Jaws 2 (1978) User Reviews

As far as sequels go, this one deserves another bite!

[Smells_Like_Cheese · 7/10 · 13 April 2003]

When Jaws was released in 1975, I don't think audiences knew what hit them. People were scared to death to go into the waters and Jaws became the very first summer blockbuster. As set by example by later Hollywood, it made money, WE NEED A SEQUEL. Well, Jaws 2 was an actual book, but why not capitalize on it's success? Jaws 2 actually is a decent movie, I don't know why this film is so picked on. I think because it does have a bit of a slow start, but the ending is fantastic. This was one of the first times we saw good looking teenagers terrorized. Arguably yes, it's silly to think the shark would come back for a second bite, but why not just let go and have a good time with this one? I went back for seconds and still like this movie.

Once again, Mayor Vaughn doesn't share Brody's belief that the town has another shark problem and warns him not to do something hasty. The following day, while Brody is in an observation tower, he sees a large shadow produced by a school of bluefish, which he mistakes for a shark. In his haste, Brody orders everyone out of the water and fires his gun, causing a panic. The town council fire Brody for the beach incident, with Mayor Vaughn being the only one to vote against dismissal. The next morning, Mike sneaks out and goes sailing with his friends, but has to take his young brother Sean along to stop him telling his parents about Mike's trip. But as they sail on the waters, the shark decides it's time for some afternoon lunch and terrorizes the teens. Martin realizes with his sons missing, they may be in trouble and goes to save them and their friends.

Does the movie have it's flaws; yes. The acting is alright and the plot is a bit silly. The beginning is a bit slow and the story isn't as interesting as the first film with intelligent adults as clearly this was made more for the scare and bringing back old characters for the fans. Not to mention that the boat scene was a bit sloppy where the dumb woman is grabbing a bottle of gasoline to light the shark on fire I'm assuming but looses her balance and dumps it on herself and proceeds to shoot a flare gun! Yeah, she had it coming. There is a really bad mistake caught on film when the shark reaches in to bite Michael, Jaws scraps it's mouth on the boat and the mouth bends as if it was plastic, lol. But one of the things I like about the film is that it still does give a good scare with the teenagers. Especially when Marge has to save Shawn out of the water and she can't get back up on the boat and keeps slipping, as you see Jaws going after her and it just breaks your heart when Shawn witnesses her death. Also I have a guilty pleasure for the actor Keith Gordon(Christine, All that Jazz, and Back to School), this was one of his first films and he does a very good job. The cast seemed to really click and did a good job working together. Plus you have to love how "marine" Martin Brody gets when he faces down Jaws for his last time and goes for that money shot. Jaws 2 is definitely flawed, but honestly a fun film that too many people judge harshly. I think it's just a fun popcorn flick that you need to let go and just have a good time when sequels had good intentions.

7/10

Slow To Get Started, But Then Has Some Bite

[ccthemovieman-1 · 6/10 · 13 December 2007]

No, this wasn't as good as the original, but it wasn't bad, either. In fairness, the audiences knew what to expect in this one and had already been shocked by the killer Great White Shark. Thus, it was no way audiences were going to react to the sequel as they did the first Jaws movie.

It didn't have Steven Spielberg directing, but it did have the same locale with same principal characters on "Amity:" mainly Police Chief Martin Brody (Roy Scheider), his wife Ellen (Lorraine Gary) and Mayor Larry Vaughn (Murray Hamilton) so one didn't feel as if this was a completely new film. There was continuity to it, and we have the same problem (a big shark eating people). The main difference is that it is just a few years after the first horrifying incidents.

This story mainly involves Chief Brody's teenage kids and their friends. Overall, the film moves a little slowly the first hour, but picks up dramatically in the second half. In fact, it turns out quite intense, just like the first film. The main mistake the filmmakers made - which they wouldn't do today, was that it was too slow for too long. That, and the fact that the area residents apparently had a short memory; unrealistically short.

Anyway, the shark looks more realistic.....and if you can hang in there, you'll be rewarded with some good escapist entertainment in the second hour.

An enjoyable underrated sequel that deserves a chance

[Rocketeer_Raccoon · 7/10 · 5 October 2015]

A lot of people come under the misconception that only Jaws is good while all the sequels are bad but that's not entirely true. Of course Jaws 3D and Jaws the Revenge are the ones you should definitely avoid at all costs but Jaws 2 is the one that gets under-looked and unfairly rated because of the bad rep the later sequels did. I assure you all, Jaws 2 is nothing like those said bad sequels films, in fact this film is actually as enjoyable as it's preceding film.

Like a proper sequel should do it directly continues from where the first film left off with most of the same characters returning including main protagonist Police Chief Martin Brody (Roy Scheider), he is just an excellent main character, it wouldn't be a Jaws film without him who has the unfortunate task of dealing with another man eating shark that is terrorising the sea of this island resort town of Amity. Although the film starts off slow but as more of the film gets going the better it becomes. I loved the moments when the shark kills the victims like a horror villain should.

