Revisiting ‘Jaws’ for its 50th Anniversary
Richard Dreyfuss and Robert Shaw in Jaws | Credit: Universal Pictures
When a shark begins terrorizing a remote beach town, the sheriff, a marine biologist, and a gruff fisherman take to the seas to confront the beast.
Jaws turns 50 years old this year, which is absolutely wild! This film still looks great and is absolutely thrilling from start to finish. It’s fascinating to rewatch this film and see just how much it has helped to shape so much of the action, and especially the creature feature genre. So many aspects that make Jaws thrilling are also the result of some happy accidents.
One of the most effective parts of this film is that you rarely see the shark. Instead, we feel the threat of the shark, see people react to the shark, and see bodies torn apart by the shark. These moments are all incredibly effective in creating a feeling of suspense and fear. While the shark itself is terrifying, the erratic nature of its attacks is just as frightening. That unknown mixed with the looming presence of this deadly creature has the capacity to keep us on the edge of our seats, even if we’ve seen the film before.
Jaws also highlights some really important themes that are still relevant to us today. A significant portion of the first half of the film focuses on the balance that local officials must maintain between commerce and public safety. It’s baffling when watching the film how the mayor (Murray Hamilton) tries to bury evidence of the shark attack so that he can keep the beaches open. We learn that the town needs the tourists to survive… but they also need people not to be eaten by a shark.
The tension between Mayor Vaughn and Sheriff Brody (Roy Scheider) is palpable and really effectively permeates the first half of the film. Both of these men think they know what the right course of action is and are forced to grapple with their decisions and the decisions of others.
Roy Scheider in Jaws | Credit: Universal Pictures
While the first half of the film mostly takes place on the crowded beach, really demonstrating the stakes of this situation, the second half unfolds on the open ocean. Brody, Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss), and Quint (Robert Shaw) take a boat into the water in order to find the shark that has been causing this town so much pain.
For the second half of the film, these three men are on their own. The film so effectively shows that there’s no one around for miles. No one is there to help them if they encounter trouble. They are their only backup. That sense of isolation is so smart in highlighting our fear and making an already stressful situation even more tense.
This film has also established that these three men do not get along. Hooper and Quint especially have different priorities and methodologies for achieving their goals. They constantly butt heads, certain that they know better than the other. And yet, they are willing to trust each other enough to get into this incredibly dangerous situation.
One of my favorite moments of the film is after a long day of chasing the shark, these three men share stories with one another. Quint, in a moment of vulnerability, shares a story about his military service. That one moment unlocks so many things about this character, explaining why he is the way that he is. It also highlights his vendetta against this shark. Plus, it’s a moment of greatness from Robert Shaw—the monologue is so captivating!
That scene below deck is an important bonding moment as they enter the final part of the movie, where each of their talents will be tested. Each man will be forced to go beyond their limits in order to try and survive.
Robert Shaw in Jaws | Credit: Universal Pictures
Jaws turns 50 this year, and it’s still an incredible film. For years, shark movies have been trying to one-up this film, and, to me, none of them compare. Of course, I haven’t seen every shark movie, but this is the gold standard in this sub-genre and an all-around great film. It demonstrates how to create tension and stakes immediately, while also having plenty of themes to explore.
This is one of those movies that continues to thrill upon rewatch, delivering scares and suspense from start to finish.