Jaws 2

Cast: Roy Scheider, Lorraine Gary, Murray Hamilton, Jeffrey Kramer and Ann Dusenberry.

Director: Jeannot Szwarc

Release Date: 1978

Running Time: 1hr 56 minutes

Genre: Thriller

Rating: 12

Format: Amazon Prime UK

Synopsis:

When a monstrous shark begins to terrorize Amity Island, Police Chief Brody must do everything he can to protect the citizens living there.

Forty-two years ago director Steven Spielberg delivered one of the best thrillers of all time, Jaws! Due to the success of the first film, it's only natural that director Jeannot Szwarc would try and make a sequel that could potentially, live up to the same standards. When a diver's camera is dug up from an abandoned cruiser and a water skier is killed. Police Chief Brody suspects the killer to be a great white shark. Determined to help he, sets off to prove to the town council that they once again have a killer shark on their hands.

Unfortunately, the storyline isn't as thrilling as it is in the first film. Director Steven Spielberg was very clever when he chose not to show the shark to his audience until almost an hour into the film, this added a tremendous amount of suspense and fear. Roy Scheider returns as Police Chief Brody, it appears four years have passed since the events of the last film. Chief Brody has been awarded for his efforts in 1975. Scheider once again, delivers a very strong performance, unlike the story in the first film, Mayor Vaughn (Hamilton) refuses to believe that Amity Island has another shark terrorizing their tourists. Chief Brody must prove through a series of photographs that he is right.

Chief Brody's two sons also return, much older this time, thought to be in their early to late teens. Mike Brody has got a keen eye for sailing and for picking up girls. Mike and his friends soon find themselves in trouble when they are stranded and circled by the monstrous shark. Realistically a great white shark wouldn't attempt to attack anything bigger than itself. The idea that it goes after several sailing boats is somewhat unrealistic. Realistically the film doesn't work as a sequel, audiences were introduced to the shark in the first film, unfortunately you can't recreate that incredible feeling of suspense and fear that was built up in the first movie, where the shark was shown for the first time.

Unfortunately the shots used make some scenes very predictable and because of that they really lack excitement. The use of aerial shots has to some degree, been overused. The audience are fully aware that the story takes place on an island. The editing is very poor at times, some scenes even look unfinished due to this mishap. Although a lot of effort went into making it a good sequel, sadly it was nowhere near upto the standards of Spielberg's classic.

3.5/5 stars