‘Jaws’: The classic blockbuster JJ Abrams was “in awe of”
The best directors usually know how to put you in a certain space whenever you watch their movies. Even if he might not be to your taste or be the most subtle in movies, it’s easy to pick out what a Michael Bay film looks like compared to what a Steven Spielberg might be. JJ Abrams may be responsible for pushing his craft in a different direction whenever he works with various CGI and lens flares, but it all came down to practical effects when talking about one of his favourite films, Jaws.
Compared to the landmark blockbusters that have become a mainstay of culture, Spielberg could practically be considered the godfather of the medium with this movie. There may be more chilling movies about killer sharks and far more ridiculous ones (Sharknado, anyone?), but seeing the image of a shark slowly stalking its prey in the middle of the water is still burnt in the minds of anyone who’s ever seen the film.
Spielberg was never one to show gratuitous violence, even if it wasn’t for a reason. He had always admired the idea of focusing on the characters in every film, and whenever you see this crew go deep into the ocean to try to kill this shark, it feels like you’re right in the boat with them.
When talking about his favourite films for Rotten Tomatoes, Abrams admitted that Jaws may have had a bigger impact on him than any other film, saying, “Jaws is an undeniably great movie. Jaws is just one of the greatest movies ever. It’s on TV all the time. It is never not on television. The movie is just wonderful and the characters are so great. I am just in awe of that movie. I think that movie is spectacular”.
One of Jaws‘ greatest strengths goes beyond what Abrams may have thought when first watching the movie. Through the use of different camera techniques, it feels like most of us are in imminent danger when we watch the movie as if that maneater is going to come through the screen to tear us apart.
Also, at the risk of spoiling a movie that is old enough to collect retirement checks, the ending is one of the most of the greatest glimpses into filmmaking Spielberg has ever done. While Chief Brody bravely faces off against the shark, we are the only ones who get to see him shoot the monster at point-blank range, almost like we got a glimpse of something we were never supposed to see.
The same could be said for what Abrams did when working on his films. Looking at what Cloverfield did with its use of gritty realism through shaky cam, we are among the only people who get a good view of what this alien looks like, taking the same unsettling effect that Jaws and taking it from the water to being plopped down from the deep voyages of space.
While Spielberg was never satisfied working in just one genre, Jaws is a movie that still demands the respect of anyone who’s ever had the pleasure of watching it. It may not be the most complex movie of all time, but if you’ve seen any blockbuster after it, you’ve seen something that’s taken a page out of its playbook.