Now of course Jaws 2 may not match up to the original film but at least the people who made this film actually tried to make a good film with a decent story. I enjoyed it and I highly recommend it, it's one of the many underrated sequels that should be given a chance.

Pacing could have been more tight, but it's often suspenseful and exciting.

[jiangliqings · 18 May 2001]

*** out of ****

As a sequel to an immensely popular classic, Jaws 2 had a lot to live up to, and while it doesn't reach the level of sheer terror of the original, it's still effective in creating thrills, some scares, and excitement. The biggest flaw is the pace, since the scenes on land drag on over and over. These moments hurt an otherwise entertaining and often fun motion picture.

The plot is mostly a re-hash of Jaws. It even takes place in the same town, Amity. It's been years since the first shark was killed and Chief Martin Brody (Roy Scheider) begins to have his suspicions of another great white in the vicinity when two divers are reported missing, a boating accident that results in the mysterious disappearance of a mother and daughter, and a killer whale washed ashore with large bites all over it. Brody voices his beliefs to the mayor (Murray Hamilton), who, along with real estate developer Glenn Petersen (Joseph Mascolo), disregard this because of the current production of a hotel on the beach.

Brody's constant paranoia of the situation eventually gets him fired. Meanwhile, his two sons, Mike and Sean, sneak off to sail with a group of other teens. When another shark attack occurs and is confirmed, Brody sets off to find his sons before it's too late.

I've heard a lot of interesting things involving the making of this sequel. Apparently, Spielberg and Dreyfuss were interested in returning, but couldn't due to their filming of Close Encounters. The original story was supposed to be more character-oriented, without as much focus on the teens in peril, but when Spielberg had to back out the studio executives got nervous and went with Szwarc to make a more formulaic and "effective" sequel. Roy Scheider would be the only big star from the original who would return.

I'm a huge admirer of Steven Spielberg's film, and it would be hard for any other director to equal, much less surpass, his filmmaking techniques. Director Jeannot Szwarc does an overall solid job here. He knows what made the first film effective and holds off long camera shots of the shark for a while (in my opinion, maybe a little too long). The beginning of the film does a nice job of creating interest and a good set-up is appreciated. However, this set-up goes on a little too long. A half-hour would have been just fine, but Szwarc takes nearly 75 minutes for the film to focus on the shark hunting down the sailing teens.

You may wonder why I voice my complaint for this when in the original the shark didn't make it's first full appearance until near the end. Well, in that film's case there were three great characters (only one of whom returned) and some classic suspense sequences to crank up the tension (Dreyfuss and Scheider's exploration of the abandoned boat, anyone?). While Szwarc should be noted for trying to build up momentum, he slows down everything a little too much and thrill seekers looking for non-stop action may find it disappointing, and it might be more up their alley to look for Deep Blue Sea (which is considerably faster moving, though is an overall weaker film).

It is initially interesting to see how this sequel builds up its story with such scenes as the examination of a dead killer whale and a diver who runs into the shark, and it is quite entertaining to revisit Amity again, but Brody's constant back and forth debates with the town committee get tiresome after awhile. We know he's right and they're wrong and the film makers should have realized that these arguments get old quickly. To be fair, Scheider's performance does put in a bit more tension into these scenes, but it takes something more clever than that to keep things moving at a brisk pace.

The film does finally get moving in the last 35 or so minutes, and it's in those moments that make the film the overall effective sequel it is. The constant shark attacks deliver the goods. Szwarc knows how to milk tension into these scenes and doesn't disappoint. The finale is particularly an exercise in creating seat-gripping suspense. It's almost a match for the conclusion to Jaws. The final showdown between Brody and the shark is just as memorable and edge-of-the-seat as his final confrontation with the other great white in the original. John Williams' score is as effective as ever and serves to heighten the tension factor by a notch.

Admittedly, there are some implausibilities abound. Great whites aren't nearly that aggressive and for one that eats as much as it does, it's really quite hungry. The shark even pulls down a helicopter in one scene to presumably eat the pilot (In the TV version, there's an added scene of the shark trying to chomp the pilot). Brody's plan to kill the shark relies on quite a bit of luck, though I won't complain as much about this since it is the film's highlight sequence and is an example of masterful direction.

Most people tend to ridicule the visual effects in the Jaws series. In my opinion, they're more effective and significantly better than CGI renditions of animals seen in the more recent thrillers like Deep Blue Sea, Anaconda, and Lake Placid. Szwarc's high angle shots of the great white are the best, evoking a sense of terror by just looking at the top of this ferocious animal. With an animatronic shark, it's not nearly as mobile as what can be rendered by computer technology, but it beats having the animal look like a refugee from a video game. There are also other things that set this film above those aforementioned movies, such as restraint, seriousness, and no annoying over-reliance on mostly unfunny self-deprecating humor.

