"The Meg" Movie Review
What's scarier than the unknown? Whether it be a fear of what's in the dark or what's in the water, we all have a fear of something. The Meg plays on that fear by hypothesizing that there is in fact still a Megalodon, a 70-80 foot beast of a shark that could chomp a whale in half with little effort. It was thought that this gigantic shark was extinct but how can we know for sure?
The film follows Jonas Taylor, an ex-Naval Captain and expert sea diver who encountered what he believed to be a Megalodon while on a mission. He saved 11 members of his crew but still a few died. He was declared to have psychosis, no one believing his story. Five years later, a submersible discovers that there's more to the Mariana Trench than previously believed, and while exploring, is attacked by something big. The submersible loses power, becoming trapped at the literal bottom of the ocean. The Navy calls on Jonas Taylor to help them. Jonas must now put aside his fears, embark on another rescue mission, and face the dreaded Megalodon once again.
While I certainly enjoyed the film, I felt like they tried to stuff three films into one. It wasn't overwhelming but it did lead to a minor plot hole that was never explained. The effects could be a bit hinky, mainly during the made-for-3D moments. Overall, the film kept a good pace, kept me hooked and entertained, and surprisingly kept me laughing.
I loved that the film had so many homages to Jaws and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. It didn't try to remake anything or one-up the films that came before it but rather gave them respectful nods and appreciation.
Jason Statham may have been the lead but Rainn Wilson and Page Kennedy were the true stars of the film. Page Kennedy was the token comedic relief while Rainn Wilson was the rich jackass who thought he knew better than the experts. Statham's stuntwork in the film was impressive, proving that the 51 year-old actor still has it and shows no signs of slowing down.
In conclusion, I'd definitely go see this again and highly recommend it to anyone who loves action, sharks, or what lies in the unknown. I give the film a 3 out of 4.
© 2018 Nathan Jasper