Movies (Essay Sample)

Student Name: Professor Name: Course Number: Date: Jaws 2 (1978) Sequels in the movie industry remain a difficult issue for producers who always seek to repeat any achievement. The problem increases in scale, however, as the source film is usually an immortal masterpiece widely acclaimed in the history of films. Like in “Jaws 2” by Jeannot Szwarc, it was an attempt to maintain the tension and horror that were present in Steven Spielberg’s classic “Jaws.” The essay will go into a review of how “Jaws 2” was received by both critics and “Jaws 2” is in the shadow of Spielberg’s and comparison of the films brings in difficulties for a sequel. Does “Jaws 2” overreach in an attempt to outdo “Jaws”, or does it fall flat on trying to follow in the footsteps of the movie icon? We will analyze issues such as characterization, story integrity, and visual acuity to determine if “JAWS 2” stays afloat or sinks into oblivion as another failed sequel. In the second series “Jaws 2”, it is evident that there is no creativity in the storyline, yet the repeating formula for the success of the first movie is quite clear. Once again, the plot returns to the peril posed by a shark in the waters of Amity and almost reproduces the same structure as its precursor. This can be seen from the fact that there are no innovative elements, that can shock or go against the expectations that viewers had. Again, the plot revolves around people trying to deal with a shark, but here it is obvious that there is no new story. Alternatively, some new perspectives, different angles, and unexploited parts of the universe invented “Jaws” might have been taken into account. Nevertheless, the movie follows the traditional pattern, providing one with a sense of déjà vu rather than an authentic sequel. Narrative creativity is important in cinema because the audience expects some form of discovery. However, Jaws 2 fails to do so since it prefers safe options rather than expanding the world built by Spielberg. Another of the many flaws in “Jaws 2” is the shallowness of their characters. The first part showed exemplary character development whereas the second was full of two-dimensional and cliché characters. In particular, the teenagers in “Jaws 2” fell into the typical terror film stereotypes of that time. The stereotypes did not have the complexities and subtlety as those depicted in the first movie and were only generic images. “Jaws” had a strength of realism in their relationships. In this film, there are only superficial types for the audience instead of characters. The absence of character development leads to minimal emotions involved with their fate. While the bond felt for the residents of Amity in the first movie is undermined by an impression that the characters of “Jaws 2” are just used instruments for the development of the action, they were actually complicated people who had individual stories and thoughts. One of the main weaknesses in “Jaws 2” lies in its lack of tension and suspense. The initial release was adept at maintaining viewers on tenterhooks, but the second did not reach that degree of suspense. The power of the action scenes is not the same, and the expectation that one has when watching a movie about a shark takes away the efficacy of these horror moments. In "Jaws 2", the shark threat is much less exciting than in the original. This reduces any emotional attachment viewers might have with the narrative. Efficient build-up of tension fails the movie to provide that confined feeling which gives suspense on its way. It leaves out one of the main reasons why “Jaws” was significant in its category. The less effective direction by Jeannot Szwarc in “Jaws 2” is a major drawback of the movie. While Steven Spielberg’s directorial genius in the first cha...