To mention how effective the script is would probably be a moot point. Anybody watching this movie wants to see it for the shark attacks. Howard Sackler and Carl Gottlieb do a reasonable job of repeating what was successful in the original story without completely ripping it off. This time around, there's no compelling monologue like Robert Shaw's retelling of the fate of the men on the U.S.S. Indianapolis, but the screenwriters can be credited for not writing any laughably ludicrous dialogue. When the stranded teens argue, everything they say is reasonable within the context of the situation they're in.

The film's performances are overall decent. Roy Scheider has always been one of my favorite actors; he's easily the best here and is very good as the man determined to save his sons. Martin Brody is still by all means a great character, and Scheider's portrayal of him as an everyman caught up in a terrifying situation makes it extremely easy to sympathize with him. Lorraine Gray is decent as his wife and though she gets more screen time than before she's still not given a chance to fully flesh out her character. And, boy, we all saw her character develop in Jaws the Revenge, but we all know how that turned out. Murray Hamilton and Joseph Mascolo are appropriately sneaky and sly as the town mayor and real estate developer. They're really not so much people as they are those who have to be wrong all the time. It's a cliche, and it's not as effective as it was in Jaws. I can't really say which actor who portrays the teens does the best job. They're all fairly equal and they are pretty good at not annoying us, which makes it easier to feel for them when the shark attacks begin.

It's basically like this: when the film takes place on land, it's sometimes slow-moving and not always interesting. When it's on water, it's often exciting and tense, with suspense that sometimes equals the original. It's definitely not as great a thriller as Jaws, but it is a worthy sequel and certainly is better than the likes of Deep Blue Sea, Anaconda, and Lake Placid.

Deserves a higher rating

[troymcdermid · 7/10 · 6 September 2021]

Was it as good as the original? Spoiler Alert: Flat out NO. However, it wasn't a terrible movie either. It had some good fright scenes, great acting by Roy, and an overall enjoyable time. This movie should be in the 7 range, as it's far better than the other two sequels, and better than any other modern day shark attack movie.

A solid sequel to a great original

[Tweekums · 7/10 · 17 May 2019]

Four years on from the events of 'Jaws' the population of Amity Island have got on with their lives; the tourists have returned and they don't want to think about sharks. Then a couple of divers go missing and two women are killed in a 'boating accident'; Chief Brody is in charge of the investigation and after the body of a killer whale, complete with bite marks, washes up he is convinced that there is another great white shark in the waters round the island but the town council doesn't believe his claims. Then a group of youngsters, including Brody's sons, go out sailing... inevitably they have a run in with the shark and Chief Brody will have to take to the water again to try to save them.

Not surprisingly this isn't as good as the original film; that would have been very difficult. It is however pretty good. There are plenty of scary moments, certainly more than I expected in a UK-PG rated film. It starts well with the divers being killed as they explore the wreck of the Orca, the boat from the first film, and follows that up with an impressive explosion. We then get the chief's fears not being believed which did feel like a bit of a rerun of what happened in the first film. Things get better again when the youngsters sail into danger; the shark may be shown a bit too much and it looks no more realistic than that in 'Jaws' but the young actors do look genuinely terrified which helps make it acceptable. The cast is decent enough although Roy Scheider stands out with his fine performance as Chief Brody. Overall I'd definitely recommend this to fans of the original.

This Time it's Kind of Personal!

[MovieAddict2016 · 5/10 · 12 April 2003]

A film like "Jaws 2" proves that we can, indeed, get too much of a good thing. Action and shark over substance and character development. Somewhere along the way "Jaws" went from being about deep, intelligent characters in intense situations to shallow teenagers in B-monster-movie moments.

"Jaws 2," or "Jaws2" (no space in between "s" and "2"), takes place four years after the horrid events in Amity, seen in the first film. Police Chief Brody (Roy Scheider, commonly mistaken for Rob Schneider with today's audience) is a veteran of a shark attack, of course. And like most sequels involving characters who once battled a beast of some sort and survived, Brody is now the official expert on sharks. When a boat blows up off shore, Brody suspects a shark. When a killer whale is found dead with chomp marks, Brody suspects a shark. Heck, you could blow up the state of Arkansas and Brody would probably think it's a shark.

Soon Brody loses his job because the town mayor (Murray Hamilton, reprising his role shortly in this film because he had to stop filming to attend to his sick wife) doesn't like poor Brody, even after the events of the first film. Then Brody's seventeen-year-old son goes out on a sail boat and before you can go, "Duh-duh-duh-duh" JAWS is coming at him and his friends. Brody goes, tries to save them, and you can guess what the outcome is.

Okay, here are some things I noticed that hindered this film:

1. The first thing that hits you over the head here is how this film is painfully a copy in every way of the first film, only about ten times worse. There is no suspense--they show the shark from the beginning on. In a documentary made just for the "Jaws2" DVD, the director says that "The shark has already been seen, so there's no suspense--you might as well show it." Well, this is a bit true--I hate when horror sequels wait till the end to show the creature ("Predator 2") even though we've seen them in the first. But the way they do it here is painfully un-suspenseful. The film really contains no sense of suspense.

