This movie sucks. The solution to the movie is lame.
Jaws
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Is it age appropriate?
About our ratings -
Is it any good?
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Common Sense says
Five-star movie could scare the pants off kids.
Themes in this movie include: materialism, revenge
updated 09.28.09
Why We Rated This 
for Ages 12–13
The good stuff
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Role models:
What to watch out for
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Violence:
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Sex:
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Language:
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Consumerism:
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Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
What Parents Need to Know
This review of Jaws was written by Scott G. Mignola
Parents need to know that although the small screen lessens its impact, this movie can terrify as much as it entertains. It's not as gruesome as today's horror movies, but it may be too intense for sensitive preteens, especially those who have a fear of swimming in the ocean.
Families Can Talk About
Talk to your kids about the media in their life. We have more tools and tips that can help
- Families can talk about the fact that this movie is considered the first official "summer blockbuster." What other blockbusters can you think of? What do they have in common? Also, how does the movie build suspense?
- What's scarier -- a monster you can see, or one you can't? Why?
Have you seen it? Review It!
More on Jaws
What’s the Story?
A tourist disappears late one night while swimming at the beach. When her remains come ashore, Police Chief Brody (Roy Scheider) believes it was a shark attack. Mayor Vaughn (Murray Hamilton), though, is worried about the effect such news might have on the tourist trade. After a few more attacks, some local fishermen catch a shark. The Mayor ignores warnings from ichthyologist Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss) that shark the fishermen caught was too small to have been the one in the attacks. Another fatality sends Brody, Hooper and local fisherman Quint (Robert Shaw) off to find the Great White.
Is It Any Good?
In 1975 JAWS became as much an American phenomenon as the Peter Benchley novel that inspired it. The movie had summer moviegoers screaming in their seats and became the first ever to gross $100 million. It was a thrilling and surprisingly funny piece of entertainment back then, and age hasn't done it any great disservice. It has what no other movie in the Giant Vengeful Animal genre has since managed to produce: a witty, believable, and compelling script; notable performances by humans; and the directorial gunpowder of a young, ambitious Steven Spielberg. Any one of those attributes can pull a mediocre idea out of the chum bucket; JAWS has it all.
While stars Roy Scheider and Richard Dreyfuss are standouts in their roles, the movie is impossible to imagine without Robert Shaw. Three parts Ahab, two parts Long John Silver, he redefines the term "salty" with his performance, and inspires the movie's greatest dread in a speech that he himself rewrote. "You know the thing about a shark," he says. "He's got lifeless eyes, black eyes--like a doll's eyes." Seeing all those uninformed vacationers bobbing in the ocean like so many fish food flakes is gripping stuff -- certainly to be avoided by children wrestling with water phobias. Three less accomplished sequels followed, the last one fun only in its absolute ineptness. If only National Lampoon had gone ahead with their proposed parody, the boxed set would be complete; supposedly it was to be called Jaws 5, Tourists 0.
Movie Details
Studio: Universal Pictures, Director: Steven Spielberg
Run time: 125 minutes
Theatrical release: 7/1/2000, DVD release: 7/1/2000
MPAA Rating: PG for violence
Run time: 125 minutes
Theatrical release: 7/1/2000, DVD release: 7/1/2000
MPAA Rating: PG for violence
Our Members Say
See all 60 member reviews
Most Recent Reviews
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I rate this title off for age 6 and give it
a terrible movie
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I rate this title on for age 11 and give it
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
Jaws
I'm still baffled why this movie is rated PG. but I dont have any problem with it. Masterpiece of a movie, and a must own for all lovers of action/horror films. Without a doubt one of the most remarkable movies in Steven Spielberg's filming history. 5 stars, and nothing less.
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I rate this title on for age 2 and give it
iffy for 12+? are u like joking?
yoh yoh the movie aint that scary yoh! I mean sure some kid gets eaten by a shark but that makes it iffy for 12 and up! Are u a kidding like me??? My little 9 year old brother watched this movie and he aint scared.
