Jaws: The Revenge

• Cert:
• Cat.no: 902 596 2
• Running time: 86 minutes
• Year: 1987
• Pressing: 2001
• Region(s): 2, 4 (UK PAL)
• Chapters: 20 plus extras
• Sound: Dolby Surround (Dolby Digital 2.0)
• Languages: English, German
• Subtitles: 7 languages available
• Widescreen: 2.35:1
• 16:9-enhanced: Yes
• Macrovision: Yes
• Disc Format: DVD 9
• Price: £17.99
• Extras: Trailers
  

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  Director:

  Joseph Sargent

  (Jaws 4)

Producer:

Screenplay:

Michael de Guzman

Original Score :

Michael Small

Cast :

Ellen Brody: Lorraine Gary
Michael: Lance Guest
Jake: Mario Van Peebles
Carla: Karen Young
Hoagie: Michael Caine
Thea: Judith Barsi

If you thought Jaws 3 was bad, wait until you’ve seen Jaws: The Revenge.

Sharks have a tiny memory that lasts a few seconds. They do not sail down to the Bahamas, where the remainder of the Brody family are holidaying now that Martin has long since died of a heart attack, in search of revenge.

Yes, this film is so bad it makes even Channel 5 daytime TV movies starring Donna Mills look good by comparison. Plus it uses that plot device known as “Christmas” as a time to centre itself around so you don’t need to bother writing a credible starting scene.

It’s a double tragedy for the Brody family too. No, they didn’t have to sit through this as well, but son Sean is the first to be bumped off in the movie. Then, when you see Ellen, the one thing that strikes you is “doesn’t Lorraine Gary look old!”.

The previous film’s Dennis Quaid does not return as the other son, known as Michael here again and not Mike as in Jaws 3, but is instead played by The Last Starfighter‘s Lance Guest. Since Mario Van Peebles is the only main black actor in the film then it’s his will to be eaten alive too. Oh, and I can guarantee that five minutes of little Thea’s (Judith Barsi) constant whining will have you wishing she’d go the same way.

This leaves just two things that stick in the throat – the appearance of Michael Caine as a carefree aeroplane pilot and something that literally sticks in the throat: the wooden stick that hits the shark and causes it to explode. Pardon? Yes, explode. And just to show that they’ve run out of ideas, they mix in footage of Roy Scheider in flashback both making faces with the young Sean from the first film and when laying the shark to rest with a bullet.

Like the third film, this is also uncut. The cinema version was a PG and any release of the fullscreen video has remained as a 15-cert until widescreen ones came out last year rated 12, with any previous edits waived.

“You’re only supposed to blow the bloody shark up!”

Presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen (not 16:9 as stated on the back of the box), the print is a bit sharper this time round, but still quite dark most of the time.

The sound is surround again, in English and German, but there’s nothing unexpected here and the few moments that do use the rear speakers don’t last long.

As the lack of effort into making the film sank, so did the same for the extras. This DVD contains just the 4-minute Jaws 2 trailer plus the teaser trailers for Jaws 3 and Jaws: The Revenge.

There are 16 chapters to the film which isn’t enough, the menus are static and silent and subtitles come in 7 languages: English for the deaf and hard of hearing, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish and Finnish.