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| Images courtesy of Universal Pictures |
The Jaws franchise is a beautiful trainwreck. The perfect summation of Hollywood's endless drive to replicate box office magic and to ring every single dollar possible from the populace. The first film is a bona fide masterwork and largely considered one of the greatest films ever made. The third film attempted to cash in on the 3-D trend that Amityville and Friday the 13th were both using as well. The final product was a laughable attempt to bring the shark to Seaworld. The fourth entry is regarded as one of the worst films ever made, despite it being one of the better offerings in the franchise. However, it is the original sequel, part 2 that is one of the most unique entries not only into the film series, but in the killer shark genre as well. Combining Roy Scheider's formidable presence, a slasher-esque ambiance, and some of the most unnerving visuals out of all four films, Jaws 2 is an underrated piece of genre filmmaking, that, were it not standing in the shadow of its legendary predecessor might be considered a classic within its own right.
An aggressive great white shark has come, once again to Amity Island, only this time, no one believes Chief Brody as the bodies begin to pile up. When Brody's older son and his friends take an ill-advised sailing trip, they are stalked by the predator, forcing Brody to confront his trauma from the previous shark and face the new one in a showdown to the death. Scheider adamantly refused to do a sequel, until he was forced to via contract and his anger is palpable throughout both behind the camera (Scheider got into a physical altercation with director Jeannot Szwarc) and in front. One of the most fascinating parts of this film is its exploration of Brody's psychological trauma as a result of the first film. In the novel, Brody is a drunk, and while both films flirt with that concept, it is mostly danced around, however, his abject terror at the thought of yet another shark problem is some of Scheider's best work, particularly during a gripping sequence in which Brody wades into the surf to find the latest victim.
The teenage actors have long been a punchline and trope, however, upon revisit, the archetypes being displayed are almost Greek-like. The mother figure Marge, using her last moments to ensure the child Sean is safe. The feisty temptress Jackie. The comical, but thoughtful Doug and Andy. All of these characters fail to endear, but they are representative of the horror films Jaws 2 was attempting to emulate. Flesh and bone victims waiting to be devoured, a product of the time, and of cinematic techniques that were being exploited by other horror franchises.
This is a mean-spirited picture, with soulless bureaucrats, entitled rich kids, and the ever-grinding machine of tourism demanding sacrifice while deaths are ignored and Brody's increasingly fraying mental health becomes a means to target him, rather than support him. The result is a unique horror story in which the shark is representative of all the darkness that exists in small tourist towns under the sunshine veneer of paradise.
Michael Butler's cinematography is perhaps the strongest
element. The shark, once again had technical issues, however it is
captured like a true predator stalking a water skier, attacking a boat head on,
and literally sinking a helicopter in one of the most improbable
sequences. The underwater scenes are tense, as vision remains obscured
and the creature is more of a ghost than a physical being. The world of
Amity is filmed with bright colors, colors that clash with the coldness of the
ocean during the final act, a symbol of themes explored in the first
film. However, unlike the original, everything within the sequel
exists to be consumed. Where it is a matter of refusing to close the
beaches in the first, here the shark is relentless, even intelligent, yet
another similarity to the slasher film.
Available for digital rental or on a stunning 4K UHD, Jaws 2 is an
imperfect, but wildly fun horror experience. Daring to explore taboo
topics such as mental health and creating a frantic atmosphere in which a
killer stalks the sea are what makes it so memorable and one of the greatest
killer shark films ever made.
--Kyle Jonathan