ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the author widens the lens of analysis to include two films because he think comparing them not only enhances his appreciation of each but also sheds light on what is distinctive about the virtues of the protagonists of both films. Similarities between the mythically proportioned monsters and their relentless attack on humans account for only the most obvious affinities between Steven Spielberg's Jaws and John Cameron's Aliens. The stories pit individuals of apparently ordinary ability against spectacular creatures from beyond the hospitable landscapes of civilization—the briny deep and deep space. The pair of confrontations are structured to show how great danger can evoke heroism from people who, though morally good, would rather evade danger than fight it. In fact, a virtue central to these unlikely heroes is precisely the good sense to recognize the destructive forces they are up against.
