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AFI (2007) • AFI-056

Jaws

1975 • Steven Spielberg
Jaws poster
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ABOUT THIS FILM
RUNTIME
124 min
FAMOUS QUOTE
“You're gonna need a bigger boat.”

Steven Spielberg’s thrilling adventure follows police chief Martin Brody as he attempts to protect the small beach town of Amity Island from a massive great white shark attacking swimmers. Joined by marine biologist Matt Hooper and rugged shark hunter Quint, Brody sets out on a dangerous hunt across the open sea. Spielberg masterfully builds suspense by withholding full views of the shark, allowing John Williams’s ominous score to heighten tension. The film’s gripping pacing and memorable characters captivated audiences worldwide. Often credited as the first modern summer blockbuster, Jaws reshaped Hollywood marketing and remains one of the most effective suspense films ever made.

Why it matters

  • It endures because its core tensions (dying and death; beach; based on novel or book) still feel modern, and the emotional turns land hard.
  • It’s a masterclass in Horror, Thriller storytelling—efficient scene work, memorable set-pieces, and choices that keep the tone confident.
  • As a time-capsule and an influence engine, it’s a key snapshot of 1975—and you can feel its DNA in countless films that followed.

Watch for

  • Recurring motifs and touchpoints (dying and death, beach, based on novel or book, bathing, shipwreck, fishing)—notice how they show up, evolve, or get subverted scene-to-scene.
  • How information is revealed (or withheld): pay attention to what you learn first, and what you only understand in hindsight.
  • Performance details in close-ups—pauses, glances, and timing often do more than the lines.
  • Transitions and visual rhymes: watch how the film connects scenes through matching images, sound bridges, or repeated blocking.

Vibe

ThrillerSea TerrorSmall-Town PanicPredator HuntSummer BlockbusterOceanic DreadMale CamaraderieAmity IslandSuspense MechanicsPrimal Fear
AFI RANK
1998: #48
2007: #56
▼Moved down 8 spots