Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Simple
- Violence
- Moderate
- tense
- foreboding
- paranoid
- classic horror night
- shark movie marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly viewed the film as an entertaining but formulaic and less accomplished sequel that remains the strongest of the Jaws follow-ups.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The story returns to Amity Island four years after the first shark attacks and introduces another great white threatening the resort community.
Police chief Martin Brody becomes concerned about disappearances and evidence of a shark while authorities resist accepting the danger.
Beachgoers and young boaters face an unseen great white in the waters surrounding Amity Island.
The production centers its suspense and climax on boats, currents, rescue action, and a mechanically realized shark.
Films like Jaws 2, and why
Jaws
shared natural horror premise, escalating beach panic, and suspense built around an unseen aquatic predator
The Birds
shared disaster-thriller structure, ensemble peril, practical spectacle, and a community confronting an animal threat
Deep Blue Sea
shared survival thriller tension, isolated maritime setting, and escalating attacks by a dangerous creature
Movie Details
- Director
- Jeannot Szwarc
- Release Date
- 1978-06-16
- Runtime
- 117 min
- Rating
- 6.0 / 10 (2194)
Cast
- Roy Scheider
- Lorraine Gary
- Murray Hamilton
- Joseph Mascolo
- Jeffrey Kramer
- Collin Wilcox Paxton
- Ann Dusenberry
- Mark Gruner
- Barry Coe
- Susan French
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Netflix, YouTube TV, Netflix Standard with Ads, Starz Apple TV channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Jaws 2 about?
- A traumatized island police chief battles public denial and a new great white shark stalking Amity’s beaches and waters.
- What is Jaws 2 like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Jaws 2 as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as simple.
- Is Jaws 2 violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Jaws 2 as moderate.
- What did critics think of Jaws 2?
- Critics broadly viewed the film as an entertaining but formulaic and less accomplished sequel that remains the strongest of the Jaws follow-ups.
- Which films are like Jaws 2?
- Films with a similar feel include Jaws, The Birds, and Deep Blue Sea.
- How long is Jaws 2?
- Jaws 2 runs 117 minutes.
- Where can I watch Jaws 2?
- In United States, Jaws 2 streams on Netflix, YouTube TV, Netflix Standard with Ads, Starz Apple TV channel.