2. You'd think that everyone in the town would have learned their lesson last time: Brody was right about a shark, and he saved the day. Here we see everyone turning back to their old ways and ignoring Brody. You could give excuses for this, but the fact of the matter remains: It's just another retread of the first film, done on a much lesser scale.

3. The shark here is shown too much--he looks like a rubber ducky in a bathtub. Kids scream as it attacks boats and helicopters--yes, helicopters (that looks strange on paper)--and the shark comes out of the water head first to swim forward. Now, unlike the first film where the shark was never shown very well--because of mechanical problems or not, they still didn't show it--they show the shark many, many times here. And unlike the first when they DID show the shark, in "Jaws2" they make the shark look utterly unrealistic. In the first the rubber shark swam like a shark--this thing swims like a giant piece of rubber in an ocean.

4. The director obviously went for action over story: Steven Spielberg masterfully crafted an instense and scary film, yet at the same time provided a very interesting character study. Here, we just see blood, guts, and big rubber sharks--something that might look good in a B-horror-movie, but not in a "Jaws" film.

5. What are the remote chances that another 25-foot Great White Shark (capitalized for effect) would be off the coast off the small town Amity twice? Perhaps this will answer that question:

After finding a killer whale, Brody asks a marine biologist (filling in Richard Dreyfuss' most-missed shoes), "You don't think if one shark dies, another shark could come and"--he gets cut off by the marine biologist, who says, "Sharks don't take things personally, Mr. Brody." Well, that's funny, according to the tagline for the forth film they do. Perhaps that is one of the confusing elements of this film. Is the shark attacking because Brody killed the other one four years ago? Or is it just an odd coincidence? We may never know.

Steven Spielberg had the smarts to move on after the first project, as did Richard Dreyfuss, and Roy Scheider should have said "no," too, because you can't flog a dead fish and expect people to jump. (Did that make sense? Sorry, I had a good catch-phrase in my head but it didn't come out right.)

The first film should have been a stand alone, but in the case that they should make a sequel to one of the most cherished films of all time, for heaven's sake, make it good!

So now I come back to my original question. What should my header be for this review? And then I got it:

"This time it's kind of personal!"

2.5/5 stars -

John Ulmer

Worthwhile follow-up

[Leofwine_draca · 7/10 · 8 August 2016]

While not as impressive as Spielberg's classic shocker, this sequel still packs a punch and comes across as a solid example of a horror/thriller hybrid. There are no really stand-out memorable scenes as in the first film (the whole last hour on the boat was brilliant, actually), and there's also nowhere near the same kind of tension build-up, but for a monster movie this does fine: there's plenty of characterisation to build realistic characters; fine photography brings the beaches and ocean to life and give the film exactly the same kind of sun-bleached look as the first; and the film's central character, as played by Roy Scheider, is simply excellent.

This time around, Scheider's character is obviously more "seen it all before" and world-weary. Nobody believes him about the shark until it's too late, either, thanks to a well-executed false alarm on a crowded beach where he goes mad and shoots at a shoal of fish in the water. Scheider's skilled acting is what makes this film worthwhile and is where most of the interest lays; his multi-layered hero is given a heart, a fact which makes us care for his safety and well being. The supporting cast are also pretty good, with some actors reprising their roles (Gary, Hamilton), and other newcomers doing pretty good. My only regret is that some of the teen screamers go a bit over the top, where silence might have had a better effect they're keen to scream at the top of their lungs.

While the shark was kept hidden for most of JAWS, here the rubber model pops up frequently as a reminder. A jump scare in which a mangled, burnt body washes up on the beach to give Scheider a shock is a scene which equals the exceptional "head floating out of the boat" moment in the first film. From there, the shark is given free rein to attack just about anything, from a helicopter (hilarious moment) to boatloads of partying teens (and can we really blame it?).

While not as epic as the one in the first - how could it be? - this film's ending is still pretty good and sees Scheider once again going one-on-one with the beast. The shark's death is a fitting ending for both the monster and the film. The law of diminishing returns meant that the two further sequels got progressively worse and more cheesy, but JAWS 2 is still a respectable, well-made film which is well worth a watch for monster fans, and provides a worthwhile sequel for the first film.

You will NOT believe a shark can eat a helicopter

[samuraihannity · 1/10 · 17 June 2009]

This movie is about as bad as a "teen scream" can get. A shark that can swim faster than a speed boat to catch water skiers. A shark that can eat a helicopter. Dumb teens who do little more than whine and scream. They took the premise of a mature thriller like Jaws and turned it into a mindless excuse for teens to act "cool" and then really, REALLY stupid. The latter 3/5 of the movie Roy Scheider is left twiddling his thumbs lost in the ocean just to give time for a bunch of teens who can't act their way out of a paper bag. Then Roy Scheider pops back in at the end for the most implausible way to kill a shark ever put a film that wasn't direct to video--which is what should have happened to this film. One word -- BAD!

