A young woman is killed by a shark while skinny-dipping late one night. Brody (Roy Scheider), the local police chief of Amity Island, wants to close the beaches. This would kill the tourism-based economy in the heart of summer and the mayor and town council deny Brody permission. The medical examiner goes so far as to reclassify the woman’s death as a boating accident, to avoid generating fear. After a young boy is killed in full view of the beach-going public, a bounty is offered by his mother for the shark. Local shark hunter Quint (Robert Shaw) offers to kill the beast for $10,000 and the sum attracts the attention of marine biologist Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss). Eventually, the three team up to end the terror.
I’ve never seen this movie before. It seems sacrilegious, right? A film buff having never seen Jaws is almost unforgivable. So sitting down to watch it, I knew all about the history of the film, how it coined the phrase “blockbuster”, how Spielberg built suspense and fear throughout the film. Knowing all of that in advance, it did not take away from my enjoyment of the film in any way. If anything, it helped me have a greater appreciation for the moments between those famous scenes. Brody’s failed attempts to close the beaches, Hooper’s inability to convince the locals of the danger they are facing, and the former’s own fears and concerns about his family are heightened. I’m worried about the shark coming, but I’m worried about the people, too.
5/5