Review: Jaws (1975) · 5:24am Jul 28th, 2015

Steven Spielberg's second feature continues to be a genre defining masterstroke of filmmaking, balancing character, story and thrills equally, and not only inventing the idea of the summer blockbuster, but in many ways, remaining the benchmark that so many such films have been judged by, even 40 years after its release.

If you weren't told so, it'd be hard to believe that this was Spielberg's second film. He directs it with such confidence and professionalism, that it feels like the work of a pro. Even here, elements that have come to define his style, such as perfectly integrated long takes, use of music, handheld, tracking and panning shots and the use of overlapping dialogue are here and fully formed. When coupled with his water level camera work, Carl Gottlieb's efficient and memorable screenplay, and John Williams' iconic score, it really helps elevate the film over the swam of quasi or blatant copy-cats and imitations that have sprung up in its wake.

Spielberg also knows how extract great, solid performances out of great, solid actors. The trio of Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss and Robert Shaw flow excellently together, with Scheider really holding the group together with his sense of everyman relateability and subtle, yet noticeable character arc as Brody. His constant sense of awkward misplacement fits the themes of his arc, which is truly coming into his own. Its telling that his character, who loathes the water at the beginning of the film, expresses bafflement as to why he ever avoided it in the first place by the end.

Dreyfuss provides a lot of the comic relief here, not by being some sort of buffoon or idiot, but simply by being a likable geek with snark to spare as Hooper, without feeling annoying or self righteous, and his constant back and forth with Robert Shaw's Quint is some of the best character interactions I've seen.

Robert Shaw gives a career defining performance as the madcap, firebrand Quint, who spends almost the whole movie cackling and shouting in the best ways, constantly spouting cracks and mini-rants, before giving a show-stopping monologue about the USS Indianapolis, in one of the best pieces of acting I've seen. His death might be over the top, but it fits the over the top nature of his character, and really, who would have it any other way?

Its interesting to note that Spielberg splits the film into two sections: Section 1 being on Amity Island, and serving as a way to both set up the characters and plot, and have some of the most memorable shark attacks committed to film, while Section 2 shifts the focus onto the three main characters and their steady building of a friendship while hunting a shark and learning to deal with each other. It makes the second half more character driven then the first half, and yet both halves feel equal.

Of course, John Williams' score is iconic as ever, with the theme tune being ingrained in popular culture to almost insane levels, yet never loosing its power or menace. He also has complex chord progressions, sharp dissonances, and sweeping strings, that help make this score incredibly atmospheric and innovative, and influential like few others.

So yeah, suffice to say that this film stands the test of time, and remains one of my all time favorites. Great direction, screenwriting and acting merge into not just a masterful monster flick, but a masterful film as well.

5 out of 5.