Released: August 2018
Director: Jon Turteltaub
Rated PG-13
Run Time: 113 Minutes
Distributor: Warner Bros.
Genre: Action/Adventure
Cast:
Jason Statham: Jonas Taylor
Li Bingbing: Suyin
Rainn Wilson: Morris
Cliff Curtis: Mac
Winston Chao: Zhang
Shuya Sophia Cai: Meiying
Ruby Rose: Jaxx
Robert Taylor: Heller
When Jaws came out in 1975, it surpassed expectations to a degree that not even Steven Spielberg could have imagined. In spite of the technical issues with the shark, or maybe because of those issues, Jaws took the world by storm and became the world’s first summer blockbuster film. It’s one of those rare movies that I would even consider calling perfect. The pacing, the characters, the story and tension all came together in one of the most exciting and realistic thrillers of all time. Since the film’s release, people have tried to replicated the success of Jaws in their own way. You had ripoffs like Piranha and Up From the Depths to more shark-related films like Shark Attack and The Shallows. I can count on one hand how many of these films came close and it’s less than three. Not even Jaws’ sequels were anywhere near as good. Honestly, the fact that the original Jaws was successful is something a miracle and most film-makers just didn’t have that “perfect storm” of insanity that forced Spielberg to work around certain issues. That being said, a lot of these shark-type movies end up just being dumb fun and there is nothing wrong with that, especially if the film embraces its own insanity. The movie that I bring you today is the latest in the long grand tradition of Jaws knock-offs, although this one is also based on a book. I give you…THE MEG!
Story? It’s Jason Statham versus a giant shark. It’s. Jason. Statham. Versus. A Giant. Shark. What more do you really need? Okay, fine: Jason Statham plays Jonas Taylor, a rescue specialist that loses two of his best friends during a mission and ends up leaving the ocean for five years. After that five years, a group of scientists have discovered a new part of the ocean that is actually deeper than the Marianas Trench, so what do they do? A handful of people in a submersible head down to explore this new area of the ocean only to be attacked by…wait for it….a giant shark, a megalodon. So, Jonas is brought back to rescue these folks. It also happens to be that one of these people is Jonas’s ex-wife. People now believe him that a giant shark exists, but they have to stop it before it reaches a populated area. That’s pretty much it. It’s straight-forward and doesn’t really deviate from that course. Having not read the 1997 book by Steve Alten, I couldn’t tell you how accurate the film is to the book. So, I may have to pick up the novel out of curiosity. Overall, the story keeps things moving, that’s pretty much it.
The casting for the film is pretty damned interesting, if I do say so myself. Li Bingbing plays Suying the daughter of the guy that runs a research facility and she has a daughter, Meiying. Not only is Li Bingbing one of the most beautiful women in the world, she’s also a fantastic actress. Her character really gets put through the ringer in this film and Li is more than up for it. Rainn Wilson plays the billionaire Morris, who funded the whole research facility, so he has a financial stake in what’s going on. Rainn’s claim to fame was his role in the American version of The Office. Thankfully, he gives the usually scummy character a more likable vibe, even though his true colors emerge later on. Everyone else is pretty good overall, even though you know that some of the characters exist solely to get devoured by a massive 100-foot shark. Jason Statham is the star of the show here and he’s…..well….Jason Statham. I’m going to flat-out say it: Mr. Statham is not the kind of actor that goes after Academy Awards, that’s not really his style. That’s not to say that he’s a bad actor. Far from it, he’s really good at what he does and he’s always fun to watch. I really do love his interactions with Li’s character and the kid. It’s actually pretty good. Speaking of the kid, Meiying: She’s actually pretty adorable. She’s also not irritating like so many child actors these days. But yeah, this is definitely Jason’s film through and through and he’s fantastic.
I have to say, this is probably some of the most fun I’ve had in theaters this summer. It’s even better when you’re in a packed theater. It’s a surprising amount of fun. The action is pretty solid with some really amazing effects and CGI. The shark itself is absolutely massive, and it had to be done in CGI of course, because there’s no practical way of bringing a prehistoric predator to life through puppetry and stuff like that. That being said, the creature that’s delivered is incredibly detailed and it moves. I didn’t see this one in 3-d, even though I should have, as it strikes me as a movie that begs to be seen in 3-d. Among some of my favorite sequences is when the shark sneaks up on the girl in the underwater base. It’s pretty unsettling. The underwater sequences are fantastic. Having said that, the movie stumbles a bit by being a PG-13 movie. I understand the studios’ need to get butts in theaters, but The Meg is one of those films that BEGS for an R-rating. The potential amount of carnage that could be caused by such a beast is crazy, and Jon Turteltaubt wanted an R-rating, but the studios felt the movie would do better if more people could see it. I understand that business-wise, but I still think the film could have really made an impact with the gore and violence that were initially planned for the film. There’s a sequence towards the end of the film that could have easily turned into a spectacular bloodbath if Warner Bros went full-speed ahead. This is a film that truly needed to be over-the-top violent. With that in mind, it’s still a great deal of fun. My only other real issue is some of the pacing early on. It kind of drags a little bit after the opening scenes.
The Meg is not Jaws. Not by a long-shot. But it wasn’t trying to be, either. The Meg is a film that knows what it is and you are along for the ride. What a ride it is. This is not a film that’s going to make you afraid to back in the water. Jaws already did that 40 years ago. The Meg is just plain fun. That’s all it is, and that’s all you really need. Don’t get me wrong, I really like a smart and complex film, but sometimes you just need to sit back, relax, and turn your brain off for a couple of hours. The Meg is just that kind of movie. Yeah, it’s got issues and doesn’t go full-throttle with the carnage that I feel it needed, but it’s a pretty good time. This one is definitely recommended.
My Final Recommendation: This one is Meg-a fun. Thank you, thank you. I’ll be here all week! 8.5/10