After the phenomenal success of Jaws, Universal's producers began creating a direct sequel, knowing that others would build upon the success of the first.

Mako: The Jaws of Death was released just one year after the first film and two years before the sequel, making it one of the first to take the leap. After the ordeal Spielberg went through with his mechanical shark, this modest B-movie prefers filming with real animals and makes it a selling point. Mako is ahead of its time and goes against all sharksploitation conventions, portraying the sharks as the good ones and humans as the villains. Finally, the film distinguishes itself with its quirky concept, where the protagonist, equipped with a protective amulet, has a telepathic connection with the sharks, communicating with them for revenge against their human oppressors.

On the other hand, Jaws 2 is much more restrained and reminiscent of the emerging slasher film trend, featuring young teens being killed by the shark as they stray from the straight and narrow. Apart from this puritanical and moralistic aspect, the film is true shark pornography compared to the first: French director Jeannot Szwarc is generous with the shark's appearances on screen and inventive in the situations where it attacks its victims. This is indeed the best sequel to a saga that will reach ever deeper depths.