(spoiler free)
In recent years there have been a tidal wave of ridiculously over the top creature features, many of which showcasing killer sharks of all shapes and sizes. However, whilst the B-movie scene was churning them out the big screen decided to opt for a more grounded approach with tense shark thrillers like ‘The Shallows’ and ’47 Meters Down’ docking in cinematic shores. But hey, who wants grounded? Jason Statham fighting a 75 foot prehistoric shark should be more than enough to entice anyone to the idea of the latest entry into the shark sub genre, ‘The Meg’.
In terms of the plot all you need to know is it’s man (Statham) versus megalodon and for this we should be forever thankful. It’s a simple enough concept and the narrative isn’t over-complicated to reach this central plot. Whilst the whole thing is obviously daft the narrative works to make the concept believable within the context of the film and if you can enter into the spirit of it too then you’re in for a fun couple of hours! Each of the film’s three acts improves in quality with the momentum consistently increasing. Despite this though, inbetween the main action set pieces of each act there are noticeable lulls where the film simply feels like it’s treading water. Other than Statham the cast aren’t great with fairly weak performances across the board. Some are serviceable in their cliched and stereotypical roles but none really excel or contribute anything to make them particularly memorable. Unfortunately the script is pretty dreadful, which does little to help the already struggling cast. Although, whilst Oscar worthy performances and well written dialogue would have been nice, let’s all be real they aren’t why bums will be in seats.
Audiences will purchase tickets to see hard man Statham kick some serious shark butt. Thankfully the action sequences are the strongest part of the film. I’ve already commented on how each act gets more impressive but the action is consistently entertaining and exciting throughout. ‘The Meg’ isn’t the most tension filled shark thriller you’ll see, but it’s in no way devoid of scares altogether, however the action is always appropriately mega making up for any loss of atmosphere with high energy entertainment instead! It’s creative, with plenty of shark attack fodder to satisfy even the biggest of creature feature cravings. This element offers some truly memorable moments and has created several stand out shots amongst a genre it would have been easy for it to drown in. The design of the shark is good too and when witnessed without being obscured by splashing or murky water is an impressive and ominous visual force.
‘The Meg’ is this generations ‘Deep Blue Sea’. A B-movie with a budget, somewhere inbetween a credible shark thriller and an utterly ridiculous ‘so bad it’s good’ creature feature but Statham sells it at every stroke guaranteeing audiences will have a fin-tastic time. So what are you waiting for grab your armbands and wade your way down to your local multiplex to chomp down on this absolute beast of a blockbuster!
Written by Hamish Calvert
Rating – 7.5/10
Question: Who are your favourite characters from the shark movie sub genre?
(Leave your answers in the comments section below!)
Thanks for reading this review and please let us know what you thought about the movie! Leave a comment below or drop us a tweet over at @HCMovieReviews.
Thanks to Movie House Cinemas for screening access
HCMovieReviews 
Leave a comment