Jaws 3 DVD > Reviews > 3-D graphics; 2-D characters

Author's product rating:   

Did you enjoy it?	Indifferent to it
Story	Satisfactory
Characters / Performances	Satisfactory
Special Effects	Standard
How does it compare to similar films?	Unmemorable

Advantages:	Cheap to buy
Disadvantages:	Terrible special effects; weak plot

Recommend to potential buyers:

no

Full review

This film was originally released in 1983 and the makers tried to make it more exciting by using the then new "3-D" special effects. Hence the film did reasonably well at the box office as cinemas filled with people wearing silly red and green glasses. However, this novelty, which doesn't even work on the small screen, is its one redeeming feature. Not even the fact that Dennis Quaid is in it helps!

The basic plot is that Michael Brody (Dennis Quaid) and Sean Brody (John Putch) have left Amity and now work at Sea World in Florida. A group of marine biologists at Sea World in Florida attempt to capture a young great white shark that has wandered into the park. Have the boys learned nothing about sharks?!

However, the shark is actually a baby shark and it dies. A diver has also mysteriously gone missing. Even worse, the diver is later discovered half eaten and the bites are much too big to have come from the trapped shark. Soon enough, it's huge mother comes looking for her baby and then terror ensues.

The visitors in the Undersea Kingdom part of Sea World follow their guide to the exit, until they catch a glimpse of the enormous great white shark through the glass. The shark breaks the glass and water fills the tunnel. The terrified tourists hide in a water-tight room, which is already half full with sea water. Will they die of cold in there? Can they be saved? Does anyone care?!

A gory rescue mission and a sub plot involving some dolphins follows. And of course, there's a typically explosive ending.

This wouldn't be a bad film in its own right but as a supposed second sequel to "Jaws" it's absolutely terrible. The thing about it, is that it does question whether we should capture wild animals, I suppose.

As for the 3-D effects, well on the small screen without the glasses, the graphics just look as if everything is moving very slowly at times, especially as things fall through the water. The shark doesn't look too bad or rubbery. However, there's one scene where the shark smashes through a control room, purely so it would look good on screen, I think. Except erm, it doesn't. It just looks silly.

As for the acting, even Dennis Quaid is flat and I don't even care about his character. I have seen "Jaws 3" twice as a way of passing the time late at night and would probably watch it again if it was on TV but it really doesn't require any brain power at all. Even the music isn't up to much!