Statham vs shark

The Meg

Starring: Jason Statham, Ruby Rose, Li Bingbing

Director: Jon Turteltaub

Genre: Sci-Fi/Horror 

Rating: PG15

RUNTIME: 113 Mins

A dorsal fin on tide will always elicit the right amount of fear, especially when that fin belongs to a prehistoric fish coming in at 25 metres long.

The Meg, story-wise, is by no means difficult to discern, and neither is our protagonist’s psyche. Jonas Taylor (Jason Statham) is a deep-diving Byronic hero. Following his navigation through freezing Asian waters is easy enough, but the very reason that gets him to revisit his haunting past – a female reason – does not show up again until the end of the film, making her slightly irrelevant. It seems strange that someone who could kick-start the plot by luring Jonas back into the ocean within the first fifteen minutes does not have a more impactful role.

On a similar note, throughout the course of the movie, Jonas’ relationships are not thoroughly explored. Virtually all character connections to the main man translate onscreen as cursory, taking away the overall dynamic and sentiment of the film. Those relationships which are delineated, are done so fleetingly. All in all, this isn’t the worst flaw in the movie; it just means that Jonas, as a character, offers more in terms of physicality than he does emotionally.

Relatedly, albeit impressive, Statham’s stunts are highly impractical. So much so, the term ‘too lucky’ comes to mind. This is a case of keeping the protagonist alive for the sake of the movie, and not because Jonas is a good enough swimmer to escape the jaws of death one too many times. The general pan out of perfectly-timed explosions and characters who should have unquestionably been chomped in half but weren’t, is vaguely irritating.

As I have found to be a recurring theme with action-packed films, because the main objective is the action itself, the inclusion of humour never meets standards. The Meg is not a comedy, so I did not enter the cinema with the anticipation I would be doubling over in laughter. But, the comedic prospect – or lack thereof – that does make an appearance is flat and awkward to watch at times. The funniest characters are DJ (Page Kennedy) with his over-the-top sarcastic commentary, and eight-year-old Meiying (Shuya Sophia Cai), but even that’s stretching it.

The film should be, however, praised for its excellent cinematography. The combination of both underwater and aerial scenes is expertly directed. You feel as though you are there, with Statham and his team, in the middle of the ocean. Surprisingly, there aren’t half as many gory bloody scenes as you might expect from a shark movie.

With that said, the shark itself is quite intimidating to watch, a magnificent monster CGI creation. The comparison of the creature to existing animals such as humpback whales gives the film a scientific perspective, instilling a nuance of reality. There are points where you believe the creature might actually be real, until some believability-stretching sequence occurs to sink teeth into that theory.

The Meg incorporates an equally dispersed sense of thrill and suspense. Fast and fierce, this is a must-see for shark lovers and horror fanatics, but those looking for a bit of substance might be disappointed.

Showing in: Cineco, Seef I & II, Saar, Wadi Al Sail, Mukta A2

Dilara’s verdict: 3/5