Review by Stacey Doud
Jaws fans beware! The Meg was touted to be a bigger and badder Jaws, but I couldn’t help but miss the John Williams score from the original, though the elaborate use of CGI (which obviously wasn’t available in 1975) was a visual treat, sort of making up for my auditory disappointments.
There are some scenes that almost replicate Jaws to a tee, which shows a lack of originality, but The Meg uses not only higher tech cinematography, but also more modern ways to die in the ocean – like in a big human hamster ball or an underwater state-of-the-art laboratory.
I’ve always been attracted to movies set under water or that contain interesting under water scenes. I recently saw Deep Blue Sea (1999) and prefer it to The Meg only because it has a modicum of scientific interest. The Meg is just bada$$ CGI sharks. It’s like Jurassic Park set under water, with only a few, though impressive, species of dinosaurs.
Lead actor Jason Statham wasted his time in this movie. He’s a talented action actor, but The Meg could have used a trained monkey in the lead role and would have been as effective as Statham. That was disappointing to me, as I generally enjoy Statham’s performances.
Don’t get me wrong – if you are a fan of the genre, it is a fun ride. But don’t expect Jaws – or a real plot. But the bada$$ sharks are worth the rental fee as long as you’re not expecting anything poignant.
★★★ (3/5 Stars)
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