My #1 Film of All Time

Rating: 10/10 (12 February 2003)

For me, this film has it all:
Great direction from a young Mr. Spielberg and outstanding performances from Messrs. Shaw, Scheider and Dreyfuss
Taut adaptation (Sorry, Mr. Benchley, but the explosive movie ending works)
Compelling soundtrack (John Williams rules!)
Good pacing (never felt the movie drag)
And the right balance of humor, suspense, drama and action
This film hit all the rights notes for me. The only thing I regret is that they ruined the saga by tacking on successively weaker sequels.