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Jaws 3-D (1983)

Rate: 5
Viewed: 3/08, 6/20

Jaws3
3/08: 1983 means it's the year of 3-D horror pictures, and Jaws 3-D is one of them.

Although the third part isn't a good film, it's actually better than the last sequel. Pretty much, its motto is: dolphins can't die because, according to the audience, they're more important than people.

There's a change-of-scenery story, but the lack of momentum ultimately sinks my interest in the final half hour. As the direction feels weakened in the long run, the action sequences are hard to believe. At that point, I can see why Jaws 3-D was often voted one of the worst films made.

The shark has an easy time smashing through windows despite the fact that they're supposed to be engineered to withstand thousands of pounds of water pressure. And why are the people running away inside the underwater tunnel when they see it coming?

There's plenty of star power here as the cast includes Dennis Quaid, Lea Thompson, and Louis Gossett, Jr. The latter has one nice moment when he kindly guides the park visitors to a safe exit and asks the woman besides him if the thing is now turned off before yelling, "Gimme some lights down there! Can't see shit down there! And get me some medical attention here, quick!"

All in all, because the formula is wisely shed off, Jaws 3-D isn't horrible for a Jaws sequel.

3/08: People say Jaws 2 was the best sequel of the franchise, but my vote goes to Jaws 3-D.

The movie is faster in pace, has less melodrama, and shows more interesting concepts. There's also a plot twist: not only is there one shark but two of them: a mother and a baby! Of course, people die bloody, and hence, Jaws 3-D qualifies as a horror picture unlike the previous part.

The cast is big on stars (Dennis Quaid who confessed to have "made the most aggressive use of cocaine" of his career during this filming, Louis Gossett, Jr., and Lea Thompson), but the subplots are weak and therefore nonessential. They don't get in the way that much; once the panic is on, it offers an enjoyable shark attack experience. Plus, the dolphins give a good show with their acrobatic stunts.

However, I've got to question the involvement of SeaWorld (it was filmed in Orlando while the rest was done in Navarre Beach, Florida) because the movie makes the theme park chain look bad. Then again, it has a long history of animal abuse.

Jaws 3-D is the only film I can think of that features a black CEO, but he didn't do a good job of handling the situation. The same goes for his employees because Dennis Quaid's character was needlessly adding fuel to the fire by going crazy and yelling at everybody to get out of the water. That kind of thing doesn't happen nowadays, and more can be achieved in a safe manner when people behave calmly.

The idea of having an undersea complex is cool and all, but it's not feasible. For starters, it'll begin on shallow water, and the farther the walk it is, the deeper the water becomes, yet this will occur in a mile or so, hence a mile-long tunnel which will have to be incessantly cleaned of algae, barnacles, and so on. That's a lot of maintenance work.

As for keeping a great white shark in captivity, there's no such thing ocurring in the world; attempts have been made, but it's still not feasible. The reason why is that they roam for hundreds of miles and require a delicate diet to survive. Then again, they don't belong in a tank but in the ocean; the same goes for orcas like those that are abused by SeaWorld.

All in all, Jaws 3-D is a better sequel than Jaws 2.