Jaws
Family FavoritePG

Jaws

The terrifying motion picture from the terrifying No. 1 best seller.

1975 • 124 min • Horror · Thriller · Adventure

Synopsis

When the seaside community of Amity finds itself under attack by a dangerous great white shark, the town's chief of police, a young marine biologist, and a grizzled shark hunter embark on a desperate quest to kill the beast before it strikes again.

Our family guide

Best from age 10
94
Movie Knight Score
11713 reviews
  • 100 Reviewers · 9 · 75%
  • 77 Audience · 11704 · 25%

When a massive great white shark terrorizes a summer beach community, a small team hunts the creature. This classic thriller features intense encounters and suspenseful moments, exploring themes of courage and community response to crisis.

Violence & peril
7/10
Language
4/10
Drinking, drugs & smoking
3/10
Romance & sensuality
1/10
Scary moments
8/10

Heads up

  • Graphic animal attacks and gore
  • Some intense jump scares and sustained tension
  • Adults drinking and smoking frequently

What it models well

  • Courage in the face of danger
  • Teamwork and cooperation
  • Protecting the community

Talk about it after

  • How individuals react to fear and crisis
  • The balance between economic needs and public safety
  • Facing your fears to help others

Written by the Movie Knight editorial team for Jaws. Our own words, our own scoring — always double-check against your family's standards.

Where to watch

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Top billed cast

Director: Steven Spielberg • Crew: Carl Gottlieb, Peter Benchley

Trailers & clips

The Final Shark Attack

The Fin-Tastic Memorabilia Displayed at the JAWS Exhibition

Steven Spielberg: “I Thought JAWS Was Going to End My Career!”

How They Rebuilt the Original ‘Jaws’ Shark - With Working Mechanics!

Score to Screen | "The First Victim" by John Williams from JAWS 50th (Original Score)

Daniel Craig on watching Jaws at age six

50th Anniversary Official Trailer

2025 Modern Trailer

Reviewer notes

RecommendedTrusted family reviewers

Jaws is more than just a shark movie, it’s a masterclass in suspense and storytelling. Steven Spielberg turns a simple premise into an unforgettable cinematic experience, using tension and suggestion rather than relying on constant visuals of the shark. **My favorite movie of all!**

RecommendedTrusted family reviewers

Neat. It scared me a little bit but I held on tight. And the thing is it's a shark! Not a robot! **_735/1000._**

RecommendedTrusted family reviewers

This is one of my favourite films ever and I've loved it since I was a child, everything from John Williams iconic shark theme to the chilling opening scene. Jaws is nothing short of a cinematic masterpiece.

RecommendedTrusted family reviewers

I saw this recently on the big screen for the first time since I originally went as a child in 1975 and if anything, it has got better. John Williams' score and Robert Shaw's "Quint" combine to far outweigh the "rubber" shark scenes. Unlike "The Meg" this film conveys a real sense of tension; coupled with some good old-fashioned scariness. It also dips it's toe into the science and behaviour of an apex predator, w...

RecommendedTrusted family reviewers

A very good, and evidently a very influential, film from 1975. That release year doesn't even sound correct, the film holds up extremely well in that regard - I knew already, but if I didn't and I had guessed the year I wouldn't have said anything earlier than 1990. This alone raises the film up ½* for me - it's impressively made. I don't, personally, think the story is as perfect as the aforementioned. Don'...

RecommendedTrusted family reviewers

Solid shark-thriller that still holds up well with each subsequent viewings. Love the cast especially Robert Shaw and was entertained even during some of the slower moments. Not a favorite of mine or amongst Spielberg's resume, but a lot of fun. **4.25/5**

RecommendedTrusted family reviewers

Much like the shark itself, the movie starts slowly, deep down in the depths before coming to the surface to explode in pure sensationalism. Jaws is one of those rare exceptions where high-brow art meets fun entertainment. At the time of its making, however, simply keeping its head above water was the most the cast and crew were hoping for. But Spielberg had created something special. During production, no o...

Recommended

Is it safe to go back in the water? ... Steven Spielberg got ahold of the incredible Peter Benchley-penned novel about a giant, carnivorous Great White (dubbed "Jaws") who swims the ocean waters off a fictional resort town, preying on both the Island's locals and its visitors alike, and adaptated, for the silver screen, what would become one of the most terrifying American made thrillers to ever be released in ...

RecommendedTrusted family reviewers

Jaws. A man eating shark is terrorising the holiday island of Amity. Police chief Martin Brody, shark hunter Quint and marine biologist Matt Hooper set sail in the hope of killing the great white monster. Jaws is responsible for many things, it's responsible for propelling director Steven Spielberg's career into the stratosphere, it was responsible for a downturn in the package holiday trade, and it was resp...

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