Retro Review: Jaws 2 (1978)

Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water. Even at the very young age of six, I remember those words in TV and radio commercials, and reading them in newspaper ads for Jaws 2.

I'd never seen Jaws, but I sure wanted to after witnessing the publicity for Jaws 2. And when I eventually did, it became my favourite movie of all time. Still is. It's the perfect film, with a masterful blend of scares, suspense, drama, humour and character development. It's superbly crafted, and there's nary a CGI shark in sight.

Jaws was, at the time, the biggest hit ever, and launched the summer blockbuster. Universal naturally wanted a sequel, but how do you follow up such a hit?

They probably shouldn't have, because you simply can't top a movie like Jaws. It didn't matter how good Jaws 2 turned out to be -- it's entertaining but unspectacular -- it still pales in comparison. Sure, the shark scenes deliver the goods, but Robert Shaw and Richard Dreyfuss are sorely lacking when the film is on land. Think any one of the 80s slasher sequels and that's essentially Jaws 2, only with a shark.

I have a soft spot in my heart for this movie, kinda like I do with Rick Rosenthal's Halloween 2. It rates a Good, but it's certainly nothing special by any standard.

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