This is an uneven movie with some great elements that is a fun watch

[kevin_robbins · 7/10 · 6 August 2021]

Jaws 2 (1978) is currently available on Tubi. The storyline follows the same Massachusetts small town in the first Jaws and the PTSD that went with the original experience. The sheriff's children are older and now can boat on the ocean on their own...which only complicates matters when it appears another series of shark attacks have begun. This movie is directed by Jeannot Szwarc (Ironsides) and stars Roy Scheider (French Connection), Lorraine Gary (1941), Murray Hamilton (The Graduate) and Joseph Mascolo (Heat). The storyline tries to pick up nicely from where the last one left off but had too many recycled elements - like no one believing the sheriff despite the previous film, the mayor and sheriff not getting along, etc. I will give this film credit for doing a good job with more great underwater shots. They do a good job of presenting the family dynamic as well. There's also some fantastic horror elements in this including the helicopter scene and boat crash. Overall this is an uneven movie with some great elements that is a fun watch. I'd score this a 6.5/10.

Oh Dear

[huthut85 · 2/10 · 30 September 2003]

It doesn't get much worse than this...

Throughout watching this film I got the constant feeling that the script was being made up on the spot...perhaps the actors wrote it day by day 10 minutes before filming.

Jaws worked because between the meaty bits, ie the shark scenes, there was a jelly holding it together that worked. There was an interesting 3 way dynamic between engaging characters played out by excellent actors. Here we have arrant idiocy acted out by, what I assume to be random kids they pulled off the street. Bleuwch!!

This should have a much lower rating.

JAWS 2 is the best of the three sequels!

[njt-63687 · 8/10 · 23 March 2019]

Sure, it can't top the original 1975 classic, but this film is definitely the best of the sequels. I won't diss JAWS III (1983) or JAWS: THE REVENGE (1987) because, in spite of what most people think, they are not terrible movies. Not as good as the first two films, obviously, but not terrible, either. Moving on.

While most people seem to criticize the first hour or so of JAWS 2, that's the part of the film I like the most. I know the second part has more excitement with the shark attacking the teenagers on the sailboats and Brody needing to get them out of their situation and all that, but there's something about the first part that I find more likeable. It could be a number of reasons...

(1) The shark only makes brief appearances and you hardly see much of it - similar to JAWS (1975) where you don't see much of the shark until later on in the film. (2) It builds up the tension as you wonder when and where the shark will strike next after we've seen it attack the water skier and the boat driver. (3) It gives Brody more time to realize there's another shark in the water while everyone else dismisses him. (4) I can relate to the scenes on land more since I don't go swimming at all...and thus, can imagine what it must have been like to know a shark is in the ocean and not knowing where or when it's going to attack next, as was mentioned in #2. (5) Some other unknown reason.

Regardless, it's a great film and it doesn't deserve the negative criticism it's been receiving. Of course, JAWS 2 will never be as good as JAWS, but to consider it a bad movie is really low. I know there are those who praise this film and I appreciate that. But, to those who negatively criticize it, it's definitely uncalled for. I guess it's just a matter of tastes. Not everyone is going to like this film.

One other thing: this is the only JAWS film in the franchise where I actually agree with the MPAA rating of PG. It has intense violence, but gore is very limited and not ONE of the victims is shown being eaten by the shark. It's implied, of course, but it's not actually shown, unlike what the other three films in this franchise have shown. Before I end this review, let me share what ratings I would give the four films in this franchise.

JAWS - R JAWS 2 - PG JAWS III - R JAWS: THE REVENGE - R

That is all for my review.

Competent, yet totally unnecessary.

[TOMASBBloodhound · 7/10 · 9 April 2006]

It only figured that multiple sequels would be spawned from (at the time) the most financially successful film in history. Jaws 2 was not the least bit necessary in terms of story and character development. It's merely an opportunity to put the lives of numerous young characters in jeopardy before our hero from part one (Scheider) can paddle to their rescue. The film is technically well-done, and the action somewhat compelling. This film also made a fortune, but it had nowhere near the commercial or critical success of the original.

First of all, the acting talent of Robert Shaw and Richard Dreyfuss is sorely missed. They tried to write the Matt Hooper character back in, but Dreyfuss was in the midst of shooting Close Encounters with Spielberg, rendering his physical participation out of the question. Roy Scheider is back, though. And once again he proves that he is in fact a hell of a good actor. He's the kind of guy whose character you always end up rooting for. This time we see a darker side of his Chief Brody. Convinced there is a new shark in the waters off Amitty, he presses the point so vigorously that he is fired from his job. Keep in mind, the same mayor (Hamilton) is still in office, and he's not the kind of guy who wants his beaches closed for any reason.

