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 left Amity Island,
leaving the residents fearful
of shark attacks, Sheriff
Martin Brody investigates
a disappearance and a boating
accident that suggest
fears come true when
another Great White arrives
to terrorise everyone at 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
Crew
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 -
Live Shark Photography - Ron & Valerie Taylor
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, beachgoers were so terrified by the film that they were afraid to go into the water. It boosted the career of young Steven Spielberg, who later directed major successes such as Close Encounters, Raiders of the Lost Ark, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Schindler's List, Jurassic Park, and more. Meanwhile, JAWS 2 premiered in 1978 without Spielberg's involvement. After the first instalment's success, Universal sought to capitalise on its popularity, and audiences wanted more bite-sized thrills. Looking back, the sequel is just your typical shark movie, with nothing new or more thrilling than the original. Further disappointment was that Richard Dreyfuss didn't return (which is why he refused to do so 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. All things considered, he did a decent job with the material he had. The plot is too similar to the original film. Yet, the suspense of the first instalment remains, especially in the second half. The shark is as good as in the first. However, its behaviour is more akin to that of a serial killer than to that of 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 the most. =Roy agreed to appear in this sequel only because he remained under contract with Universal for multiple films. According to outside sources, JAWS 2 was his way out, 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 seem like a cash-in on the original film, the poor quality of the next two films confirms it. JAWS 2 was so popular that it didn't need any follow-ups.
Although it's not as good as its predecessor, JAWS 2 is undoubtedly the least disappointing sequel and the only watchable one in the series. I'd recommend it to fans of the original.
Star rating: (7/10) Good Movie
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