Review of Jaws (1975) by Ayrton Anthony C — 02 Oct 2017

Jaws has alluded me for years now. As someone who respects and loves the work of Steven Spielberg, I always avoided this one film of his, possibly one of his most important films, due to the simple fact that I don't enjoy horror films and thought this was apart of that genre.

After actually viewing the film however, I must concede that I was completely wrong and robbing myself of the enjoyment of this masterful film for much longer than necessary. The film is less about the aspect of horror and sheer destruction and death that the shark can bring, and is much more about the characters and their fears of the unknown.

Chief Brody, being scared of the ocean, boats, and anything sea related, Quint who saw his brothers and sisters in uniform while serving in the Navy being ripped apart by sharks, and by Hooper who wants to prove his knowledge of sharks and abilities on this journey, all these characters make for a compelling 2 hour film that masterfully gives you emotion and backstory to characters without drawn out flashbacks or over the top reactions.

Most of the backstory if given simply through dialogue between characters which the viewer pieces together, I always appreciate that sort of story telling. The music is famously fantastic thanks to the amazing work of John Williams, the shark himself still holds up as special effects today thanks to the practicality of him, and the entire message of the film still stands the test of time.

The message of fearing the unknown but tackling it anyways for the betterment of our lives. Truly an amazing film that I implore anyone who has avoided it for the same reasons as I, to watch it immediately.