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I rate this title on for age 13 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate sexual content
- Inappropriate language
- Drinking, smoking, or drug use
SOME SCARY SCENES BUT NOTHING EXCITING
The movie isnt as great as it seems. Well yes, there are some really scary and bloody parts for older tweens and teens who like a good scare but for the most part it's not that fun or interesting.
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I rate this title iffy for age 13 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Inappropriate language
okay some pop ups and violents like blood in water
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I rate this title iffy for age 12 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
Really scary movie, most likely to have paranoid swimmers out of the water for months. But still a really good flick. Not suitable for children, lots of blood and a really freaky shark.
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I rate this title off for age 9 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate sexual content
not so great
a really scary movie and when it's not scar it's boring.
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I rate this title off for age 8 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate language
ok for tweens but not for little ones
ok all u older kids and parents may think this is weird but i thought jaws was BORING i liked jaws two better do not let little kids see this they cant handle all the upsetting violence
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I rate this title on for age 8 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate sexual content
- Inappropriate language
- Negative role models
there is red water and a giant waterfall of blood and a shark eating little kids
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I rate this title on for age 5 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- My highlights are:
Best Speilberg Film! reccomend it for all ages!
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I rate this title on for age 5 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- My highlights are:
Best Speilberg Film! reccomend it for all ages!
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I rate this title off for age 12 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
Scary To Younger Viewers
This is possibly the one and only case that I've thought that Common Sense Media was being to liberal. This movie absolutely scared me out of my mind when I was young. I was frightened to go into the ocean for about two years afterward. Don't let anyone over thirteen see this, and even then make sure they have a high threshold for horror. It's pretty violent, but it's one of those movies that can scare you without showing too much gore.
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I rate this title on for age 13 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate language
- Negative role models
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
Great Movie a must see
This is a classic movie, the very partial nudity is not bad, the story tells of a large shark who terrorizes a small island community. It is based on the TRUE 1916 New Jersey shark attacks. Great if you want to show your kids a good horror movie. I saw it at the age of 5 and now I am facinated with sharks and are determined to stop them from extinction. Throughout the movie a Marine biologist named Matt Hooper tells true facts about sharks,Chief Brody show that bravery can come in all different people. The only bad role model is Quint. Robert Shaw does a great job playing a proffestional shark hunter (now ilegal in many countries)He swears cracks some innaprpriate jokes and is all around my least favorite character. There is some wine drinking but parents you can tell your little kids its grape juice:) So I give the movie five well deserved stars out of five.
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I rate this title on for age 7 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
great movie
I loved this movie! It was great. There is side and under female topless nudity. There is so much violence,there is squirting blood,there is red water.
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I rate this title on for age 12 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate language
More swearing than violence!
There are only three shark attack scenes and colorful language is scattered throught. There is, however, a scene at the end in which i found very disturbing. But, a good movie classic anybody twelve and up should see it! It's acctually more of a drama than a horror.
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I rate this title on for age 10 and give it
perfect for 10+ but may scare younger kids
personally I loved jaws I watched it when I was 8 and it scared me a bit and will scare kids under 10 but the film is really good
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I rate this title on for age 10 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate language
i watched it when i was 7
i like this one
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I rate this title on for age 13 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate language
SHOULD BE PG-13
I saw this at age 10, and I was surprised with the profanity they used: here and there were uses of the "a" word, the "b" word, and the "s" word; plus throughout the movie was the "d" word and the "h" word. The violence was pretty intense also; the first and most famous scene was in no way violent, but pretty scary for younger ages; a bunch of scenes were pretty bloody: especially the final scene: the whole area of ocean you see turns from clear blue to deep red as Jaws descends. If they had PG-13 back in '75, it should've definitely been PG-13--the TV rating is TV-14-LV--but it should be a little iffy for an R-rating, because of all the blood and the scene when the girl's head and arm get washed up on the beach. Note: the theme song is not scary at all!
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I rate this title off for age 13 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate language
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I rate this title on for age 9 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
e.g. Perfect for older kids, but not for tweens
I loved this movie! I thought there was a lot of violence though. Like when people get eaten. But otherwise I think everyone should see it.
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Ratings at a Glance
| 88% | of parents say it's too violent |
| 38% | of parents say it gives kids positive messages |
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