MEG 2: THE TRENCH

Statham vs the shark

MEG 2: THE TRENCH (2023). Director: Ben Wheatley.

Jonas Taylor (Jason Statham) and several other researchers descend into a deep trench, run into a problem, and discover that an escape submersible has been sabotaged -- they're (temporarily) trapped on the bottom. Jonas and the others have two enemies to worry about: several more hungry megalodons from the depths, and their greedy business partners, who are willing to engage in murder to get what they want. The megs and a huge tentacled horror then emerge from the deep and head towards a vacation paradise called Fun Island. 

Jason Statham

I wasn't that impressed with The Meg, but I really hated Meg 2. Despite some good FX work and a couple of exciting scenes, the script is just awful, spending way too much time on hit men chasing after Jonas and his buddies and that sort of thing instead of concentrating on the monsters. Even the good guys in this don't seem to really care about anybody, including innocent victims being gobbled (although to be fair Taylor risks his life more than once to kill the monsters). It's also irritating that the character of Jiuming Zhang (Jing Wu), who starts out as a somewhat foolhardy but dignified individual, suddenly turns into comedy relief -- as do others -- later in the movie. The movie seems to have been cobbled together from different screenplays thrown into a blender, and is never especially cohesive. Meg 2 also can't make up its mind if it's a creature feature or a Jason Statham Action Movie. As for Statham's acting, I'll have to reserve my opinion until I see him in something halfway decent. 

Verdict: Pretty much a mess. *1/2. 

THE MEG

Jason Statham 

THE MEG (2018). Director: Jon Turteltaub.

About twenty years ago or so a novel called "Meg" by Steve Alten was published with a minor splash, primarily because the movie rights had been bought before publication by Disney. The film never materialized, although there were other films about giant prehistoric sharks (species: megalodon), as well as novels, at least one of which was published before Meg. I don't know why the book and film were in developmental hell for so long, but the movie adaptation has finally come out. I remember the novel as being fun but not that well-written. The film may be a slight improvement. 

Jonas Taylor (Jason Statham) survived an attack by a gigantic creature and has given up diving, until he receives a call for help. A sub with people he knows on it has been disabled underwater and a rescue mission is required. Taylor manages to save most of the people, but discovers that a huge prehistoric shark has come up from a lower level of the ocean. Then it attacks the floating base ...

To be fair to The Meg it does have some thrilling scenes with Statham heroically taking on the gargantuan creature and saving the lives of his companions. But there are a few obnoxious characters (the cowardly black dates back to Stepin Fetchit and is pretty ridiculous in this day and age), and more than its share of cliches. Gore Geeks will be disappointed that the carnage of the film is tasteful, you don't have people being shredded in living color as in Piranha 3D, but that's okay with me. There is some tension and suspense, but somehow the movie ultimately just doesn't impress that much. The music by Harry Gregson-Williams provides needed atmosphere, the pace is fast, the FX ecellent, and Statham offers a charismatic lead performance, however.

Verdict: By no means a bad movie, but not something you'll necessarily want in your permanent DVD collection, either. **1/2.