Despite losing his job, Brody is once again forced to dispose of the killer great white before it devours his teenage son's friends and their sail boats. The film has some good stunt work, and some memorable shots of the killer fish. There is decidedly less blood shown in this one. The original barely escaped and R-rating, and they were obviously not going to chance that again. There are still plenty of frightening scenes, though. French director Jeannot Szwarc is no Spielberg, but he does a decent enough job with the material. John Williams' music still rings true.

Speaking of the material, that's the film's weak spot. Sharks do not behave like killers in a slasher movie. They don't use strategy to hunt down their victims like the sharks in these movies. A great white shark is a powerful and dangerous predator, but humans are generally not on its menu. Jaws 2 is however, miles above the next two sequels in the series. Part 3 had only the 3D gimmick to fall back on. Part 4 is hardly worth mentioning unless you like to laugh at really, really bad films.

7 of 10 stars for Jaws 2.

The Hound.

Added Feb 14, 2008: RIP Roy Scheider!

Like Most Sequels It's Not Very Good

[Theo Robertson · 4/10 · 3 November 2004]

!!!! MILS SPOILERS !!!!

If this was made today I would have jumped to the conclusion that this was a recruiting film for Al Qaeda . Seriously I would have , how on earth can an audience empathise with what must be the most unsympathetic characters in cinerama - American teenagers ? Not just any American teenagers , ones who have been spoiled rotten by their parents , drink even though they appear under age and have lots of sex . Are we supposed to relate to them as they sail around the Atlantic Ocean ? It's also a fact that people who go sailing around in boats are very stuck up so right away I was hoping they were all on the shark menu . I was bitterly disappointed that some of them survived to the end credits and let's not forget that one of the victims who weren't part of the brat pack ( Captain Birdseye helicopter pilot and Mrs Napalm Lady in the boat ) deserved to die because they were hopeless actors . I get the feeling that empathising more with the shark rather than its victims wasn't part of the game plan

It's not just this that spoiled the film . It's also badly paced with Sheriff Brody wandering around the beach making sure no one is going to be gobbled up by the shark which is something we saw in the first movie so there's little plot advancement or character development . There's also a lapse of logic to all this since despite several people being killed by a shark in the previous movie no one is willing to believe a shark has returned to the waters . There's a motivation for this scepticism from some of the characters ( Money - Just like in the first movie , or any Peter Benchley novel ) but other characters would have no motivation for wanting to disbelieve Brody especially when all the evidence is staring them in the face

There's another thing I found lacking and that's the lack of character conflict in the script . In the original much of the movie is carried by Robert Shaw's character disliking Richard Dreyfuss's character along with Sheriff Brody . Here there's little character interaction because most of the characters are screaming teenagers who are on the verge of dying at the jaws of a great white shark , and I so much hoped the shark was going to be the sole survivor at the end

No "Jaws" but not bad

[jrs-8 · 6/10 · 2 August 2004]

Was there ever a doubt that "Jaws 2" wouldn't stand a chance of equaling the original film? One could only hope that on its own level it was a decent film. And that is exactly what we get. To try and view this film and compare it to the original is an impossible task. The original "Jaws" is one of the great films of all time. Viewers need to approach "Jaws 2" with the first film completely out of mind.

The sequel picks up a few years after the first film. The setting is the same (Amity Island) and Roy Scheider is back as Chief Brody. Also returning are Murray Hamilton as the Mayor, Lorraine Gary as Mrs. Brody, and Jeffery Kramer as deputy Hendricks. Gary and Kramer have bigger parts this time around while Hamilton still mills about not doing much of anything as he did in the original.

The story this time centers around the teenagers of Amity Island headed by the older Brody sons (who are amazingly quite older then just the few years passed), particularly older brother Mike and his friends. They all like parasailing and you know what that means right? Early on Brody starts getting indications of another shark problem and takes his concerns to the town board and mayor. One of the biggest flaws in the film is their attitude, which is the same as the mayor's in the first film. Wouldn't you think they might have a little concern considering what had happened a few years earlier? The movie moves at a snail's pace for the first hour but things pick up in the second half once the teenagers take the sailboats out and realize the trouble that awaits them.

On the positive side the shark looks as good, if not better, then in the first film. It is completely convincing. Scheider gives his usual solid performance despite playing second fiddle to a mechanical fish. And the second half of the film is quite suspenseful at times. There is one shot that has to be seen to be believed. An unconscience Mike Brody is in the water with the shark fast approaching. His friends are trying to lift him into the boat. The shark comes out of the water and.... well I won't tell you what happens but I think it is the best shark shot in the entire series of "Jaws" films.

On the negative side the characters of the teenagers are pretty one dimensional and we don't get to know many of them well enough to care if they end up as shark dinner or not. One of the teens played by Donna Wilkes spends the last half hour doing nothing but screaming. The screams are so annoying either you almost wish she would fall in the water and be done with it. A scene with a helicopter in the water is as ridiculous as things can get. The ending (not revealed here) is a touch silly but if you think about it the ending to the original was no more silly.

