to appreciating the quality of an old film. Given this situation, it was a little hard for me to look past the cliche and overly dramatic flailing about that the actors, shark, and camera work seems to do. However, the structure of the movie draws one in, despite the ridiculous nature of the plot. We are given a clear picture of the stakes for this town, the mayor, and the people that had decided to face down the monster that terrorizes the beach. When a small town becomes prey to a large offshore shark, the mayor, a local scientist, and a sea captain team up to defeat the deadly monster and save both the towns citizens and the local tourist industry. The camera work often gives a seemingly first-person perspective of the action and gives a sense of immersion to an otherwise unreliable scenario.