An landlubber police chief, an oceanographer, and a veteran fisherman hunt a huge, killer shark.

I’m breaking down movies by their three-act structure. What is three-act structure? I explain it here.

Note: I break the story down into five-minute blocks to make it easier to see the length of each section. Rough time codes follow.

Prolog

A girl splits away from a nighttime beach party and goes swimming. She is killed by a mysterious underwater attacker (the inciting incident). 5

Act 1

Per the “corner”, Chief Brody records the death as a shark attack (introducing the hero). 10

Mayor Vaughn asks Brody not to say it was a shark attack to avoid panic (introducing a catch of the wrong-headed-superior variety). 15

The Kintner boy is killed by the shark (definitively introducing the villain and being the call to adventure). Mrs Kintner offers a bounty. 20

Quint offers to hunt the shark for steep price (introducing another hero). That night, two men fish for the shark off a pier. 25

The shark destroys the pier and nearly kills the men. The next day, men prepare to go shark hunting, and Hooper arrives (introducing the third hero; Brody’s hope that this will solve his problem for him is the refusal of the call–he’s running around, but completely ineffective). 30

Hooper examines the first victim and declares it a shark attack, not a boating accident (providing the motivation to do something)….

Act 2

…People go shark-hunting for the bounty. A tiger shark is caught (symbolizing the heroes entering the extraordinary world of shark-hunting but from the safety of the dock). 35

Mrs Kintner condemns Brody’s inaction. Hooper and Brody talk sharks. 40

This sequence could be read as the real motivation, but then Brody and Hooper cutting open the tiger shark is the heroes going into the extraordinary world, but that starts the second act 10 minutes late. It’s better read as a subplot moment that motivates Brody to overcome his fear of the water.

Hooper and Brody talk more. They go cut the tiger shark open: no Kintner boy (plot point!). 45

Hooper and Brody go out in a boat (venturing into the wilderness). Hooper dives on an empty boat and finds a corpse. 50

Vaughn refuses to close the beach. Visitors arrive for Independence Day. 55

Boys panic swimmers with a fake shark fin (this fakeout is a piece of genius, because it is a crisis, just not a real attack). 60

Midpoint

Brody’s son witnesses a man killed by the shark and suffers shock (this is the real crisis, but because of the fakeout, it’s effectively an extended one). 65

Brody bullies Vaughn into hiring Quint (this resolves the catch). Quint and Hooper spar over Hooper’s qualifications. 70

They set out on the Orca. Hooper warns Brody about the air tanks (setting up the payoff of the climax). 75

They hook the shark, but the line snaps. 80

They see the shark (plot point!). Quint attaches a barrel with a dart. Night: the men get drunk and compare scars. 85

Quint tells about surviving the Indianapolis sinking. They sing a song. 90

The shark attacks the Orca and wrecks the engine (all is lost!). Quint tries shooting it with a rifle, but it disappears (the defeat). 95

Act 3

Morning: The men fix the engine. The shark returns and they retrieve the barrel. Quint smashes the radio (which is a late dedication to resolving the conflict). The shark returns. 100

Quint attaches a new barrel, then a second. They snag the barrels and attach them to the Orca, but the shark is too strong. Quint attaches a third barrel. 105

Quint chops the lines, freeing the Orca. The shark follows them anyway (plot point!). The engine gives out. The Orca takes on water. 110

Hooper puts his shark cage in the water with a poison harpoon. The shark attacks and destroys the cage. 115

Quint and Brody bring the cage up, but Hooper is gone. The shark smashes the stern of the Orca and eats Quint. Brody shoves an air tank into its mouth. The Orca sinking, Brody climbs the mast and shoots the air tank, blowing up the shark (resolving the central conflict). 120

Hooper surfaces, alive. He and Brody paddle to shore on some debris. Brody remarks that he used to hate the water (the decision, sort of). 125