Review of The Meg (2018) by Hector V — 22 Aug 2018

To an underwater research facility's horror, an exploration team's rescue mission deep below the Mariana Trench has left a thermal pathway open for enormous prehistoric monsters to swim through. With the safety of the Pacific in danger, the crew of Mana One track down and hunt the surfacing creature: a gigantic megalodon shark.

Let's get this out of the way: as much as its marketing has capitalized on its similarities to the latter, The Meg is no Jaws. Based on Steve Alten's 1997 novel of the same name, it's bigger, probably dumber, and while it shares some vague narrative similarities to Spielberg's blockbuster (itself comparable to another literary classic, Moby Dick) the new film takes a different trajectory based more in action than suspense. That being said, there's plenty of good summer fun to be had with The Meg.

A really big shark demands a larger-than-life lead, and Jason Statham sells the film as Jonas Taylor, a big, muscly badass with the self-aware bravado of a 90's action hero. Statham knows the movie is ridiculous, making his deathly serious delivery delightful to jeer with as he pilots advanced seacraft, makes deep-sea rescues, and harpoons sharks (!). Any other casting choice would have left the movie worse by default.

As a joint Chinese-American production, the rest of the good, diverse cast keeps the film going. Despite some possibly spotty acting likely from the language barrier, Chinese actress Li Bingbing is equally charming opposite Statham as the adventurous oceanographer Suyin Zhang. Her young onscreen daughter played by Shuya Sophia Cal also steals some great scenes from the two leads. Everyone else, including Rainn Wilson, Page Kennedy, Ruby Rose, and Jessica McNamee, is good, albeit forgettable.

That's the thing with The Meg. The first and third acts feel unremarkably standard despite some shining moments scattered here and there, a fault mostly attributed to its wishy-washy characters. A solid character arc for Statham's Jonas runs through the movie, but it's pretty much dropped by the middle of the third act. Though film hits all the right beats with good, silly action and decent suspense, there's nothing particularly memorable about it save for a scene or two. A slightly stronger dose of smart B-movie absurdity may have turned out a better piece.

It may need a tinge of viewer irony to sieve out some ridiculous fun from an otherwise stock build, but The Meg is an alright summer flick overall. Go for the giant shark, stay for the Statham.