Steven Spielberg's 1975 thriller Jaws has been named the best movie of all time by Empire magazine in its reader-curated bucket list ranking. The film holds a near-perfect 97% score on Rotten Tomatoes and has been hailed as 'infinitely watchable' by critics.
Plot and Cast
Based on Peter Benchley's 1974 novel, Jaws follows a series of shark attacks in the New England tourist town of Amity Island. Police chief Martin Brody (Roy Scheider) wants to close the beaches after a young woman is killed, but Mayor Larry Vaughn (Murray Hamilton) overrules him fearing loss of tourist revenue. Ichthyologist Matt Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss) and grizzled ship captain Quint (Robert Shaw) join Brody in an epic battle of man vs. nature. The cast also includes Lorraine Gary.
Critical Acclaim and Legacy
Empire ranked Jaws as the best film of all time in its 'Best Movies Of All Time: Reader-Curated Bucket List For The Perfect Weekend Movie Marathon.' Rotten Tomatoes critics' consensus states: 'Compelling, well-crafted storytelling and a judicious sense of terror ensure Steven Spielberg's Jaws has remained a benchmark in the art of delivering modern blockbuster thrills.' One critic described it as 'infinitely watchable,' while another noted it is widely considered the 'first blockbuster film.' A third critic said: 'The first summer blockbuster elevates its so-so source material into a thrilling horror adventure that still manages to instill a sense of genuine terror to this very day.' Another added: 'It may seem like a somewhat simple concept to have a shark terrorising a community and then having a group of men go hunt it down, but that simple concept is used to great effect, resulting in one of the greatest thriller-horror-dramas of all time.'
Box Office Success
Jaws surpassed The Godfather as the highest-grossing film at the North American box office at the time of its release. The film is widely regarded as a classic of cinematic history and is available to stream on Amazon Prime.
