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'Jaws 2’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Sean Fennessey

July 8, 2025 · Jaws 2 (1978) · Adventure · Horror · Thriller · 1:38:15

IMDb ↗Letterboxd ↗

Categories

Most Rewatchable Scene

Bill Simmons▶ 40:13Eddie getting eaten
Chris Ryan▶ 40:31The helicopter crash scene within the doomed sailing trip
Sean Fennessey▶ 31:52The woman pouring gasoline all over herself before lighting a flare and exploding

Den of Thieves Benihana Award

Chris Ryan▶ 48:49the Hog's Breath Saloon

What's Aged the Worst

Bill Simmons▶ 54:48The classic 70s move where the guy does the airplane shake to calm down the screaming woman, looking like borderline domestic violence
Chris Ryan▶ 53:31The confusing large group size - having like 22 kids with many named Eddie, making it hard to keep track of who's who

Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:00:54People used to have sex on sailboats doesn't make sense because if it doesn't go well, you're stuck at sea
Chris Ryan▶ 59:59If cousin Jackie never shows up in Amity, there would be a much lower body count because all the guys are so distracted by her that they want to take her sailing, and her freaking out/trauma is unearned
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:01:49This movie (Jaws 2) is actually what killed the New Hollywood, not Jaws or Star Wars, because it proved movies don't even have to be okay to make money

Casting What-Ifs

Bill Simmons▶ 1:05:22Roy Scheider — Discusses Roy Scheider almost being in The Deer Hunter instead of Jaws 2, considers it one of his favorite casting what-ifs but thinks Scheider was too old for the Michael role
Chris Ryan▶ 1:06:16Roy Scheider — Thinks Scheider would have been good and could go toe-to-toe with great actors like in Marathon Man, noting Scheider's strength as a 'second guy' in films
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:05:46Robert De Niro — Happy they got De Niro instead of Scheider for The Deer Hunter, doesn't think it would have been a good Scheider part, similar to Sorcerer being better with Scheider than McQueen would have been

Apex Mountain

Bill Simmons▶ 1:12:55Donna Wilkes — Every kid actor except Keith Gordon probably at apex mountain; water skiing murders as apex for water skiing; Donna Wilkes definitely peaked with Angel

Hanks or Cruise

Bill Simmons▶ 1:16:35Tom Hanks — Hanks for Jaws 1, Cruise for Jaws 2
Chris Ryan▶ 1:15:23Tom Cruise — Supports young Cruise who looks like the character and provides unintentional comedy
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:15:43Tom Hanks — Hanks as Brody, Cruise as any other character except the mayor

Picking Nits

Bill Simmons▶ 1:17:31The water skiing boat explosion scene is ridiculously unrealistic, and the scene where Mike's friend keeps kissing young Sean on the cheek is weird and inappropriate
Chris Ryan▶ 1:17:46The water skiing boat explosion scene is ridiculous - the character's decision to cover herself in gasoline makes no sense when staying still would be the logical choice
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:18:12Agrees that covering yourself in gasoline doesn't make sense, noting that staying still is what actually works later when Tina survives using that strategy

Sequel/Prequel/Limited Series/Remake

Bill Simmons▶ 1:19:28Prequel is the answer - specifically a USS Indianapolis prequel
Chris Ryan▶ 1:20:09USS Indianapolis prequel - they should have made that movie and it's surprising it's not happening now
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:21:09USS Indianapolis prequel with enhanced elements like Portuguese man of war jellyfish alongside sharks for more kill opportunities

Is This Movie Better With

Bill Simmons▶ 1:22:19Lists the standard options but doesn't make a specific pick from the recurring list
Chris Ryan▶ 1:22:35Samuel L. Jackson — Sam Jackson as the guy commenting on civic politics, saying things like 'how the fuck did that guy get re-elected'
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:23:08Doris Burke — Doris Burke doing Brody's final dialogue lines to the shark in her basketball commentary style

Just One Oscar

Bill Simmons▶ 1:23:47John Williams

Coach Finstock Life Lesson

Bill Simmons▶ 1:29:41Maybe believe the guy who was a prophetic hero three years before that something might be going on again - maybe trust him for a split second
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:29:49Agrees with the lesson about trusting the proven hero, noting that now 10 teenagers watched him murder his second shark so he's confirmed

