A good thriller

Rating: 5/10 (25 April 2016)

This film deals with a single theme: the shark attacks on humans. Directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Peter Benchley and Carl Gottlieb, it has Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw and Richard Dreyfuss in the lead roles.
Regarded by many as Spielberg's consecration film (I don't quite agree, I think E.T. was most notable at this point), this thriller has become one of the most popular films of the seventies, a real milestone of cinema. Honor is made to it's director, who knew how to work the central theme and skilfully use special effects he had at his disposal, even if we think also in the failure he was trying to use that unfortunate mechanical shark. In fact, it was better that way because we have more fear of what we don't see. The actors went well with his role, particularly Shaw. The script was innovative for it's time, being the first to address shark attacks. The sound effects are excellent and John Williams created one of the most impressive soundtracks of all the history of cinema. It's impossible not to feel the heart beating faster when he heard that song that, unsurprisingly, has become a classic. This film won three Oscars (Best Sound, Best Soundtrack and Best Editing) and the Golden Globe for Best Soundtrack.
It's not a mere coincidence that Spielberg is one of the few directors who won two Oscars. He is meticulous, inventive, perfectionist and genial. Although this film does not understand why sharks attack people (usually confusing them with seals and other animals in their food chain) and have caused a real stigma against them that still makes them deeply misunderstood, it was able to maintain it's popularity and continues today to be the target of admiration of the public.