In the end "Jaws 2" is a decent but not great followup. For those that truly dislike the film I invite them to watch "Jaws 3" or "Jaws: The Revenge". Those films make part 2 look like the classic the first one is.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders

[OMTR · 7/10 · 5 July 2023]

Steven Spielberg refused to direct 'Jaws 2' due to post-traumatic stress disorder: "I was shaking. I never wanted to go near water again," he told EW in 2016, recalling the nightmarish problems of filming at sea, making actors seasick, with sinking boats and an unpredictable (mechanical) shark.

Vagaries that caused up to 100 days of delay in production despite uninterrupted working days of 12 hours.

As a result, the sequel is effectively scripted for what it is 1) and well-acted, but lacks the genius of the original work.

The strength of the film remains Roy Scheider, in his brilliant portrayal of Chief Martin Brody, who must battle with PTSD, confront the mediocrity that reigns on Amity Island, and face a new gargantuan great white shark, which terrorizes the waters of the station, just when you thought it was safe to go back in water.

1) Steven Spielberg also thought a sequel to 'Jaws' was unnecessary, but his idea for a sequel would have been to adapt Quint's survival from the sinking of the USS Indianapolis as a prequel, which could have opened up all sorts of creative opportunities.

Awful sequel

[hitchs · 2/10 · 20 October 2000]

Surely one of the worst sequels of all time. Leave out everything worthwhile in the original movie (the great chemistry between the three main characters, the genuine suspense, the great chase scenes, the original ideas, etc), keep one of the main characters, hire a couple of no-talent scriptwriters, make the shark look ten times more artificial, and this is roughly what you get. No wonder Spielberg was appalled.

Still entertaining with some good scares

[varshal-42274 · 7/10 · 24 June 2022]

Jaws 2 may not be anywhere near as great as the first one but it still manages to be entertaining and feature some genuinely good frightning plus suspenseful moments.

Horrible sequel to a great film

[JoshSharpe · 2/10 · 7 September 2012]

In the words of Roger Ebert: "I hated, hated, hated this movie." Uninteresting, pointless, predictable. Those last two sentences express how I felt about "Jaws 2". I try to avoid using the word "boring" in my writing but I am forced to use it here: this is a boring movie. Dreadfully and painfully boring. It is strange to me how a brilliant film such as "Jaws" could have such a bad sequel. But this movie shows how possible it is. Not only was it uninteresting, but it was incredibly predicable. In my mind (or sometimes out loud), I would say what would happen next and, by golly, I was right almost the entire time. And to make it even worse, the story line was unoriginal. Based on what you know from the first one, it is a given that there will be shark attacks. But all that consists of the story is a group of rebellious kids who decide to go sailing and...well I'm sure you can guess what happens next. Without the talents of Steven Spielberg and Richard Dreyfuss, this movie suffers greatly. The only part of this movie that was even relatively interesting was the ending, which I am not going to give away in case, for some reason, you do end up seeing this film.

Another Bruce?

[gavin6942 · 6/10 · 15 October 2016]

Police chief Brody (Roy Scheider) must protect the citizens of Amity after a second monstrous shark begins terrorizing the waters.

In October 1975, Steven Spielberg told the San Francisco Film Festival that "making a sequel to anything is just a cheap carny trick" and that he did not even respond to the producers when they asked him to direct "Jaws 2". He may be right, but sequels have their place, and this one does a fair job of capturing the spirit of the first film... much more than the future sequels.

Of course, it remains a sequel and not near as iconic as the original. But that should hardly be a surprise. You can only have one "Jaws", really. But the continuing adventures of the Brody family are worth exploring, whether they have the same level of intensity or not.

Fails to impress...or do anything for that matter...

[~AleXa~ · 4/10 · 7 June 2005]

PROLOGUE: For the record, I somehow managed to have not seen Jaws (1975) in my 21 years of life until yesterday, and let me say, I was pleasantly surprised and impressed. It was well- written, well-paced, and masterfully directed, somewhat sketchy in parts, but left open enough to remain believable. I was thoroughly engrossed in the movie from start to finish, and after viewing, could see how three sequels could stem from the lurking thriller, especially with Steven Spielberg in the chair. All I really knew about the movies was that the first was awesome, the 2nd was okay, the 3rd was lacking, and the 4th sucked. So from that, I'd somehow assumed that Steven did the first two and not the last two, and stupid me, I didn't check the listing before I watched the 2nd, so I went into it thinking that Steven could've made it reach newer heights with a better animatronic shark, better attack sequences, and a little more explanation. But I only proved that what they say about assumptions is right…

Now, you'd like to think that if you make a movie about a killer shark, no matter how lacking the plot is, no matter how inexperienced the director, it would encompass *some* modicum of suspense……………………..you'd like to think.

So we're back in Amity, four years later I believe, and yet another monstrous Great White shark has appeared, eating people….except this time, instead of a shark, it's a giant gray piece of rubber popping up and opening and closing its mouth. I mean, seriously, if you can't fork out the cash for a better animatronic shark, then why bother? The shark is so blatantly fake, you never even view the people as being in danger. And what's worse, they show the shark a lot more this time around, which gives you plenty of opportunities for good, long looks at the over-sized piece of rubber.

