Netflix has long maintained a revolving-door relationship with Amity Island’s most notorious resident, Bruce. The Jaws franchise frequently surfaces on the platform, vanishes into the deep, and then resurfaces when movie fans least expect it. Now, the entire saga is officially swimming back onto Netflix this September. I mean, what would summer be without the aquatic terror of the world’s most infamous shark?
The Masterpiece That Started It All
The marathon begins with Steven Spielberg’s landmark 1975 horror masterpiece, which just celebrated its 50th Anniversary. Adapted from Peter Benchley’s New York Times bestselling novel, the film invented the modern summer blockbuster while single-handedly instilling a permanent, generational fear of the open water.
Following the monumental success of the original, Roy Scheider returned as Police Chief Martin Brody in 1978’s Jaws 2. Once again, he was forced to defend the stubborn coastal town of Amity against a hungry Great White.
Theme Parks, Camp, and Telepathic Vendettas
The franchise’s 1983 sequel, Jaws 3-D, moved the carnage away from New England beaches to Florida’s SeaWorld theme park. Starring Dennis Quaid as an adult Michael Brody, the installment embraced gimmicky 3D visual effects and theme park mayhem. Though long dismissed by critics as a low point for the brand, the third entry has garnered an appreciative cult following in recent years for its colorful, progressive approach to the creature-feature subgenre. If the terrible effects hadn’t weighed it down, it would have been a great film. That’s a hill I will 100% die on. But I digress.
The franchise reached its finale in 1987 with Jaws: The Revenge, a prime example of Hollywood trying to milk a franchise for every penny it’s worth.
Lorraine Gary reprised her role as Ellen Brody in a narrative centered on a shark that holds a personal, telepathic grudge against her family. The apex predator even goes so far as to stalk her all the way to the Bahamas. Complete with a screen legend, Michael Caine, and a notoriously explosive climax, the fourth film stands as one of cinema’s most unforgettable oddities.
A Franchise Worthy of a Binge
Jaws (in my opinion) remains the greatest creature feature ever made, and even though the sequels never matched its greatness, they are still worth a watch. So, grab your snacks, get comfy, and binge the entire franchise when it resurfaces on Netflix on September 1. And admit it, you still get excited when you hear that iconic intro.
If you are a hardcore fan of the franchise, I recommend also checking out the new documentary Jaws Explored. It dives deeper into the film than any other documentary before it.
