The four moments that prove JAWS 2 is an undervalued sequel
Jaws 2 was a huge deal in 1978 when it opened in cinemas. For a time, it was the most successful sequel in film history.
Most people know that it has similarities to “slasher” movies, the best of which, John Carpenter’s Halloween, was released later that same year. People may also know that the teens in boats was a nod to the cruising craze of the time, something which is no doubt also fuel to the success of Grease.
How could they possibly follow a masterpiece like the first? What chance did they even have?
For starters, you have to remember that Jaws was the masterpiece it was by accident, not by design. It is often said that, had the shark “worked”, it would have been a very different film. They wanted to use the shark much more than they could. The star is only onscreen for around 4 minutes! Remember that when you look ahead to Jaws 2. They still had problems with the shark but she worked with improved frequency than the first and, relatively speaking, “behaved”.
The main reason most people who DON’T like this film is cited as “…not Spielberg…”. They seem to forget ( or not know ) that a film director is an employee of the producer. This is the reason why the likes of Clint Eastwood and others produce the films they want to direct- they have full creative control BECAUSE they are producing. That’s why we have “Director’s Cuts”- that director didn’t have full creative control at the time they were making their film.
The final say on what goes on that screen is in the hands of the producers and distributors.
It’s merely a misconception, that a director has full control from the beginning.
Here’s the next, and final point, before I reveal the four magic moments that may be a lightbulb moment for those watching Jaws 2 again.
Jaws and Jaws 2 had the same producers. That’s entirely the reason why, along with the return of some cast and locations, Jaws 2 has a closer relationship / feel to the original than the maligned Jaws 3 and Jaws:The Revenge. ( both of these had different producers )
This means to say that had it been directed by Steven Spielberg, it may still have been good, but STILL not as good as the first. If you think about it, NONE of his sequels have been as good or as appreciated as his “first” films and, in the case of Raiders of the Lost Ark he has not even come close to that initial magic and excitement with the progressively inferior sequels.
I actually think that Jaws 2 is a better watch than any of Spielberg’s sequels. I would happily choose it over any of the Raiders sequels any day.
So- you are now asking, “Are you going to make it to the four moments that prove Jaws 2 is as clever and inspired as you suggest it may be?”
I’m steering for it, kid…
Moment No.1: The water kite sequence
Many say that Jaws 2 is a blatant copy of its predecessor. This sequence would have been the “Alex Kitner” moment if that were the case. The scene builds relatively subtly, the tension doesn’t really ramp up to 10 like the Kitner scene in Jaws- probably quite deliberately as the music and “shark’s view” photography is well crafted and precise. Here’s the thing though- IF the shark had taken a victim here, there would have been witnesses ( just like the Kitner scene but NOT the Chrissie scene in Jaws ). That means the rest of the film, with narrative arcs like Brody’s suspicions and his almost total meltdown would not have happened- people would witness this attack, just like Alex’s, and Jaws 2 would have simply rolled into the remake everyone seems to think it is- another hunt !
Let that sink in, just like the Orca.
Moment No.2 The water skiier and boat explosion
A fantastic little sequence of the film here. Breakneck speed and savage payoff, both from the shark and John Williams!
We all know what happened. We saw it. This is my point though- we are the only ones who did ( like the attack that gives one of the greatest openings in cinema history, Chrissie in Jaws ).
Now, at this happening, we do get a (partial) witness. The elderly lady observes the boat and the skier but, she has clearly taken her eyes away from the “…just having fun…” souls on the water, she was too engrossed in her book. She has clearly told Brody that there were two people, one skiing and one driving. Here’s where it gets interesting…
Brody doesn’t know for sure that, before the time of the explosion, the skier may have been back aboard the boat. ( if we can assume that the elderly lady was aware that the engine had been stopped a few minutes before the explosion? ).
At this point, he is clearly suspicious but he has absolutely nothing to go on. “No fin, no shark, nothing but a boating accident”, as Vaughn puts it. It’s the discovery of the Killer Whale that really ramps up his suspicions and he begins to descend into what seems to be his nightmare alone, a suggestion of PTSD.
It sets up the next 30 minutes or so of the movie, where we solely witness Brody getting more and more anxious about what he thinks is going on and, possibly even questioning his very sanity.
