No matter if you are a die-hard cinema fan or a casual moviegoer, everybody has heard ofJaws. It is one of the few movies that it feels like everyone has seen, and those that have not should swiftly add it to their watch list. Its simple tale of a man-eating great white shark tormenting the residents of a beach-side town has been terrorizing audiences for almost five decades, and it has not lost any of its charm in that time.
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Many people are surprised to learn thatJawsreceived three sequels, as none of them came close to making the same impact as the original film. In fact,Jawsis still firmly entrenched as the greatest killer shark movie of all time, with any movie released in the genre bound to be compared to the masterpiece. While the original is easily the best in the franchise, how do theJawssequels stack up against each other, and are any of them worth taking a bite out of?
4’Jaws: The Revenge' (1987)
Jaws: The Revengesees the return ofLorraine Garyas Ellen Brody, reprising her role from the first two movies. After her youngest Sam is killed by a shark, Ellen travels with her other son and his family to the Bahamas in an attempt to find peace. Instead, they encounter the same shark who is seeking revenge against the Brody family.
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As the fourth and final entry in the series, it can be claimed thatJaws: The Revengekilled the franchise due to its poor quality. It frequently comes up in discussions about theworst horror movies of all time, as it is riddled with plot inconsistences and bad effects that are shameful when held up against the groundbreaking original. Anyone seeking an intentionally bad movie should check outThe Revenge, and it even featuresMichael Cainein a supporting role as Ellen’s new love interest.
3’Jaws 3D' (1983)
Every classic franchise dabbled with 3D at some stage, and in 1983, it wasJaws’turn.Jaws 3Dfollows Michael Brody (Dennis Quaid), the son of the hero from the first two films. Michael works as an engineer at SeaWorld, where his girlfriend Kay (Bess Armstrong), a marine biologist, begins to suspect that a shark is responsible for the mysterious death occurring at the tourist attraction. When Kay and her fellow biologists capture the shark they believe to be the culprit, they soon feel the wrath of the shark’s mother as it comes for its baby.
Jaws 3Dis another poor entry in the franchise but still manages to be better thanThe Revenge. The SeaWorld setting makes for an interesting hunting ground for the shark, and the cheesy performances give it a “so bad it’s good” vibe. Those present during the film’s theatrical release commented that the 3D effects made for a better viewing experience, and it is easy to imagine that having the shark flying out of the screen at you would greatly enhance the movie’s entertainment factor like thebest 3D horror moviesoften do.
2’Jaws 2' (1978)
Picking up after the events of the first movie,Jaws 2sees the town of Amity returning to normal. But when bodies begin floating to the surface once again, Police Chief Martin Brody (Roy Scheider) suspects a second shark has arrived to munch on Amity’s residents. Despite being doubted by his superiors, Brody knows better than to ignore his gut and sets out to combat a man-eating shark once again.
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WhileJaws 2fails to reach the massive heights of the original film, it is clearly thebest sequel in the horror franchise. The fact that it continues the story of the first movie and features a few returning cast members does help it to feel connected rather than a spin-off trying to cash-in on the brand like the latter sequels. Its focus on a teenage cast who are hunted by the shark calls to mind the slasher movies that would follow it, likeFriday the 13th, and it is never not fun to see dumb teenagers picked off one by one in a horror setting.
1’Jaws' (1975)
When the peaceful seaside town of Amity begins to be plagued by deaths in the ocean, Police Chief Brody tries to warn the residents that a hungry shark is waiting to feast on them. When his pleas fall on deaf ears, he can only watch as more civilians fall victim to the creature. Eventually granted permission to set out and destroy the beast, he sails into the ocean with marine biologist Matt Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss) and shark hunter Quint (Robert Shaw). As the three men bond aboard the boat, they find themselves in the shark’s hunting ground as it seeks to rip them apart.
Much has been said aboutJawsalready, and it is all true. One of thegreatest thrillers of all time,Jawsalso once held the record of thehighest-grossing movie ever. It popularized the idea of the summer blockbuster, and is thebest animal attack moviethat all others aspire to be. Everything from the unforgettable soundtrack toStephen Spielberg’s masterful direction makesJawsa legendary classic and one of the best movies ever made.
KEEP READING:10 Best Movies with Sharks That Aren’t ‘Jaws’, from ‘Deep Blue Sea’ to ‘The Shallows’
