August is in full swing which means, in the movie world, this is the time to burn through some titles that weren’t quite hot enough to withstand the summer blockbuster heat. It’s not necessarily that these are bad movies, although some of them definitely will be, it’s more of a case where the smart business decision is to pit these selections against offerings that might better allow them to succeed and hopefully in the studios’ eyes, see a return on their investment. Warner Bros. knows how to navigate these tricky waters, so waiting until the twilight of summer may prove to be a smart move here. Time to find out if The Meg is going to sink or swim.
Jonas Taylor (Jason Statham) is quietly enjoying life in a stress-free environment aided by copious amounts of beer while living in Thailand. He’s tried to distance himself from his former life as a rescue diver as he possibly can, but when a dire situation arises that only he is qualified for, Jonas is asked to dive right back into the same danger he left years ago. A billion dollar underwater research facility called Mana One is on the verge of a historic breakthrough when their team challenges what was previously thought to be true regarding the depths of the ocean.
Jack Morris (Rainn Wilson) is the man behind all of this EXPENSIVE research and he expects results. Upon the team’s deepest exploration yet, a submersible containing members of the crew, including Jonas’ ex-wife, is damaged due to an unseen threat. Jonas comes aboard to lend a helping hand but there a bigger problems that will need to be dealt with. The threat turns out to be a massively previously thought to be extinct shark, known as a Megalodon. Considerably larger than the largest known creature in the sea, the Megalodon is at the top of the food chain and everything else is just food for thought. Unless Jonas and the folks on Mana One can figure out a way to contain this prehistoric predator, sea life as we know it will be forever changed.
The Meg features Jason Statham as THE man but he has some good company joining him in this oceanic action horror. Bingbing Li, Cliff Curtis, Winston Chao, Ruby Rose, Page Kennedy and Rainn Wilson are some of the co-stars. This group helps provide the backdrop for intensity, action and laughter. The feel of the movie is definitely that of a summer “popcorn” flick. It doesn’t take itself too seriously as there’s definitely a healthy portion of improbable to definitely impossible moments throughout. And that’s what makes this experience somewhat fun. Take it for what it is and you’ll probably not hate it.
I’ll be the first to tell you that The Meg has many faults from top to bottom. That said, it’s not like director Jon Turteltaub was out to make a factual movie. Being based on a novel by Steve Alten, which includes seven books to date, it’s not far off from Jaws. On the plus side, we’re not having to swallow another reboot here. At least we’ve got new life to speak of with room to grow. This still lacks the white-knuckled thrilling moments that the aforementioned classic shark movie contained. You won’t feel uneasy, you’ll often know exactly what direction scenes are heading before they’re fully revealed. Still, this late summer addition can still pass as mildly entertaining as Jason Statham goes all “Jason Statham-y”, which could make for a fun time in theaters this weekend.
