10 Horror Movies That Take Themselves Way Too Seriously
5. Jaws: The Revenge
Jaws: The Revenge is a quintessential example of a horror film's universe running out of creative steam. The unique selling point for the series' fourth and final entry is a psychic connection between a vengeful great white shark and Chief Brody's widow, Ellen.
Unsurprisingly, this feeble premise sinks any prospects of success from the get-go. The uninspired and implausible notion of the central narrative thread is not helped by the flick's limited cast.
If Jaws 3-D jumped the shark by putting a great white in Sea World and following that up with gimmicky 3D technology, then Jaws: The Revenge managed to clear it entirely. Director Joseph Sargent tries to pass the tale off as a dramatic horror. Evidently hoping to sink an emotional meathook into his audience, the director plays on Ellen's grief at losing her husband - Roy Scheider's Chief Brody - and son in unashamedly cheesy fashion.
Juxtaposed against the legendary original, the notion that anyone should be throwing their emotional weight behind this story is practically insulting. With the needless supernatural element reducing any potential credibility to chum, the suggestion that viewers are expected to endure this absurdity with a straight face is the final nail in The Revenge's coffin.