Jaws 3D 4K release is getting slammed for AI remastering

A couple of months ago, Jaws 3D (as well as Jaws: The Revenge) was released on 4K Ultra HD, but the release came under fire because it appears that some fairly aggressive AI was used to help restore the movie. Owing to the 3D process used to film the movie—which divided a 35mm film frame in half along the middle—Jaws 3D has never been the best-looking movie on home media. The film has always had a great deal of grain and some frame distortion, but the AI processing has smoothed things over just a little too much, as well as turning the background characters into rather horrifying creatures. We dig into the 4K release in the video embedded above, and you can also see some images of the AI upscales in the embeds below:

I'm hearing they A.I.'d it to get it that way, but I love JAWS 3D (probably a little too much) and did screen grabs comparing the current Vudu digital copy transfer, the MoviesAnywhere transfer (both different), and the 4k transfer now on Peacock… pic.twitter.com/41IIcDfQLG

— Jared Rivet (@jaredrivet1) July 18, 2024

While some won’t be bothered by this AI remastering on the Jaws 3D 4K release, it does appear to be a deal-breaker for many. This isn’t the first time AI remastering has reared its head, as the 4K release of James Cameron’s True Lies also proved to be controversial. I’m certain AI will continue to play a part in the remastering process of select movies, but it feels as though we’re back in the early days of DNR with overly waxy faces and a complete absence of grain. The technology will doubtlessly continue to improve, but at the moment, it’s looking rough.

Jaws 3 stars Dennis Quaid as Mike Brody, the son of Martin Brody, who is now the chief engineer at SeaWorld Orlando. When a giant thirty-five-foot Great White Shark infiltrates the park and begins killing the employees, it’s up to Mike to save the day, all in glorious 3D. The film is also famous for representing the height of Quaid’s cocaine habit in the ’80s, with the actor later saying that he was high in “every frame” in which he appears.

If you were hoping to pick up Jaws 3D on 4K, does this AI remastering change your mind about buying it, or are you not bothered?