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Jaws
Movie

Jaws

1975 • Adventure, Horror, Thriller

Woke Score
2
out of 10

Plot

It's a hot summer on Amity Island, a small community whose main business is its beaches. When new Sheriff Martin Brody discovers the remains of a shark attack victim, his first inclination is to close the beaches to swimmers. This doesn't sit well with Mayor Larry Vaughn and several of the local businessmen. Brody backs down to his regret as that weekend a young boy is killed by the predator. The dead boy's mother puts out a bounty on the shark and Amity is soon swamped with amateur hunters and fisherman hoping to cash in on the reward. A local fisherman with much experience hunting sharks, Quint, offers to hunt down the creature for a hefty fee. Soon Quint, Brody and Matt Hooper from the Oceanographic Institute are at sea hunting the Great White shark. As Brody succinctly surmises after their first encounter with the creature, they're going to need a bigger boat.

Overall Series Review

Jaws (1975) is a classic horror-thriller where a small New England island is terrorized by a Great White shark. The narrative focuses on the three main male protagonists: a middle-class police chief, a wealthy oceanographer, and a working-class fisherman, who must overcome their personal differences to defeat a primal threat. The central conflict is not political but elemental, pitting the courage, skill, and ingenuity of men against the brute force of nature. A major theme is the danger of political corruption and greed, exemplified by the Mayor who prioritizes tourist revenue over public safety, leading to tragic consequences. The film is a story of a flawed but fundamentally decent 'everyman' overcoming his fears and saving his community, prioritizing character merit, sacrifice, and civic duty above all else. Its cultural commentary is aimed at government incompetence and capitalism's worst impulses, not the deconstruction of Western identity, gender, or social norms.

Categorical Breakdown

Identity Politics2/10

Characters are judged by their professional competency, personal integrity, and moral courage, not by immutable characteristics. The protagonists are a study in class and experience—police chief, scientist, fisherman—whose differing merits lead to the final victory. The true villain, Mayor Vaughn, is vilified for his personal corruption and greed, a moral failing, rather than his identity as a white male in power.

Oikophobia3/10

The film does not promote civilizational self-hatred. It critiques the failings of corrupt local leadership that sacrifices life for short-term profit. The heroes are a police chief and a scientist who ultimately defend the Amity Island community, confirming the value of their home and institutions over chaos. The message is a cautionary tale about human hubris and greed overriding common sense and objective truth.

Feminism2/10

The main plot is a traditional male-driven adventure. Female characters, such as the police chief's wife, are supportive figures who anchor the protagonist to family life. The film features no 'Girl Boss' or 'Mary Sue' tropes. Masculinity is presented as distinct and complementary, with men taking on the protective role against the external threat. Motherhood and the nuclear family unit are implicitly affirmed by the presence of Brody's wife and sons.

LGBTQ+1/10

The narrative adheres to a normative structure. The film contains no overt presence, centering, or lecturing on alternative sexualities or gender ideology. The nuclear family, represented by the Brody household, is presented as the standard structure within the community.

Anti-Theism1/10

The film does not display hostility toward religion. The moral framework is centered on objective truth—the undeniable existence of the shark—and the moral law requiring the protection of life. The main conflict is between moral integrity and civic corruption, with justice and sacrifice ultimately prevailing to restore order.