Act 2, Sequence 3: Jaws

The news of the attack has changed the atmosphere of the community. Brody has a ticking clock; the local leaders want the problem taken care of before the 4th of July holiday. As people stream in to try to catch the shark for the reward money, Brody’s problems increase. However, one newcomer is Matt Hooper from the Oceanographic Institute. He is escorted by Brody to examine and give his professional opinion on Chrissie’s remains. He states defiantly and angrily that she was not killed in a boating accident.

Shark hunters bring in a large shark they claim to be the attacking shark. Brody wants to believe that it is the shark, but Hooper is certain it is not because the bite radius is not the same. Hooper wants to cut open the shark to see if the remains of the boy are in the stomach, but the mayor resists. Then the mother of the boy shows up and slaps Brody, accusing him of knowing a shark was out there, but doing nothing about it. The mayor assures the chief that she is wrong, but Brody says that she is right. He knows that he failed to accomplish his goal of protecting the people.

Hooper visits Brody’s home, where the chief is struggling with what to do. Hooper confirms that the shark will probably continue to feed in the island’s waters until there is no more food. That pushes Brody to his THIRD CRITICAL DECISION. He decides that Hooper should make sure they have the right shark. He and Hooper cut open the shark and find everything but the remains of a little boy. Brody plans to call the mayor and close the beaches, but Hooper insists that he has a bigger problem. There is a big fish out there with a large mouth. That means they have to go out and look for the creature, despite Brody’s fear of the water.