Lego pays tribute to the cult film Jaws with a diorama combining the Orca boat with the terrible shark. Well… the beast is not so terrible in brick format.
Apart from in cartoons, the shark is always seen in pop culture as a fearsome, man-eating predator. However, the reality is very far from this bleak picture: in 2023, there were barely 69 bites in the world, including 10 fatal, according to a follow-up of theUniversity of Florida. The statistic is slightly up compared to 2022, but does not make the shark a killing machine. A lion, an elephant or even a crocodile kill far more.
The shark therefore has a reputation for ugly mugwhich is partly due to its frightening appearance. It is also not helped by a film like Jaws or, more recently, Under the Seine. Directed by Steven Spielberg, it makes the shark a ruthless and impressive monster. Nearly 50 years after the release of the famous blockbuster, Lego finally softens the image of the shark with a set billed at €150. It was about time.
In Lego, the shark of Jaws looks much nicer
The Lego titled Jaws belongs to the Ideas range. This means that it was imagined by an enthusiast who won a competition in which Internet users voted. The Danish company then takes the idea and makes modifications before taking charge of marketing (and, incidentally, acquiring the rights, if applicable). It is a very popular range, because it highlights the imagination of fans and/or licenses that Lego would not necessarily have thought of.
The reproduction, which brings together almost 1,500 pieces, takes the form of a fairly large diorama (59 centimeters, which requires a little space on your sideboard or desk). It shows the shark attacking the Orca boat, in a setting representing a rough sea. The movements are perfectly transcribed and give the impression of not having a frozen set. It is really very pretty and successful.
The assembly process takes place in three stages. We start by assembling the boat. Very detailed, it does not rest on a single hull (beware of fragility when handling it), which gives rather advanced and ingenious assembly techniques. We would have only one criticism to make: the reduced scale does not allow for very comfortable living spaces – like the cabin – for the figurines. There are three of them: Martin Brody (the police chief), Matt Hooper (the scientist) and Sam Quint (the shark hunter). We could have done without a few stickers on a product designed for the exhibition.
Once the boat is rebuilt, we move on to the shark and the Lego charm begins to work. In addition to the precise reproduction of certain elements (the teeth at the head), the shark is distinguished by a much more harmless face. Its small round eyes help to make it more friendly, while nothing is left to chance (large fin, small fins, visible gills, etc.). It is possible to display the shark in two ways: on the diorama attacking or on a specific base (with its entire body). Good point, there is no need to disassemble anything to move from one to the other: you just have to separate the animal into two parts.
Finally, we tackle the decor, which adds an authentic scenography. Lego skillfully plays on colors and textures to give birth to an appreciable dynamic from the first glance. Finally, there is a little quote that will please aficionados: ” you’re gonna need a bigger boat ” It is unfortunately not translated into French (” You’re going to need a bigger boat »).
Source: www.numerama.com
