SimonJack
When Hollywood decides to make a sequel, it doesn't try to lose money in the deal. Yet, many times the moguls are wrong and sequels don't fare well at the box office. Once in a while they have a big hit. More times than either of these, the sequels will fare well, or good enough at the box office, even though they may be far inferior films. And sometimes, a sequel will be terrible and still do well with audiences. That's okay with the movers and shakers in tinsel town because making money is mostly what making movies is all about. "Jaws 3-D" is in that category of quite bad sequels that nevertheless did quite well at the box office. It may not be too surprising, considering the subject matter and the enduring aura from the original film, just eight years earlier. And, to some extent, considering some intrigue and enjoyment from "Jaws 2" in 1978. Maybe the 3-D angle was the biggest push for making a second sequel. But this film fails in all aspects except a couple of scenes with the shark. If that were the only reason for watching this film, and the rest of the script could be trashed, it might score a 5. But the acting by everyone in this cast is horrible. It ranges from the melodramatic to the infantile to the forced and amateurish. The script is terrible. The idea for the plot is okay, but the screenplay just doesn't build an aura of suspense and worry about where the beast will strike or appear. Enough said. This is a very forgettable film. As bad as this one is for intrigue, characters and acting, Hollywood yet did one more - looking at the box office from this one. But "Jaws 4" in 1987 did not recover its budget in the U.S. and just earned a little worldwide. That probably put an end to the efforts to try to capitalize on a singular fantastic fright movie from 1973. Many of us who enjoyed the original scary thriller are happy that Hollywood finally has had its fill of great white sharks. How about a giant octopus movie? It's been a few decades since the sci-fi folks at Hollywood made one of those.Here's the only humorous line in the movie. Mike Brody (Dennis Quaid) says to Dr. Kay Morgan (Bess Armstrong), "All right. I'll have my beeper beep your beeper."
tdrish
Jaws 3-D is exactly what you would expect...another atrocious sequel barreling down a needless franchise. Truth be told, Jaws 2 didn't even need to be made, Jaws was fine the way it was. Try telling that to a bunch of money hungry, quick cash grabbing freaks who got away with highway robbery. Oh, the film got its money back, but what's left behind? A legacy? Highly doubtful. Not to mention the story line is laughably unbelievable. It's a little late to be watching this in 3D, but if you want to settle in to watch a bad 80's flick, this is for you.
charie-83222
*SPOILERS*A review of Jaws 3 minus the stigma of the -'D' attached to it's name. Do yourself a favor and forget about the tacky 3D effects that were intended for the theater, to be viewed on a huge screen, no less, in 1983.While admittedly not as good as part II, and most certainly nowhere near the level of the original Jaws (one of my all time favorites and among the best films ever made) - still, at least to me, Jaws 3 delivers in many areas. If you find yourself even somewhat agreeing with what I'm saying, why not continue reading and hear me out?Being a writer and having never actually seen this third installment until recently, I have to say, I was impressed with many aspects of it. From the story, to the pacing, the great sets and locations, and to the on-par acting performances. A young Dennis Quaid certainly performed well and met my expectations, as did the others. I enjoyed watching the grown up versions of the Brody boys; Michael and Sean. As if inheriting 'the Brody curse' from their father, the boys must hold up the certainly unwanted family legacy of dealing with rogue great whites. Although Mike has more or less recovered from the trauma, Sean, being the younger brother, has not.I have to admit, some of the scenes did actually freak me out, and they still do with further viewings. While nothing can compare with Quint being eaten alive in the first Jaws - or his amazing monologue about the Indianapolis - the scene in Jaws 3 where one of the characters is still alive inside of a 35 foot shark's mouth, desperately evading its chomping teeth, was near traumatizing for me. Partly because of that *CRUNCH* of crushed bone, but mostly due to my fear of sharks in general. But I can't let that stop me from enjoying a decent movie - which is just what Jaws 3 is - a decent movie if you can look past its graphical shortcomings. Besides, when you see the shots of the sharks that aren't in 3D, they're fine.One other thing I have to mention, is the level of tension I felt when the tourist group is escorted out of the facility through the underwater glass tunnel. My exact thought was: "Uh oh...holy crap...". And I love the first film, but the 35 foot mama shark in Jaws 3, about the size of a juvenile Megalodon, could eat the original 25 footer for supper.I even liked the cheesy ending. Say what you will about that, but I was relieved when both dolphins made it, because I thought for certain that one had not. And why shouldn't they cheer and celebrate considering what they just went through and lived. I know I would if I battled a shark for my life and finally succeeded in blowing it up by pulling the pin of a grenade stuck in its mouth, still held firmly in the hand of the last man who had been eaten. I'd be sad for my fallen comrades later, though, you can count on that. Probably about thirty seconds later...What I can't seem to figure out is why people try so very hard to negatively over-analyze and compare sequels to legendary originals, forming their decision on whether or not said sequel has something of creative value solely on the basis that if does not live up to the original, it is then deemed to be a terrible film that possesses no quality worth mentioning. I find myself in complete disagreement and disgust with that sort of excessiveness that pervades the internet, both as a creative writer and as a lifelong viewer of television and movies. You see, these are the people that egotistically and falsely believe that given the chance to write, direct, and star in a movie, it would absolutely turn out better than whatever movie it is they're currently dumping on. Now I'm not suggesting that you can't have an opinion - an opinion that could certainly be valid - but might I suggest that you look for what IS good rather than focusing purely on, in the case of Jaws 3's 3-D effects, what obviously isn't good.At this point in the review, I feel, if only to demonstrate that I'm not completely crazy in my liking of what I know is an underrated movie, that it might help to list a few other various films I enjoy: Fight Club, No Country For Old Men, The Men Who Stare At Goats, The Matrix, The Shawshank Redemption, The Last Samurai, The Green Mile, Before Sunrise/Sunset/Midnight, Lost In Translation, Predator 1 & 2, The Terminator, T2 Judgement Day, and many many more, including older gems like Alfred Hitchcock's Rear Window - all of which I often add to a playlist that runs all night as I write. If you're a writer like me, you probably draw inspiration from wherever you're lucky enough to find it. I can't say that I was inspired by this movie, but it did enough for me to deserve a subtle nod.IMDb members have collectively given Jaws 3 a 3.6 rating. In factoring out the terrible 3-D effects, I'd rate it a 6.0, with Jaws 2 a 6.5, and the original a solid 8.5 - a half point higher than its current 8.0 rating.It would be amazing if all the bad 3D effects could be re-done so that Jaws 3 could be re-released in higher quality - or like in the case of fan edits of Star Wars - de-specialize the hell out of it into a more easily digestible version for the people who can't easily look past the film's most major flaw. It could even do for a total remake.On a side note, I can't wait until next year's MEG, set to release in early March 2018.
