This weekend I was blessed by the opportunity to see an old classic again in good company. If you haven't seen Jaws go ahead and do it. Unless you're squeamish about blood, because there's a lot of it. Let's break this one down.
I gave it a 9.5 for wit because this film is a veritable treasure trove of one-liners and the cast absolutely acts every one of them. I'll give you a smattering. Hooper the marine biologist, when a bunch of people going after the shark make fun of him, "Ha, ha - they're all gonna die." Chief Brody, when the massive shark first pokes his head out of the water, "You're gonna need a bigger boat." Brody again when one of the locals starts bugging him about something, "That's some bad hat, Harry." The film manages to craft at least a couple really dynamic and powerful characters in Brody, Hooper, and Quint within the bounds of this shark-story thriller.
Roy Scheider gives an easy and free performance, leaving you sure that he could never be anyone else. This whole film is really one of complete immersion. Whether he's reacting to a smack in the face, asking his young son for a kiss, or gazing in fear at the water where the shark just was, I never felt the pull of the real world while he was onscreen.
Richard Dreyfuss is amiable and fun. Really helping to lighten a mood that could easily get too heavy. Robert Shaw, who plays Quint really sucks you in with his monologues too. He has too big ones: first when he scratches the chalkboard to get everyone's attention and then offers to go after the shark. That monologue is worth a great many movies I've seen. The second is his narration of attack by sharks on a sinking ship during WWII. He really gives you the most engrossing sort of campfire story I think any film pulls off.
The background artists really make this film though. It truly is all about atmosphere. A couple problems with the non-descript and lackluster ending, which practically qualifies as a plot-hole.
The wisdom is a simple 9. It has a clear message: don't value economy and money over people's lives be cautious and respect the power of nature. But this seems something over-simplistic. It may not have been meant to teach a great lesson, but that seems like a bit of a flaw.
The ten here is for Spielberg and his ability to make a terrifying shark movie with so little shark. The little boy's flailing body and the red water bubbling under him is far more frightening than the best moments of the animatronic shark. That and John Williams, the absolute best for-screen composer ever. He is truly a magician. That 10 doesn't feel hard to justify. That is rare.
I hope those few who haven't seen this classic can get the bug, otherwise enjoy.
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