It’s one crazy man against crazy nature in Warner Bros. Pictures’ The Meg starring Jason Statham, Li Bingbing, and Ruby Rose.
It was a rainy evening in Manila when we attended the special advanced screening of The Meg at the IMAX Theatre in SM Megamall but the movie made it all worth it! I bet you wanna know why, so keep on reading!
The Meg is based off of a novel of the same title by Steve Alten. In the film, a research facility in the in the middle of the Pacific Ocean aims to discover what is beneath the Marianas Trench. To their surprise, their assumption is right that it gets deeper. As the team explores deeper into the new territory, they bury themselves deeper into chaos. Along with the new area are new creatures that will change the face of science. And yes, here is the point where we also get out first taste of the Megalodon, a giant prehistoric shark aptly named The Meg.
The first part of the movie is painfully boring and run-of-the-mill Statham movie. It is very reminiscent of Dwayne Johnson’s latest outing featuring another gigantic creature, Rampage. It was obvious from the get-go that the film aims to suspend all disbelief and take us for one crazy and surprisingly edge-of-your-seat movie experience! The characters pretty much ticked all the boxes in a list of stereotypes. You have the smart Asians, the retiree-turned-tourist, the witty kids, and the nerds.
The Meg waded in open waters during the earlier parts of the film but rode the waves as soon as the creature started chomping on people. Not that I am enjoying the gratuitous gore and violence but that is the best thing about the film. And If I am going to be honest, that’s the point where the film hit its stride.
By no means it is great but it is one crazy and jump out of your seat experience! It worked best when it took out the unnecessary elements and focused instead on the wrath or, must I say, craze of nature. The Meg had the same fiber as a Dwayne Johnson movie but there is a certain quality to it that made it a slightly better watch and that is a tighter plot.
The Meg has the adrenaline rush of a teenage boy. The Jason Statham and crazy nature combination satiated my craving for an over-the-top action/scifi flick. I will take no shame in admitting this but The Meg is such a guilty-pleasure!
Director: Jon Turteltaub
Cast: Jason Statham, Li Bingbing, Ruby Rose
Binge-level: 3.5 out of 5 stars
