Jaws fan reviews British theme park Amity tribute

Ever since seeing the film Jaws, it’s always been my favourite film of all time.

It’s impacted me like no other film, I’m always wary of sea swimming, because of it, yet also left me fascinated about that 30-footer, and much like Hooper, I now have a ‘Love of Sharks’

Also like many others, I also love a theme park, and was lucky enough to go to Universal Studios in 2001 and experience the Jaws ride, about 10 times, we went in March when it was a lot colder and park was less busy, I actually stayed on board for 4 consecutive trips, I also was, I guess lucky, as the only real merch they had was a Jaws photo frame and a pen, so didn’t have to fly home early as had money left haha.

It seems that Universal have now realized that Jaws, as well as being a shark, when it comes to merch, that fish lovingly known as Bruce is a Cash Cow too, as going today would be a different picture from the posts of people I see in the various Jaws Facebook groups, from mugs and tees to parodies which even see Chrissie on the Iconic poster, replaced by Hello Kitty  =) 

The UK when it comes to theme parks, seems to have missed a trick with the big branding of the US with films, but Thorpe Park is catching on, with rides based around the Saw franchise; Angry Birds; The Walking Dead; A ghost train from the mind of Derren Brown; A Black Mirror maze and The Swarm, but pretty sure that is more to do with a Zombie apocalypse, than the film Michael Caine considers worse than Jaws: The Revenge in his book ‘Blowing the Bloody Doors Off’ 

I had been meaning to visit the park for quite some time, but living on the Isle of Wight, it always seemed it would be a long day, an early start, late end and I’m not getting any younger, but the Park’s social media must know I love sharks, as they caught my attention with an offer to stay on site in their ‘shark-themed’ accommodation, the Shark Cabins.

The deal includes a 2nd day in the park, as well as other perks, mainly discounts on merch etc and a fast pass for an hour of your 2nd day to ride any rides you may have missed. I found a good deal and away I went

It was a great couple of days, the rides of course vary with some being fun and the likes of Saw; The Swarm; Nemesis Inferno just plain exhilarating. 

But as a Jaws fan, the biggest thing you will notice is the water area, its set in a fiction town that goes by the name of Amity, including an Amity Beach, I must have looked an oddball as someone taking selfies with the likes of Amity Donuts and Amity Kebabs, but somehow it just caught my imagination.

Sadly, the beach was closed as Thorpe Park undergoes some renovations and works for new rides and also the beach it self is mainly for the toddlers so when it is open, warnings are in place for no photos for their privacy. 

I did get a picture of the Amity Beach sign, that is not on the beach and that was enough, I was there for the rides, not to go paddling. 

After a long day, it was great to head through a large shark’s mouth to get to the Thorpe Cabins, which whilst on outside are indeed nothing more than shipping containers, provided more than enough for a warm comfortable nights sleep, plus access to Vibes to get dinner and a drink plus a breakfast buffet to start the second day. 

So, if in UK and want to see an Amity, rather than see the Jaws ride that remains in Japan, Thorpe Park is a fun day out and a bit more if you use your imagination ; ) 

That being said, it would be JAWSome to experience that Jaws Ride again, the whole Universal Park situation saddens me, that now JAWS is replaced by the boy wizard Harry Potter, and whilst his box office justifies it, I’m slightly annoyed as I consider Potter a Warner Brothers commodity! Universal be proud of your fish, sadly not likely as they only seem to care about Fast and Furious movies now. 

A similar shark ride would be great in the UK too, but seems unlikely, I did briefly get hopes up when The Meg made great box office and the producers talked of license deals for a ride, but they turned out to be for a new theme park in China and as yet remain unfounded.

Also living on the Isle of Wight, I often hope that Secret Cinema could perhaps turn part of it into Amity for one of their big interactive screening events,  but again nothing. 

So, until then, the only way to go is to watch the film again, its just as exhilarating on the 100th time than it was on the first and as compromises go, it’s a pretty good one 

Words by Bill Boswell

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