Thursday, March 28, 2024

Movie Review: ‘The Meg’ is absolutely absurd and peak Jason Statham


Director: Jon Turteltaub
Writers: Dean Georgaris, John Hoeber, Erich Hoeber, Steve Alten (based on the novel by)
Stars: Jason Statham, Bingbing Li, Rainn Wilson, Cliff Curtis, Ruby Rose

Synopsis: A team of scientists encounter a 75-foot-long prehistoric shark, Megalodon, while exploring the depths of the Mariana Trench. They must work to stop it from reaching populated areas in this man vs monster action thriller.

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Killer shark movies have been a staple in Hollywood since the huge success of Jaws in 1975. There have been attempts at serious films, and tons of straight to TV, Syfy channel, or cheesy B-movies. I am a huge fan of all of types. When I first saw a trailer for The Meg, I immediately had high hopes for the film, and prayed to the movie gods and Jon Turteltaub to not let me down.

This is Turteltaub’s first big movie since Last Vegas (2013), The Sorcerer’s Apprentice (2010), and the National Treasure films in 2004 and 2007. In interviews he’s stated he’s happy with the film and his main goal was to make a strictly “fun” movie about a giant shark. His biggest regret was having to stick to a PG-13 rating in order to reach a broader audience. Apparently he had more carnage and mayhem planned, but it was cut from the final film. Hopefully we’ll get to see it later in an extended edition or director’s cut.

The Meg focuses on a group of scientists based in a state-of-the-art facility in the Philippine Sea. Their goal is to study marine life in the Mariana Trench and determine if it’s deeper than previously documented. While exploring they encounter a giant shark, a Megalodon, which was thought to have been extinct for millions of years. After barely escaping from the ocean floor, the Meg follows them to the surface to wreak havoc on anything in its path. If you are a fan of the books (there are five, please go read them), I will warn you the movie is very different. I have read them and even though certain plot points have been changed, the movie’s modern twist to Steve Atlen’s novel is appropriate for the big screen. Many of the same events are there, just tweaked a bit, and the technology has been updated.

Jason Statham plays Jonas Taylor, an experienced deep sea rescue diver with a troubled past. I love Statham in this role. Jonas is a good balance of moody, cocky, humorous, and heroic, making him 100% tailor-made for Statham. Jonas also takes pleasure in gracefully diving off of things and swimming in dangerous waters. Statham was a professional diver for England before becoming the movie star we all know and love, so I’m betting he did many of the stunts himself. If you were unaware of this bit of trivia please make your way to YouTube and search “Jason Statham Diving”.

Bingbing Li is the female heroine of the movie. She plays Suyin, a scientist, submarine pilot, mother to the world’s most adorable kid, and daughter of the man in charge of the entire operation. If you’re not familiar with Bingbing Li, she is probably best known for her roles in Transformers: Age of Extinction and The Forbidden Kingdom. She is known for playing strong women and it suits her in The Meg. Her daughter in the movie, Meiying, is played by 10 year old Shuya Sophia Cai, who is easily the most entertaining person in the film.

I honestly liked most of the characters and the actors portraying them, save for Rainn Wilson. I don’t know why he annoys me, but it fits his character so it works. He plays the billionaire, Morris, who is funding the science station. Since he has all the money, he feels entitled to be as obnoxious as he wants, and Wilson taps into that strongly. He’s funny, but I was rooting for the shark in his case.

Other notable characters are Heller, played by Longmire’s Robert Taylor. He is the station’s doctor and has a history with Jonas. Ruby Rose plays Jaxx, the team’s edgy computer chick. Cliff Curtis is Mac who also has a history with Jonas but the film didn’t explain it (if they did I missed it.) I’m not sure what he contributed to the plot, but I like Cliff Curtis so I’m okay with the lack of character development. There’s also DJ, played by Page Kennedy, who is that guy in these types of movies who repeatedly reminds everyone “This is a bad idea”.

The shark itself was done well and appears to be almost entirely CGI. I don’t have any complaints, but I’m not an expert in prehistoric sharks. The only special effects that bothered me were in some of the underwater scenes, especially the deep sea diving. It was reminiscent of one of those 3D or IMAX underwater adventure movies they show at museums and aquariums. I was also getting major flashbacks to the underwater chase scene in Star Wars: Episode 1 – The Phantom Menace (1999). It didn’t help that the “glider” type submarines looked vaguely similar to a Naboo Starfighter. One of the biggest complaints I’ve heard so far is that there wasn’t enough blood and gore for a shark movie and that it would have been much better overall with an R rating.

Other positives include the music – Harry Gregson-Williams score was great, appropriately tense and epic when needed. The Meg takes out some shark fin poachers, so there’s poetic justice there. Don’t worry, that’s not a real spoiler, it has nothing to do with the big-picture plot, I just like that they threw it in the movie. This was also the first time in recent film and/or TV history that proper medical procedures have been followed when someone is impaled with an object, like a tree branch or screwdriver. You don’t yank it out, you leave it in and stabilize it until you can get medical attention. So kudos to the writer or consultant responsible for that.

The film pays homage to Jaws a couple times without blatantly trying to be Jaws. I thought that was a nice touch for shark movie fans to try and spot. The adorable little Yorkie seen swimming in the trailers is named Pippin, you hear the owner call its name clearly, several times. The dog playing fetch on the beach in Jaws was also named Pippin. The Meg features a beach scene where a boy argues with his mom about going in the water. When the shark chaos starts, the mom frantically searches for her son, yelling his name, and this is reminiscent of the first beach scene in Jaws with Mrs. Kintner and Alex. I believe both moms are even wearing the same yellow floppy hat. There is also a nod to a more recent movie. I won’t spoil it, but if you listen and pay attention to Jason Statham when he’s in the water, you might hear him quote a certain animated film.

There are many encounters with the Meg – an epic shark diving cage scene being one of my favorites- but the final showdown is fantastic. It’s full of ridiculous summer blockbuster action and everything I needed in a Jason Statham vs giant shark showdown. It’s, of course, absurd in every way possible, but it’s fun. Also for fans of puns, please stay until the end credits start.

It’s clear from the start that The Meg isn’t trying to win an Oscar for Best Picture, and it’s not promising to be 100% scientifically accurate. This movie is purely meant to entertain and it does. It’s exciting, intense, had just the right amount of humor, and an added bonus – you get to see Jason Statham’s abs! Thanks Jon Turteltaub, you never let me down.

Overall Grade: A-

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