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Jaws

(2000, Rated PG, Horror, Starring Richard Dreyfuss, Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw)
  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 12, age appropriate for kids over 13; suggested age 12.
  • Is it any good?

    5.0
  • 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 iffy for Ages 12–13

The good stuff

  • Messages:

    An edge-of-your seat suspense flick with heart but little substance.
  • Role models:

    The three male leads are clever, determined and like-minded.
 

What to watch out for

  • Violence:

    Only violence of the nature-versus-human variety, but it gets fairly gruesome, with thrashing, foaming blood, and severed body parts. This is scary stuff. That's one big man-eating fish, who escalates suspense by remaining hidden a good portion of the ti
  • Sex:

    A bit of semi-revealing female skinny-dipping.
  • Language:

    A hearty fistful of expletives.
  • Consumerism:

    Not an issue.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Lots of adult social drinking and a drunken beach party.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Jaws

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.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • 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?

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Our Members Say

Have you seen it? Review It!

  • What did you think about Jaws?
  •  I think this movie is

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  • or to post a review
See all 56 member reviews

Most Recent Reviews

  1. Kid Reviewer Age 10
    I rate this title iffy for age 13 and give it 3.0
    My concerns are:
    • Inappropriate language

    okay some pop ups and violents like blood in water

  2. I rate this title iffy for age 12 and give it 5.0
    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.

  3. I rate this title off for age 9 and give it 2.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate sexual content

    not so great

    a really scary movie and when it's not scar it's boring.

  4. I rate this title off for age 8 and give it 2.0
    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

  5. Kid Reviewer Age 8
    Lives in Kansas
    I rate this title on for age 8 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Inappropriate language
    • Negative message
    • Negative role models

    there is red water and a giant waterfall of blood and a shark eating little kids

  6. I rate this title on for age 5 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence

    • My highlights are:
    • Positive messages

    Best Speilberg Film! reccomend it for all ages!

  7. I rate this title on for age 5 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence

    • My highlights are:
    • Positive messages

    Best Speilberg Film! reccomend it for all ages!

  8. I rate this title off for age 12 and give it 5.0
    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.

  9. Teen Reviewer Age 14
    I rate this title on for age 13 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate language
    • Negative role models

    • My highlights are:
    • Positive messages
    • 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.

  10. Kid Reviewer Age 10
    Lives in Oregon
    I rate this title on for age 7 and give it 5.0
    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.

  11. Teen Reviewer Age 14
    Lives in New York
    I rate this title on for age 12 and give it 4.0
    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.

  12. Teen Reviewer Age 13
    I rate this title on for age 10 and give it 5.0

    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

  13. Kid Reviewer Age 9
    Lives in Missouri
    I rate this title on for age 10 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate language

    i watched it when i was 7

    i like this one

  14. Kid Reviewer Age 12
    Lives in Pennsylvania
    I rate this title on for age 13 and give it 5.0
    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!

  15. Kid Reviewer Age 11
    Lives in Connecticut
    I rate this title off for age 13 and give it 3.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate language

  16. Kid Reviewer Age 10
    Lives in Oregon
    I rate this title on for age 9 and give it 5.0
    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.

  17. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Ohio
    I rate this title iffy for age 12 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence

  18. Teen Reviewer Age 13
    Lives in Hawaii
    I rate this title iffy for age 14 and give it 4.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate language
    • Drinking, smoking, or drug use

    Kind of bad language. Very scary still gives me the chills even though I was 10 and now 13 and live in hawaii. Not PG-13

  19. I rate this title iffy for age 14 and give it 2.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate language

    Too violent for kids.

  20. Parent Reviewer
    Lives in California
    I rate this title iffy for age 13 and give it 3.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence

    e.g. You should think twice before going with a tween!

    I think it is really inipropiete for a PG movie.All the blood,goor,and violence is inconseable and very shoking.Im only 10 and I regrete seeing it.

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