'JAWS 3D' is what many would call a 'guilty pleasure' for me and I frequently compare it to junk food. I don't need it, I know its not good for me, and I shouldn't be engaging in it as frequently as I do but I still love it for all of its bad, it gives me pleasure and entertainment. This time, a shark attacks Sea World while pointless 3D shots are thrown in your face (the film was just released in 3D format for the first time ever last week) and the humans learn not to be greedy and selfish, or they become shark food.
The original concept for the film was to be a flat out parody of the franchise itself, with National Lampoon writing up a treatment under the name 'Jaws 3, People 0'. Universal didn't want to mock their franchise in such a way so they ended up with the Sea World scenario and...basically created a mockery of the entire franchise with silly gimmicks and sillier special effects and characters (that parody probably sounded good to them afterwards). We do have a really good cast here though, bringing all they could to the film with Louis Gossett Jr. and Beth Armstrong being the big highlights. Dennis Quaid also does quite well as Michael Brody and the film was also the big screen debut of Lea Thompson (Back To The Future). Probably one of the best parts of 'JAWS 3D' is the music (I know I always compliment the score in these 'JAWS' flicks, but they are really good). Alan Parker brings us the score this time around, and it being really fun and upbeat with the usual 'JAWS' themes in there, its surprising that Alan Parker seemed to have vanished after this film. What a shame.
The picture above this sentence is where the film really falls flat, and even though I have heard the recent Blu-Ray release is good 3D, the fact that we had to put up with terrible effects like this for as long as we have its really hard to justify that these effects were ever great or even mediocre at the time of its release. The shark itself is actually one of the film's worst aspects, and in a movie called 'JAWS' that's not something you usually want. There is absolutely nothing scary or tense about the shark at this point in the game. You see him way too often, it does ridiculous things that no animal can or would do such as hiding evidence of his kills and can apparently sense what the humans are going to do every single minute.
It's once again a serial killer shark, but with even less brain cells and thought put into it than with 'JAWS 2'. The film also tends to lean far too much into the serious tones, making everything silly in the film even more so. I can understand that Universal was trying to be respectful to their material but if that's what they wanted, why did they go with the 3D gimmick? In 1983, this effect was not perfected like it is today. I only made films look cheesy and outdated and 'JAWS 3D' is a perfect example of this. The contradictory thoughts and tone that they wanted with the film really drags it down.
'JAWS 3D' is still fun to watch, especially now if you folks out there have 3D-TV capabilities but there's no denying that its a giant crap sandwich that really didn't need to be made. Sadly, I thought they couldn't get worse...
JAWS 3D GETS A:
D+
Pros:
-Acting
-Music
-Setting
Cons:
- 3D Gimmick
-Special Effects
-Tired Plot
-Slasher Movie Shark
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