Review of The Meg (2018) by James K — 17 Aug 2018

Sharks are conceived as a general threat. Considering their size and capabilities (razor sharp teeth, for example), sharks are probably considered the largest predators out there. This can be contributed in part to the 1975 film "Jaws" which made sharks scary. Now, sharks are still conceived as threats in real life, but in media, they're generally seen as somewhat of a joke. This is especially true with the movie "The Meg", short for megalodon, aka, ,the biggest fish that had ever existed. Directed by Jon Turteltaub and starring Jason Statham, the film is a stupid exploration of what might happen if a giant shark actually existed. While the film is enjoyably fun for its stupidity, that's the only thing going for it. "The Meg" is basically a popcorn flick that makes you rethink sharks as predators in the first place.

The plot is that during an exploration under the depths of the ocean, a undersea crew find what appears to be a megalodon- the world's largest shark that has ever existed. Now, with the from a former rescuer named Jonas Taylor (Statham), the crew must hunt and kill this beast before it kills innocent civilians. That's basically it.

Oh, boy! Where do we begin with the problems for "The Meg"? For starters, the story is basically a big budget B movie: low on plot, and low on expectations. The film itself isn't terrible, by any means, but the story gets rid of plot elements that go nowhere, and it feels tiring to watch.

The characters are also a big problem. They're not terrible, they're just bland, flat, and one dimensional. Nobody really stands out in particular, and again, it feels like a B movie just done on a bigger budget.

Then, there's the pacing. At nearly two hours, the film does feel like a drag to get through. While the first and second acts are fine, the third and last act seems a bit forced and rushed. I don't know; maybe they could have done something more than what was given in the final product. Yet, as it stands, the movie feels like a long way to get to the end.

Finally, there could have been more music selections; while the orchestrated soundtrack is fine, a little more pop songs could have improved the film greatly.

Now, are there some good things about "The Meg"? Yes, but there are only a few good qualities.

For starters, the cinematography is very nice to look at, especially during the underwater scenes. On top of this, the CGI used in the film looks pretty good, despite it being a B movie.

In conclusion, "The Meg" is a silly, stupid film that is bad, but totally worth it for the amount of entertainment being enjoyed. Sharks definitely deserve better than this film tries to offer.