4/5
Steven Spielberg's Jaws is an iconic film. From its classic line, "We're gonna need a bigger boat," to its ominous two note staccato, Jaws is unforgettable. Much like Psycho, it is often parodied but never duplicated. Watching it with fresh eyes, I'm surprised by how intentional and pointed the editing is. You can see when Spielberg resists cuts, instead focusing his creativity on shot composition and allowing the action to occur in the background. But you can also see him use cuts to great effect, by intercutting subtly tighter and tighter close-ups to build tension.
It's by no means a perfect movie. Much like MASH, it feels more like a collection of random, loosely-related events than a single coherent story with inevitable narrative progression. Some plot points seem a bit ridiculous or unbelievable by today's standards and the dull colors and plain costumes certainly cement the movie in a distant time. But it's a landmark film for a reason--and it actually stands up pretty well. Even now, Jaws is still as much of a white knuckle, edge-of-your-seat experience as ever. That's a testament to the skill of the storytellers, who are able to engage and involve the audience in a timeless, universal way. Jaws is required viewing for any film fan.
IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0073195/