- Network: National Geographic
- Series Premiere Date: Jul 10, 2025
Critic Reviews
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There’s little here that’s new or shocking for hardcore fans, and nothing to rock even a small boat, but this is a pleasantly comprehensive and wide-ranging celebration of the shark-centric gamechanger.
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If you're a Jaws junkie, you'll be sucked in by the fascinating minutiae, such as Spielberg talking about how he chose the size of his great white monster (he was actually offered the chance to make it bigger!), but this is more than a retelling of how a mechanical monster kept breaking down. Spielberg calls Jaws a movie about people, and so is Jaws @ 50, because it treats those people as being equal to the director himself.
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Jaws @ 50 can be formulaic, and it doesn’t break the mold of making-of docs. Even if it’s not quite a must-see, it’s nevertheless a fun watch for fans who appreciate a little rehash and newbs who want insight into a true cinematic benchmark.
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Jaws @ 50 isn’t a bad documentary, just a frustrating one. It’s entertaining enough, but you might do better watching the original film instead.
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“Jaws @ 50” is mainly noteworthy as a comprehensive, if sometimes surface-skimming, compendium of everything there is to know about Peter Benchley’s bestselling source novel, the 1975 movie, its phenomenal box office and cultural impact and why it remains relevant — as well as a near-perfect fright film — today.