Satisfaction Guaranteed: The 10 Best Comeuppances In Cinema

There is a very simple reason for the high level of enjoyment that comes from watching a great cinematic comeuppance – it affords us the kind of satisfaction we rarely find in life. Who hasn’t found themselves up against the sort of arch-nemesis that belongs on the silver screen? In every audience-member’s own narrative, there is an embodiment of cold, calculating evil – plotting the demise of the more sympathetic and heroic characters in that personal story.

Sarah Myles

Published: Jul 24, 2015 08:22 am

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Jaws (1975)

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Steven Spielberg’s quintessential monster movie sees a small U.S coastal town terrorized by a particularly blood-thirsty, and enormous, great white shark. Eventually, it becomes clear that somebody is going to have to go get this terrifying creature in order to save the lives of residents, tourists, and to preserve the economy of the town – so Police Chief Brody (Roy Scheider) assembles a crack team, comprised of marine biologist Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss) and bitter fisherman Quint (Robert Shaw). Reluctantly, the trio head out on the water.

As events take increasingly gruesome turns, Brody becomes more and more determined to end the ocean-dweller’s reign of terror. This leads to a denouement in which Brody takes advantage of the gas canister that is lodged in the creature’s mouth – inviting the advancing great white to “Smile, you son of a…” before shooting it in such a way that it explodes, obviously.

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