Best Double Feature

Bill Simmons▶ 1:30:16Jaws: The Revenge — Jaws and Jaws: The Revenge
Chris Ryan▶ 1:30:21Jaws — Jaws and Jaws 2

Probably Unanswerable Questions

Bill Simmons▶ 1:31:18He wouldn't have a lot of fear about getting back in, comparing himself to his past reckless motorcycle riding
Chris Ryan▶ 1:30:50After the Jaws attack, would you still live in Amity or how long before you get in the water again
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:31:08People would get back in the water pretty soon, thinking 'it's not gonna happen to me'

Who Won the Movie

Bill Simmons▶ 1:32:22Universal
Chris Ryan▶ 1:32:26Disagrees with Jenna Schark - 'he did not win the movie'
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:32:31Jeannot Szwarc — Jenna Schark (director Jeannot Szwarc)

Movies Referenced (49)

Halloween (1978)

9 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 11:27IMDb ↗Lb ↗

After Hours (1985)

5 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 43:40IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Man of the Year (2006)

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 5:08IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977)

4 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons▶ 13:34IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Superman (2025)

4 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons▶ 11:27IMDb ↗Lb ↗

American Psycho (2000)

3 mentions · Sean Fennessey▶ 1:28:33IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Dangerous Animals (2025)

3 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons▶ 22:20IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Fargo (1996)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 1:03:44IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Marathon Man (1976)

3 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons▶ 8:19IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Psycho (1960)

3 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons▶ 16:44IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Rocky (1976)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 11:06IMDb ↗Lb ↗

American Graffiti (1973)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 11:13IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Directors Referenced (13)

Martin Scorsese

8 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for Taxi Driver, Killers of the Flower Moon, Mean Streets▶ 4:56IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Steven Spielberg

7 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey · Known for Schindler's List, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Saving Private Ryan▶ 19:45IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Keith Gordon

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for A Midnight Clear▶ 53:57IMDb ↗Lb ↗

David Brown

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for The Player, Cocoon, Deep Impact▶ 13:23IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Brian De Palma

1 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for Body Double, Dressed to Kill, The Bonfire of the Vanities▶ 27:28IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Clint Eastwood

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Million Dollar Baby, Gran Torino, Unforgiven▶ 10:15IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Dead or Alive

1 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for The A-Team▶ 21:40IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Eytan Rockaway

1 mentions · Chris Ryan▶ 2:33IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Gary Dubin

1 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for Jaws 2, Pump Up the Volume▶ 36:09IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Iyi Tubi

1 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for Ex Machina, World War Z▶ 19:12IMDb ↗Lb ↗

James Gray

1 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for Ad Astra▶ 8:49IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jayson Clute

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Titanic, American Psycho▶ 8:19IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Actors Referenced (25)

John Williams

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Jurassic Park, Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope▶ 27:05IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Empire of the Sun

4 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons · Known for Sex Tape, Hall Pass▶ 11:19IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jan Hammer

2 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Charlie's Angels, The Wedding Singer▶ 28:07IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jeffrey Kramer

2 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons · Known for Jaws, Jaws 2▶ 1:08:46IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Mario Van Peebles

2 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for Heartbreak Ridge, Jaws: The Revenge▶ 18:19IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Michael Caine

2 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for The Dark Knight, The Cider House Rules▶ 18:59IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Roy Scheider

2 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan · Known for Jaws, The French Connection, All That Jazz▶ 8:06IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Angela Jeanneau

1 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 26:39IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Blake Lively

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for The Town▶ 21:21IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Breaking Benjamin

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for National Treasure, Hellboy▶ 10:49IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Burt Reynolds

1 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for Boogie Nights, Smokey and the Bandit, Striptease▶ 16:56IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Dick Cavett

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Beetlejuice, Forrest Gump▶ 5:40IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Writers Referenced (3)

Roger Ebert

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 28:29IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Carl Gottlieb

2 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for Jaws 2▶ 20:44IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Howard Sackler

1 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for Jaws 2▶ 1:19:38IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Cinematographers Referenced (2)

Len Peterson

3 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons▶ 6:37IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Michael Grantland

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for The Other Guys▶ 30:17IMDb ↗Lb ↗