Again, just like if there was an attack on the Kite Flyer, this would have been a “go and kill a shark” movie from this point had anyone seen what we saw.
Moment No.3 The Photo
Brody has well and truly lost it by this point of the film- finding a burned corpse in the ocean ( a good jump scene reminiscent of the Gardner scene of the first), and making cyanide tipped hollow point rounds, then blasting them at a school of fish from a packed beach of 70’s style close ups of ladies’ rear ends and overweight people gorging themselves on hot dogs!
He gets to see a developing photograph at the local chemist’s lab, and he knows what he is seeing. He’s seen one up close and he’s not going to go through that hell again.
He interrupts a meeting of all the town council and shows them this photo of a shark.
This is such a well written and performed section of the film- there is a feeling that we have seen this before and, in a way, we have- we just don’t know what’s going to happen next.
Is it still looking like it might be a “close the beach and kill the shark” story?
Well, to answer that, you need to realise that this film has now reached the “dropped tooth” story arc of Jaws.
Why?
They don’t see it, just like Vaughn didn’t see the tooth in Jaws because “City Hands” ( and butter fingered ) Hooper had dropped it. What was the terrible consequence of Vaughn insisting on keeping the beach open on July 4? Another fatality. ( not counting Quint here as that’s not directly the fault of Vaughn )
The consequence of this “ didn’t see it” is going to be even greater, as the writer and the cast and crew take us into the most intense and desperate situation that the film has been in thus far… and NOT simply a remake of the first.
Moment No.4 Lucy’s prayer
Hell has broken loose.
The teenage friends have lost a friend to the shark, the truly heroic Marge, as she helped young Sean Brody to safety after the shark has tipped and sunk the Harbour Patrol helicopter that was their one chance of salvation.
They are drifting on the tide hoping to reach Cable Junction, the only island between them and Ireland. Their boats, some upturned, others with torn sails, are practically uncontrollable and, to make matters far worse, the tide is about to send them back away from Cable Junction.
Whilst they are attempting to assemble a jury rudder, Doug points out about the tide times and a scuffle with shouting and screaming soon follows.
Then there’s a lone mellifluous feminine voice, “God, help us…”. Take a close look at this scene and , specifically, the single take, no cuts from before the arguing starting through to the end ( almost ) of the prayer. The camera seems to not move ( look closely at the waves in the background - they move uninterrupted by camera movement ) yet the “set” of the “raft” the teens have made, passes through the frame. As the arguing lads pass from view to the right, there’s nothing but waves and the raft passing the frame until we see her and she also floats out of frame, but not so quick that we don’t notice the tears on her cheeks. This is basically the end of her prayer, save for an almost inaudible “Save us please. ” in the wide shot which not only shows her, huddled into a ball all by herself and clearly alone, but also the rest of the teens behind, clearly hanging on her every word. Importantly here, the island is in that wide shot and adds real power to the scene. This is where the various personalities, for the very first time, are all silent and focused on one thing- unspoken gratitude to Lucy for her prayer.
This is Jaws 2’s USS. Indianapolis Speech moment- obviously not as lengthy, but there is power and magnitude in that performance, enhanced by John’s music and the creative invisibility of the way it is filmed. In a strange way, Cindy Grover delivers a show stealing performance just with a few words.
You don’t so much see the scene, you feel it.
Two things to note here to explain why it’s so powerful… When she offers the prayer, she doesn’t use “I” and “Me”- it’s “We” and “Us”. Not only this but, to this point in the film, she hadn’t had anything other than ensemble dialogue, such as “Look out!” or “Go faster!” She’s been practically invisible, anonymous even.
But she was there the whole time.
This is what really gives Lucy an almost celestial presence. (especially when you stop and realise you don’t even know her name by this point )
I can’t recall a scene or moment as perfectly crafted as that in any other sequel I have ever seen.
There’s the four moments that define Jaws 2. I feel that these categorically prove that it isn’t simply a cash grab effort and that some creative forces of a higher belief, and artisans to their craft than most sequels, were clearly at work.
Oh, and of course, if you are planning on meeting at the dock tomorrow morning at eight, make sure you take a picnic and a lady or guy who isn’t too shy to pray in front of their friends!
Kindest regards to all Jaws fans all the way from Cornwall, UK.
Words by Mark-Allan Pilgrim
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