Jaws 2
Release Date: 30th November 1978 - Australia
Production Companies
Universal Pictures
Distribution
Universal Pictures Australia
Genre: Thriller
Rating: M (Not Suitable for Young Children)
Runtime: 111 minutes
Budget: $30,000,000
Box Office Gross: $187,884,007 (Worldwide)
Plot Summary
Four years after a Great White
Four years after a Great White
Shark had left Amity Island
with a fear of shark attacks,
and after having a ferocious
encounter with the predator,
Sheriff Martin Brody is
investigating a disappearance
and boating accident, which
Brody's fears come true when
there is another Great White,
which has come to terrorise
everyone in the sailing
competition.
Cast
Roy Scheider - Chief Martin Brody
Lorraine Gray - Ellen Brody
Murray Hamilton - Mayor Larry Vaughn
Joseph Mascolo - Peterson
Collin Wilcox Paxton - Dr. Elkins
Ann Dusenberry - Tina
Mark Gruner - Mike Brody
Barry Coe - Andrews
Susan French - Old Lady
Gary Springer - Andy
Donna Wilkes - Jackie
Gary Dublin - Ed
John Dukakis - Polo
G. Thomas Dunlop - Timmy
David Elliott - Larry
Keith Gordon - Doug
Cindy Grover - Lucy
Ben Marley - Patrick
Martha Swatek - Marge
Billy Van Zandt - Bob
Gigi Vorgan - Brooke
April Gilpin - Renee
Coll Red McLean - Red
Allan L. Paddack - Crosby
Kathy Wilson - Mrs. Bryant
Herb Muller - Phil Fogarty
Mary A. Gaffney - Mrs. Silvera
Director - Jeannot Szwarc
Based Upon Characters - Peter Benchley
Writers - Carl Gottlieb and Howard Sackler
Associate Producer/Production Designer/Second Unit Director - Joe Alves
Producers - Richard D. Zanuck and David Brown
Technical Advisor - Fred Zendar
Art Directors - W. Stewart Campbell and Gene Johnson
Set Decorator - Phil Abramson
Costume Designer - Bill Jobe
Director of Photography -
Michael C. Butler
Unit Production Manager - Bill Badalato
Production Manager - Tom Joyner
First Assistant Directors - Scott Maitland and Don Zepfel
Second Assistant Directors - Katy Emde and Beau Marks
Stunt Coordinator - Ted Grossman
Special Mechanical Effects - Roy Arbogast and Robert A. Mattey
Film Editors - Steve Potter,
Arthur Schmidt and Neil Travis
Sound - James R. Alexander
Sound Re-Recording - Robert L. Hoyt
Sound Effects Editor - James Troutman
Music - John Williams
Review
When Jaws came out in 1975, visitors to the beach were so terrified by the film that they were afraid to go into the water. It was a career boost for young Steven Spielberg as he would later direct big successes like Close Encounters, Raiders of the Lost Ark, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Schneider's List, Jurassic Park, and others. Meanwhile, JAWS 2 came into being without Spielberg's involvement in 1978. Due to the first instalment's success, Universal was keen to capitalise on its popularity, and audiences asked for more bite-sized thrills. Looking back at the sequel, it's just your typical shark movie, and there's nothing new and more thrilling than the original. What also disappointed me about the film is that Richard Dreyfuss didn't return (which is why he refused to return without Spielberg).
While a decent director, Jeannot Szwarc, falls far short of Steven Spielberg's standards. He doesn't have as much enthusiasm as Spielberg did when he filmed the first Jaws movie. All things considered, he did a decent job with the material at his disposal. The plot is too similar to that of the original film. Yet, the suspense of the first instalment remains, especially in the second half. The shark appears as good as it did in the first one. However, its behaviour is more akin to that of a serial killer than an enraged beast. Even the teenage characters are rather one-dimensional. You don't get to know many of them well enough to care whether they survive or become shark food.
The ensemble cast is solid, with Roy Scheider's performance as Chief Brody standing out in particular. The only reason Roy agreed to appear in this sequel was that he remained under contract with Universal for multiple films. According to outside sources, JAWS 2 was his way out of that situation, even if it meant clashing with the new director.
The series should have ended when Roy Scheider refused to continue playing the role. While this sequel may appear to be a cash-in on the original film, the poor quality of the following two films proves that this is indeed the case. JAWS 2 was so popular with audiences that it didn't need any more follow-ups.
Although it's not as good as its predecessor, JAWS 2 is undoubtedly the least disappointing of the series and the only watchable sequel. I'd recommend this to fans of the original.
Star rating: (7/10) Good Movie
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