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A household name in the animal horror genre, Jaws (1975) takes fans into the murky waters of New England shores, where an inexplicably strong force with sharp teeth lurks. An unlikely crew—Sheriff Martin Brody (Roy Scheider), oceanographer Matt Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss), and quirky local shark hunter Quint (Robert Shaw)—set off to find and stop the shark before things turn too dire.
Directed by Steven Spielberg and based on Peter Benchley's novel, with a score by John Williams, this horror movie set the benchmark for this sub-genre, with its menacing attack sequences tightly woven into a commercially entertaining script that redefined box office success in the 70s. It won three Oscars for Best Film Editing, Best Original Dramatic Score, and Best Sound.
For fans of Jaws, other animal gore like Anaconda and The Host are a must-watch.
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Anaconda, The Host, and other movies for fans of Jaws
1) Anaconda (1997)
Campy, over-the-top, but thoroughly entertaining, this animal horror movie about a giant snake attacking a documentary crew in the deep marshes of the Amazon rainforest offers a healthy dose of nostalgia and jump scares. Starring Jennifer Lopez, Jon Voight, Ice Cube, Owen Wilson, and an ensemble cast, this Luis Llosa directorial hit the commercial jackpot upon release. Critics weren't as supportive.
The movie captures the suffocating atmosphere and the territorial rabidness of a creature that is known to snuff the air out of its prey, all while effortlessly throwing in jokes at inopportune moments. Jaws fans who want an animal-led scary movie but with a more tongue-in-cheek humor will enjoy this classic.
Where to watch: Hulu, Disney+, Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video
2) The Host (2006)
Park Gang-du (Song Kang-ho) runs a snack stand in a park near the Han River in Seoul, South Korea, and this turns out to be his eventual doom. An unknown creature with a vengeance resides in the murky depths of the river, and when it attacks, panic surges among visitors looking for a casual riverside stroll. In the suffocating surge, Gang-du loses his daughter, Hyun-seo (Go Ah-sung), to the beast.
The movie takes the animal horror genre up a notch by including comedy, action, and sci-fi elements with a virus, a broken quarantine to save a loved one, and intense sequences where regular Joes take on an unknown terror with whatever ammunition they have. Jaws fans will love this Bong Joon-ho directorial for its character dynamics and genre-bending attempt at creating horror.
Where to watch: HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Apple TV
3) Cujo (1983)
Novelist Stephen King takes the "man's best friend" rhetoric and turns it upside down in Cujo, a horrific story about a Saint Bernard dog that turns rabid after a bat bite. The plotline is fairly simple: a couple whose marriage is on the rocks adopts a dog. When the husband, Vic (Daniel Hugh-Kelly), goes out of town, Cujo attacks his wife, Donna (Dee Wallace), and their son, Tad (Danny Pintauro), who hole themselves up in their Ford Pinto to escape its wrath.
It is its simplicity that sets this Lewis Teague-directed animal horror movie apart. The focus is solely on the deep sense of fear, told through the eyes of two people who are stuck between the devil and the deep blue sea. The scorching sun threatens death by dehydration, while a snarling dog mauls their neighbors to death, coming for them next. Jaws fans will be on the edge of their seats for this one.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, MGM+
4) Lake Placid (1999)
Lake Placid is Jaws' more affable cousin in the animal horror movie universe. Both are set in New England and based on terrifying waterborne creatures (a giant crocodile in this case), fueled by an inexplicable rage against innocent people. The solution? Bring together a ragtag team of law enforcement personnel and scientists to try and stop the menace from harming anyone else.
Directed by Steve Miner, the movie turns many monster movie cliches on their heads and offers a different, and often hilarious, perspective on the man vs. animal debate. Keep an eye out for the iconic Betty White as Mrs. Delores Bickerman, whose casual revelation midway through the movie will evoke a myriad of emotions. The film's goofy approach to a horrific premise and a stacked cast make it entertaining.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV
5) Rogue (2007)
A list of animal gore and horror would be incomplete without an addition from Australia, a land famously known for its encounters with unbelievable wildlife. Throw in some clueless tourists on a river adventure and a rude interruption from a saltwater crocodile, and fans have an entertainer, directed by Greg McLean and starring Sam Worthington, Radha Mitchell, and Michael Vartan in their hands.
Jaws and Rogue capture the anxiety of the unknown, making them the perfect entertainers. The movie takes its time to build up the premise, focusing on character depth and the story's crescendo, which automatically peaks in a setting where tourists are trapped on a mud island that floods with a rising tide and brings an unwelcome visitor with it.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV
6) Arachnophobia (1990)
After the overwhelming horror of giant creatures mauling humans to death, Arachnophobia offers ironic respite, but not without throwing in an element of psychological horror into the mix. When a small Californian town is overrun by a new species of evil spiders with no agenda but to kill, the residents are thrown into an ecological war.
Directed by Frank Marshall and starring Jeff Daniels and John Goodman, the movie bends genres, dipping its toes in quirky humor and unexpected moments of suspense and tension. By making a character who is afraid of spiders step up and save the town, it takes what could've been a typical horror film and adds a unique layer of mirth and introspection to it. Fans of Jaws looking for nostalgic horror will enjoy its premise.
Where to watch: Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video
7) Deep Blue Sea (1999)
If Jaws is a cautionary tale about the strength and fatality of sharks, Deep Blue Sea takes the warning and throws it out the window. Scientists experiment on a cure for Alzheimer's using mako sharks in an underwater facility. But after the sharks have had enough of their meddling and attack them in a blind rage, fans get to see one of the cheesiest monster movies, complete with a star-studded cast including Samuel L. Jackson, Saffron Burrows, LL Cool J, and Thomas Jane.
There's memorable dialogue, not-so-believable CGI that elevates the fun of it all, and abrupt character deaths that do not justify their stardom. That's what makes it a great watch after Jaws, because the absurdity of humans walking into the lair of the beast voluntarily makes it an iconic entertainer.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV
Fans of Jaws can also watch Alligator (1980), Crawl (2019), and 47 Meters Down (2017).
