Is there any more perfect movie than the original Jaws?
Whether it’s the many behind-the-scenes stories about the film, or the fact that you could probably watch it over and over again until the end of time and not get tired of it, Jaws slipped into legendary territory pretty much the day it was released back in 1975.
And then, you have its sequels. Yes, if you’re of a certain age, you might not even be aware that Jaws has three sequels, those being 1978’s Jaws 2, 1983’s Jaws III (often referred to as Jaws 3-D), and 1987’s Jaws: The Revenge. None of them are as good as the original, but there are some good things (and bad things) about all three of them. Let’s discuss.
Jaws 2
Best Thing About It: Some Of The Characters From The First Movie Return
There are many great things about the original Jaws, but probably the best thing about it is the characters, as Police Chief Brody (Roy Schieder), Matt Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss), and Quint (Robert Shaw) are all super memorable. Hell, even the secondary characters, like Mayor Larry Vaughn (Murray Hamilton), Ellen Brody (Lorraine Gary), and Deputy Lenny Hendricks (Jeffrey Kramer) elevate the movie.
So, it’s a relief to find that some of the cast from the original flick return in Jaws 2, as Schieder, Gary, Kramer, and Hamilton all have significant roles in this sequel.
It features a plot pretty similar to the original (which I’m going to harp about in a moment), and so the returning characters have to deal with yet another shark attack at the beach.
With Scheider returning, it brings a sort of comforting closure to the story, as he once again gets to kill another shark, but this time, the story centers around the Brody children, as well as some other young people.
Honestly, even with the returning characters, Dreyfuss and Shaw’s absences are deeply felt, and it’s little wonder that Jaws 2 wasn’t up for Best Picture like its predecessor, as it’s missing a lot of the heart and soul that was in the original.
Worst Thing About It: It's Pretty Much The First Movie, But Not As Good
Tell me if this sounds familiar: Mayor Larry Vaughn tries to downplay the severity of shark attacks at Amity Island, and Police Chief Brody has to go to war with one. That sounds like the plot of the first movie, right? Well, it is, but it’s also the plot of Jaws 2.
However, this time, we don’t have Hooper or Quint along for the ride. Instead, Chief Brody is pretty much on his own, and he’s more paranoid than ever (as he should be) about sharks. In one scene, he even starts shooting at the ocean on a crowded beach due to what he thinks is a shark.
That said, Vaughn seems completely brain dead to discount Brody’s fears after what happened in the first movie, so it’s kind of ridiculous seeing him push back yet again against the police chief’s concerns.
In the end, this feels very been-there-seen-that, and not in a good way.
Jaws 3-D
Best Thing About It: The Plot Is Really Interesting This Time Around
3D movies are very much still around. In fact, we run a whole series titled To 3D Or Not To 3D, in which we let you know whether you should spend a few extra bucks to watch a movie in 3D…or not.
However, while 3D is still around (and mostly brought back due to the massive success of James Cameron’s Avatar’s 1 and 2), it was immensely popular decades ago, and especially popular with horror movies, such as Parasite, Amityville 3-D, Friday the 13th Part III, and yes, even Jaws 3-D.
All of this is to say that 3D was a huge gimmick back in the day, rather than it having anything to do with the plots of these films, and such is also the case here.
Even so, the plot is actually pretty good. This time around, the Brody children are all grown up, and played by Dennis Quaid and John Putch. Bess Armstrong and Lea Thompson play their respective girlfriends in the film.
The story revolves around a great white shark (actually two of them) infiltrating a SeaWorld amusement park, and one of the Brody children and his girlfriend trying to stop it before it kills some of the park’s guests.
I like this plot since it’s greatly different from that of the first two, and I consider it a strong suit of the film.
Worst Thing About It: It Takes Way Too Long For Things To Get Moving
Yes, the plot is pretty good, but it takes too long just to get to any of the good stuff. We’re introduced to the Brody children and their girlfriends, and get a lot of lead up to the events, but the actual fun stuff doesn’t happen for almost an entire hour into the movie.
Instead, we get several shots of people riding on the water, and discussing sea life, but very little in the actual realm of shark attacks. I actually watched this film with my son, as he’s a huge fan of the first two movies, and he told me that the film was putting him to sleep. Hey, if you can’t keep your target audience awake, you’ve failed somewhere along the way.
Jaws: The Revenge
Best Thing About It: The Story Is Utterly Bonkers...In A Fun Way
I love so-bad-they’re-good movies like Batman & Robin, so please forgive me for saying that I think Jaws: The Revenge is the best of these sequels.
It's just utterly bonkers, and the plot is right there in the title. The shark has followed the Brody family to the Bahamas and is exacting revenge on them.
Why exactly is it exacting revenge? Well, it’s never truly explained (besides the mention of possible voodoo), nor should it be, since it is all the more hilarious without clarification. The whole movie is just one bizarre event after the other. Michael Caine makes an appearance as a pilot, and the shark actually attacks the plane and submerges in it the ocean.
The ending makes absolutely no sense, and the shark even roars like a dinosaur at one point. It is an absolute train wreck of a film, and I kind of love it to pieces, just like I love Mortal Kombat Annihilation, which I know is bad, but I enjoy it anyway.
Worst Thing About It: It Was So Hated, It Effectively Ended The Franchise
Let’s be real. Jaws probably would have been better off if there weren’t any sequels. But, since there are, I applaud The Revenge for being as far from the seriousness of the original as possible.
Unfortunately, audiences didn’t feel the same way, as this sequel is often cited as being not only the very worst movie in the franchise, but also one of the worst movies of all time. It was a laughing stock, and rightfully so.
Michael Caine famously told Australian reporter Andrew Denton:
I haven’t seen it, but I have seen the house it bought my mother, and it’s marvelous!
So, yeah, even though I love Jaws: The Revenge, most people think it’s hot garbage, and it effectively sunk the franchise forever. It’s a shame, too, since I would have loved to have seen Jaws floating around in space sometime, biting astronauts in half.
Have you seen all of the Jaws sequels? If so, which one is your favorite?
