If you haven’t been to the beach in a while, “The Meg” might actually discourage you from going.
The movie, which hit theaters Aug. 10, revolves around the discovery of a prehistoric shark thought to long be extinct called the Megalodon. The film focuses on an underwater expedition crew that is conducting research on deeper levels of the ocean. However, their efforts are thwarted by the creature at every turn, attacking the crew and leaving them clueless as to how to stop it.
The movie, however, lacks many components to make it a film worthy of your ticket price. The idea of a killer shark has been overplayed numerous times in film history from the infamous film “JAWS” to the “Sharknado” series. The movie was predictable and played on many deep-water shark movie traits. Having the shark lunge at the crew with its mouth wide open was probably the most cliché part of the film.
Sharks are known for their predatory nature and voracity when attacking their prey. Many of the film’s attack scenes were poorly executed. The scenes did not bring the creature’s killer potential to the proportion of its actual monstrous size. The most climactic part of the movie is when the creature surfaces to attack the innocent beachgoers. While the attack itself was brutal on the Megalodon’s part, the execution was sloppy and predictable. Having the creature attack and devour the youths is a tactic that has been overplayed in many aquatic thriller films.
The acting was subpar, and did not give the movie the thriller aspect that is depicted in the genre. While Jonas Taylor (played by Jason Statham) gave a good screen presence with his unbreakable demeanor, the other characters were under developed. While the idea of a giant prehistoric shark rampaging across the sea floor seems like a good idea on paper, on the big screen it did not come together properly.
Cast: C-
Script: F
Soundtrack: F
Acting: C-
Overall: F
