Jaws 2 (1978)
Cast: Roy Schieder, Lorraine Gary, Murray Hamilton
Director: Jeannot Szwarc
Nutshell: Another hungry man-eating shark shows up on the beaches of blighted Amity
Review by: Omar Khan 

"Pure trash." — Roger Ebert

"Some of the action sequences have been well staged, but they've been dropped into the film so indiscriminately that Jaws 2 never builds to a particular climax." — The New York Times (Vincent Canby)

"It is worth watching only when its leading player is on camera." — Gene Siskel

"It's obviously not a patch on Spielberg's classic, but it's about as good as could be hoped for." — Blu-ray Authority

"A decent sequel, and one produced before the franchise hit troubled waters." — John Kenneth Muir

"After this one, the other Jaws movies seemed to just not be as good." — DVD Authority

"Jaws 2 never approaches the lingering thrills of its classic predecessor, but it's reasonably entertaining for a sequel that has no reason to exist." — Rotten Tomatoes Critics Consensus

Following up Jaws was always going to be a near-impossible task, and Steven Spielberg wisely opted to have nothing whatsoever to do with the sequel. After much wrangling and indecision, the up-and-coming—though then largely unknown and forever unpronounceable—Jeannot Szwarc was handed the job every director needed but nobody wanted.

Viewed today, Jaws 2 emerges as a perfectly respectable sequel and looks even better when compared with some of the later efforts Universal inflicted upon audiences. A few years have passed since Amity was terrorised by Bruce, the infamous shark from the original film, but it seems word has spread among the local shark population that this is an excellent place to stop for lunch, because yet another toothy predator arrives to snack on unsuspecting holidaymakers.

Once again, Amity finds itself in financial trouble and depends heavily upon the annual influx of summer tourists. The same sleazy mayor is back, along with several of the equally sceptical townsfolk who refused to believe poor Chief Brody during the first film. This time, the town's hopes rest upon a lavish summer regatta designed to rescue the local economy.

Unfortunately, the shark has rather different plans.

Brody quickly realises that another Great White has arrived off the Amity coast, but, as before, nobody believes him. Indeed, matters become so bad that the poor fellow is actually fired after causing panic on the beaches when he mistakes a shadow in the water for the returning killer.

The film often plays like a more predictable rerun of the original Jaws, although that is hardly the worst criticism one could level at it. Jeannot Szwarc manages to generate a respectable amount of tension throughout, with several genuinely effective suspense sequences. The unfortunate water-skier who narrowly escapes the lurking predator, the ominous movement of floating debris and, of course, John Williams' magnificent score all combine to remind us why the original film worked so brilliantly.

Where Jaws 2 falls short is in its supporting characters. Instead of colourful personalities such as Quint and Hooper helping to drive the narrative, we are largely left with a bevy of amorous, brainless and thoroughly snotty teenagers who resemble little more than disposable victims from an early slasher film. Quite frankly, you spend most of the running time hoping they all get eaten.

The climax is also a little too convenient, but compared with Jaws 3 and the sublimely ridiculous Jaws: The Revenge, this second instalment almost qualifies as a minor classic. It may largely retrace the footsteps of the original, but it remains an enjoyable and well-made thriller, even if it lacks much of the character and originality that made Spielberg's masterpiece so extraordinary.

The shark itself is somewhat more mobile than poor old Bruce, although it still manages to look rather mechanical—particularly when chewing.

Jeannot Szwarc deserves considerable credit for delivering a thoroughly competent sequel despite the numerous production problems that plagued the shoot. The film performed respectably at the box office, although the poor director never really escaped the shadow of Jaws. Roy Scheider wisely abandoned the franchise after this outing, with Chief Brody being dispatched off-screen before the events of Jaws: The Revenge. Lorraine Gary returned once more for that epic slice of cinematic absurdity and, who knows, may yet reappear should Jaws 5 ever find its way into production.

One can only hope that one day we might receive a special edition of Jaws 2 featuring a full-length commentary track shedding some light on the many behind-the-scenes dramas that accompanied this famously troubled production.