And unlike the shark in the first which really seemed to possess some intelligence, this one seems to get his kicks by simply stalking people and biting boats. It actually kills like what… two people? And when it finally did, there was no blood! Was this the director's vain attempt to keep the movie at a PG rating? Umm, newsflash Szwarc…Spielberg had believable attacks with blood and still maintained a PG rating.

And silly me, I actually thought there might be some attempt at an explanation for how and why the shark exists and why another equally large one has come to the shores of the same small town four years later… What was I thinking??

And to further aggravate matters, the mayor and townspeople are actually dumber in this one as they were in the first, refusing to believe Sheriff Brody (Roy Scheider) when he proclaims there's another killer shark in their midst, despite the fact that this actually did happen four years prior. But I guess we can chalk that one up to short-term memory loss. Oh wait…that would be LONG-term memory loss……so much for that theory.

The plot in general is very unstructured and choppy, following no clear direction. It's just a series of poorly put-together 'shark stalkings' as I'll call them, in the last half with the kids on their sailboats, always allowing them ample time to swim back to their boats so it can once again scare the girls into screaming for their lives before it once again brushes past the boat, knocking someone else into the water, and swimming around till they get almost back in the boat and then coming after them and just barely missing. Give me a break! By the end, I was so frustrated, I just wanted it to get *somebody*, even if it *was* Brody's son!!

In my opinion, there was no reason to make this movie…this is exactly what Jaws (1975) would've been like with a different director (other than Spielberg).

VERDICT: Jaws reincarnate, minus the suspense, the intelligence, and the masterful direction —nothing more than a cheap remake of the first. See the first and quit while you're ahead.

3.5 out of 10.0

P.S. I would like to take this time to applaud Steven Spielberg for saying no to money and yes to cinematic integrity—he saw there was no story to be told and turned it down. Kudos to you Steven.

Why the low rating?

[AngelHonesty · 8/10 · 4 January 2021]

Jaws 2 falls a little short compared to Jaws 1, but it's still a good movie. The film has the original cast which is awesome! Great filming and I loved how the shark is made out of mechanics, they did a great job in making it look real. The movie is a little slower then the first in the fact that it has less action. The shark attacks are less gory and showing compared to the first Jaws movie. One nice thing is that the movie changes it game by taking the shark attack to the open ocean instead of off the shore. Over all I found it another exciting Jaws film and was happy with how it was done.

I liked it, but not as good as the first by any means

[shuz · 7/10 · 4 October 1998]

"Jaws 2" is an entertaining Saturday afternoon flick, by all means. Not anywhere as good or as intense as the original, it is nevertheless a fun watch. The shark has returned to feed on the citizens of Amity, and once again the town sheriff (Roy Scheider) must save the day. A group of teens, including the sheriff's two sons, have gone out for a day of sailing, and all Hell soon breaks loose. OK, I admit there is one glaringly unbelievable part when the shark meets up with a helicopter, but other than that it packs solid thrills. Ann Dusenberry, who plays Tina, gives a haunting performance after witnessing her boyfriend become shark chowder. Donna Wilkes is perhaps one of the top three screen screamers of all time. After watching this one, you'll think twice about ever waterski-ing in the ocean. I would have preferred a better ending, I will admit, but if you haven't seen it, check it out on a rainy day.

hmm?

[the_jp_freak · 1/10 · 14 August 2003]

This film rehashes most of the storyline from the first film. Once again on Amity Island a great white shark comes to the island. Chief Brody again is paranoid and the mayor doesn't believe or dosen't want to believe him, because he is only worried about tourism. Again the shark feasts on the people.

Lacks Dark Terror Of The Original

[robc-11 · 29 April 2004]

While Steven Spielberg's "Jaws" a dark, scary, and gripping thriller, "Jaws 2" is a scary movie for kids who don't really want to be scared. The imagination and unique style that Spielberg put into the original is sorely lacking here; this is merely a teenagers-in-jeopardy thriller as hordes of sailboating teens are terrorized by the giant killer shark. Spielberg did not expose us to the actual shark until much later in the film, which added to the heightened tension. We see the shark up close right away in this film, and it's no sense of terror. The shark chomps on water skiers, attacks boats, drags a helicopter out of the air and into the ocean, snacks on scuba divers, and the day is once again saved by Chief Brody (Roy Scheider.) With all this chomping and chewing going on, "Jaws 2" is oddly ineffective and unscary. While alot of kids were genuinely frightened and scared by the original "Jaws," this sequel is more like a carnival ride that provides a few thrills but is forgotten after it is over. The music by John Williams is absolutely fabulous and the atmosphere is sunnier this time around, but "Jaws 2" fails to satisfy. It's just alot of kids screaming and falling in the water. While the original is a horror masterpiece, this is an O.K. film for squeamish little children.