Review of Jaws (1975) by Russell G — 02 Oct 2014

Going to the beach may never be same after watching this one. This is Stephen Spielberg's first smash hit as a director. Before this watershed movie, summer was normally a slow season for theaters, but this became the highest grossing film in history.

It changed the summer movie culture by defining what a summer blockbuster is. The plot itself is actually not particularly remarkable, but the direction is masterful. This is an exceptional movie because Stephen Spielberg knows how to set the right mood, establish characters that matter, and understands the value of the unseen.

The masterful suspense of this movie is a quintessential example of how an unseen terror is far scarier than any visible reality. For most of the movie, the characters talk about the shark or uncover the results of its wrath with very little direct scene time dedicated to the shark.

John Williams significantly increases the tension with one of the impactful scores of film history. Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss, and Robert Shaw contribute greatly, as well, with their acting. Their performances along with the Williams score and Spielberg's tasteful discretion all come together beautifully.

This is not only one of the most frightening and exciting thrillers ever, but one of the greatest movies of all time.