Jaws - Lisa's Review

It seems kind of redundant to be reviewing a movie like Jaws.  Who on earth out there hasn't seen this movie??  Possibly some really young movie fans? but when you do some reading or find out anything about the movie, then you would most definitely watch it.

Jaws was released in the year of my birth.  I was a kid when I watched it thanks to my old dad and his horror fixation.  It is taken from a book by Peter Benchley and as good as I'm sure the book is, I doubt it managed to convey the absolute terror that the movie instilled in everyone over a certain age.  I have yet to meet anyone who doesn't either love or be terrified of this movie,, or both!!  The mere mention of the word Jaws, or even shark, will prompt a rendition of the most simplistic yet most effective musical score in any movie EVER.

A teeny bit of detail.  Jaws is the story about the beautiful Amity Island.  Summer season has started and right from the off and with it we have plenty of swimmers (and skinny dippers) enjoying the sea.  The peace and tranquility is broken as right from the off we have incredibly realistic, terrifying scenes as a young female swimmer is killed by the shark we come to call Jaws.  The Chief of Police Martin Brody, wants to close the beach and go public, but he is convinced not to by Amitys mayor who is worried about the Islands Summer season and the possibility of scaring off tourists and the biggest earner for Amity.  The medical examiner is convinced to list the death as a boating accident, something that Brody feels powerless to fight.  A short while later there is another death caused by a shark.  This time it is a young boy and the public are aware of how he died.  Every bugger is off out hunting the shark as the boys mother has placed a bounty on it.  Step forward professional shark hunter Quint and marine biologist Matt Hooper, who shall stay with us throughout.

A tiger shark is caught and killed, which convinces the townsfolk that the problem has been dealt with.  Hooper, with his marine knowledge is not so sure.  Wanting to make sure the truth is reported this time, Brody goes with Hooper at night to search the sharks body for any human remains.  When none are found, they know the shark that has been caught is not the one they are looking for.  They also find another body that night.  That of a local fisherman found with his partly sunken boat.  The boat has retained a rather large tooth.  A tooth which appears to belong to a much bigger beast.  Again the mayor refuses to close the beach, so we know carnage will follow.

I won't go into any more detail about the movie, but we follow Brody, Hooper and Quint as they hunt the real creature responsible for the deaths.

It's easy to watch Jaws back now and guffaw at the effects and the animatronic shark, but then, it was incredible.  I still love the movie now, even with the effects.  For me, it's still as effective.  It takes me right back to those days and to how I felt when I first saw the movie.  I didn't go into the sea for A LOT of years after seeing it.  Silly I know, but that's how much it affected me back then.  I have seen a few 'shark attack' movies, but this one is above and beyond the best one out there.  Do yourself a favour though and don't watch all the follow-ups.  Leave it with the original and the best.

It is without hesitation is recommend this one.  I shall leave you with Duuun dun, duuun dun, dun dun, dun dun, dun dun, dun dun!!!