Alligator (1980) ****

Alligator (1980) is a film I can't believe I didn't see until now. As Jaws (1975) (review) rip-offs go, I liked this more than Piranha (1978) (review), which I've seen numerous times. That film and this one share a writer, one John Sayles (Piranha was his debut script), who also wrote Joe Dante's The Howling (1981) (review)—that's a good track record of monster movies! 

Alligator is really fun and funny but also has a certain social conscience. The practical effects and gore are super. The cinematography and editing are quite strong. Robert Forster is a delight. The finale is fantastic. I'm not sure what else to say about this one except that it delivers exactly what you'd expect—mayhem and gator carnage, without sacrificing characters or tension.