Jaws, the Steven Spielberg wonder, was released in 1975, and since then, has been a go-to movie for many. Doing great at the box office by making 472 million USD and becoming the first summer blockbuster, Jaws has one of the biggest fan bases out there. One of the most attractive features about the movie was that it was the first of its kind. Nobody before had seen the concept of a killer shark terrorizing an island before, and it has become a gory favorite since its inception.
As a rule of thumb in the film industry, whenever a movie does exceptionally well at the box office, competing production agencies join the rat race by tactfully ripping off the movie’s concept and story line. Sometimes these rip-offs can even be mistaken for the original, and viewers do not realize it. Some examples of this are White House Down ripping off Olympus has Fallen, and Life ripping off Alien. Jaws has experienced a similar phenomenon with many rip-offs, such as the Sharknado series. That said, it is time to uncover some of the best Jaws rip-off films yet.
7 Tremors (1990)
Universal Pictures
Directed by Ron Underwood and starring Kevin Bacon and Fred Ward, Tremors is a go-to classic for many to watch. It follows the storyline of two locals becoming unexpected heroes against monsters, that are killing townspeople one-by-one. Throughout the plot, it can be identified as a Jaws rip-off instantly, but has a lot more to bring to the table. The main appeal of Tremors lies in the perfect casting of the two unsung heroes. The script design and the chemistry between the characters is what makes it a very enjoyable movie to watch. It does include many thrilling and gruesome scenes with a lot of blood. The director gives the movie a lightening pace of just a little over 90-mins, and super fun special effects for viewers to enjoy.
6 Orca (1977)
Paramount Pictures Studios
Exactly two years after the release of Jaws, Orca made its way into the world by being the second rip-off. After witnessing the death of its mate and child, the killer whale hunts down a fisherman’s harbor in vengeance, Captain Nolan must save the world by sailing after the beast. Directed by Michael Anderson and starring the late Richard Harris, who performed all his own stunts at the age of 46, Orca does have a weird charm that distinguishes it from Jaws.
Though it was the era of Jaws, Orca put a whole different sense of fear in people, as it was made in a time when Orca whales were not researched much or known about. Orca is able to capture viewers’ attention by delivering a basic storyline of “man vs. beast” with an array of emotions attached to it. Michael Anderson was successful in drawing up a comparison between the whale and Captain Nolan, which made the final showdown between the two even more thrilling. The music score produced by Ennio Morricone is eerie and intense, and the icing on top of the adventurous cake.
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5 Deep Blue Sea (1999)
Warner Bros. Pictures
Deep Blue Sea, often regarded as the best shark movie to be released after Jaws, is directed by the criminally underrated Renny Harlin. The movie also benefits majorly from a well-put together cast consisting of Thomas Jane, Saffron Barrows, and Samuel L. Jackson. Researchers and scientists harvest brain fluids from sharks to find a cure for Alzheimer’s, but some accidentally violate the code of ethics and genetically engineer sharks to increase their brain size.
Though the plot seems cliché, Director Renny Harlin creates an environment of intense suspense that anybody could die in. Additionally, sharks are already considered to be dangerous, but super smart sharks will guarantee putting viewers at the edge of their seats throughout the runtime. With amazing action scenes that Thomas Jane handles really well and experimental CGI that worked, Deep Blue Seais just the movie for gory, suspense lovers.
4 The Host (2006)
Showbox
If you thought that the rip-offs were only centered around Hollywood, you were wrong, because they even made it to Seoul, South Korea. Directed by Parasite director Bong Joon-ho
South Korean filmmaker, The Host tells the story of a monster emerging from the Han River and attacking people. Starring Song Kang-ho and Bae Doona, the movie shows a dysfunctional family comedy angle to it, while battling the horror of a river monster.
The Host has the ability to grip viewers from the start, as a dark comedy filled with sentimental drama. The movie is also full of symbolic attacks on both Korean and American authorities. Director Bong Joon-ho has expertly directed the action, chase scenes, thrilling camera movements, and smoothly adding various aspects of environmental preservation and social satire to it. Those willing to be wowed by Bong Joon-ho’s direction abilities pre-Parasite, should definitely watch it.
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3 Piranha (1978)
New World PicturesUnited Artists
Obviously, this ranking would be incomplete without one of everybody’s favorite movies, Piranha, Directed by Joe Dante. Following the plot of flesh-eating piranhas accidentally being released into a summer resort river where the guests become their new meal, Piranha offers all the action, bloody details, and thrills required to take attention away from Jaws. The cast, consisting of Bradford Dillman and Heather Menzies-Urich, performs well and the effects are good, considering the low budget.
This movie builds up a fear of lakes and rivers in people, because the murky effects in the water add to the suspense, which proceeds in blood gushing everywhere. Putting humor into the mix with horror never goes wrong, and also Piranha succeeds with that. The film makes viewers think long about how the characters in the movie are going to stop this. The film builds up engagement, suspense, and gruesome scenes. Piranha is a must-watch for those who can stomach all that.
2 Alligator (1980)
Toho -Towa
When a baby alligator is flushed down the toilet, it grows up to become a giant, due to a laboratory-injected diet, and soon develops a taste for humans. This is the plot of director Lewis Teague’s man vs. monster movie, which has become a favorite classic for many. The cast includes Robert Foster and Robin Ryker, who deliver an excellent performance and are extremely likable.
For gore lovers, if murdering sharks and piranhas were not enough, they made an alligator twice its size to wreak havoc in Chicago. The creepy atmosphere of the sewers and bone crunching details, Alligator is bound to send chills down viewers’ spines. Additionally, with a witty script, good enough CGI, and a hilarious cameo by Henry Silva, Alligator gets all the praise and less critique.
1 Grizzly (1976)
Columbia PicturesFilm Ventures International
Directed by William Girdler, Jaws’ first rip-off, Grizzly is a story of an eighteen-foot bear terrorizing a state park, and a Park Ranger being there to save the day. Most of the appeal of the movie comes from the nostalgia of having fun watching a not-so-good movie. Christopher George does a respectable job in delivering the character of the ranger at the time. The bear that appears to be cuddly at first sight, soon gets its claws out and starts attacking people in some of the bloodiest scenes for the time. It can easily make viewers cringe in their seats. Considering the budget restrictions, Grizzly did turn out to be good, and did give adequate entertainment to those watching. However, it would be most suitable for those who enjoy action in the dense forests of North Carolina, making the action even more sudden and full of suspense.
