The Edition, in partnership with Schwack Cinema, brings readers a monthly review of movies on offer, serving as encouragement or warning (as the case may be), for moviegoers in Male' City, and movie-lovers, everywhere.
When the news first surfaced that a movie about the fearsome Megalodon was in the works, it certainly created waves – because who isn’t curious about a prehistoric shark colossal enough to attack whales, with a bite said to be stronger than that of a T-Rex, right?
Not to mention, the build-up to it had some alluring ‘Jaws’ vibes.
However, ‘The Meg’ doesn’t try to be ‘Jaws’, though it certainly pays tribute to Steven Spielberg’s 1975 thriller - a revolutionary step up in the creature-feature genre itself. Director Jon Turteltaub simply set out to present a summer blockbuster for people to enjoy a monster, and while the film had its moments, it fell short of being anything but a forgettable B-movie.
With Jason Statham as your typical leading hero – misunderstood former rescue diver forced to revisit his nightmares to rescue a team of scientists from the bottom of the ocean – along with a refreshingly diverse cast of regrettably one-dimensional characters, The Meg takes you on an oceanic adventure that had the potential to be so much more.
The few fun moments of the movie failed to make up for the lacklustre plot, while the lack of well-developed interactions and relationships between the characters watered down the emotional punches the film tried to deliver.
One thing that can be said for The Meg is that it did have good visual effects. The film boasts a handful of eye-catching scenes that cemented the sense of foreboding and suspense surrounding the Megaladon, but otherwise little else stood out for me.
If you have nothing else to do on a Friday night and want to enjoy some mindless fun with your buddies, The Meg might be the choice for you. Pitch your expectations low though, because this film has big sharks but little bite to it.
Sign In
