THE MEG

US, 2018, 113 minutes, Colour.
Jason Statham, Bingbing Li, Rainn Wilson, Cliff Curtis, Winston Chao, Shuya Sophia Cai, Ruby Rose, Page Kennedy, Robert Taylor, Olafur Darri Olafsson, Jessica Mc Namee, Masi Oka.
Directed by John Turteltaub.

The Meg has to be big. And it is! The focus on the film is a mega shark, the prehistoric shark which has survived in the depths of the ocean until today (and not only just one).

During the last 40 years or more any audience seeing a shark on a film poster will immediately think of Jaws. And rightly. It is the archetypal shark film. This film pays some homage to Jaws especially in the final sequences at a crowded Chinese beach resort, lots of people in the water, the celebration of a wedding and a poodle falling into the water (will it be chomped - so we are led to believe and, for those of tender emotions towards dogs, spoiler alert, it is saved!).

However, with the shark being prehistoric and surviving into the present, there are memories of Jurassic Park, so this is a kind of Jurassic Deep Ocean Floor.

Chinese producers have invested heavily in this film as have the Americans - which leads to the setting being the oceans off China, with a climax at the above-mentioned beach resort, some key Chinese characters in the drama and lots of extras on that beach resort. It is not surprising to find that the film was a box office success in China - and, more surprisingly, in the United States.

Jason Statham, who has survived 20 years of action shows and shows no sign of easing off, is a popular hero of this kind of film. He is something of a kind of antihero, involved in a disaster in the initial action here, retired to Thailand, unwilling to come back to deep sea diving when there is an emergency but, of course, persuaded to do so.

The centre of most of the action is a huge facility (perhaps something of an understatement given the size, affluence, high-technology) in the ocean, scientists doing research on the ocean floor and sponsored by one of those bluff American billionaires (Rainn Wilson). The assorted experts include the veteran Chinese scientist (Winston Chao), his daughter who is skilled in science and deep sea diving (Bingbing Li) whose young daughter is present and proves a significant presence not only in the drama but in fostering a relationship between her mother and our hero. There is an eccentric young inventor (Ruby Rose), a Scandinavian expert in diving, an African-American? whizzkid on theory but who gets very anxious in the water and the hero's former wife (Jessica Mc Namee). More than enough for interpersonal clashes in crises.

But, of course, the big focus is on the shark, savaging an initial diving expedition, biting at the reinforced windows of the facility, and doing all the menacing things that sharks do in the movies if not in real life.

Which means, there is plenty of tension, plenty of action, plenty of heroics, plenty of dangers, the American owner being arrogant and getting his comeuppance, a touch of romance, and a super-abundance of mayhem.

This is what The Meg promises - and what it delivers.

1. The title, a variation on Jurassic Park in Jaws, Jurassic Ocean Depths?

2. Audiences, interest in films about sharks, sharks in danger?

3. The background of science, technology and developments?

4. The underwater sequences, the action? Terror?

5. The special effects, computer graphics, the musical score?

6. The plausibility of the plot? The characters, the situation with shark, its menace, dealing with it, the threat to humans?

7. American and Chinese money? American and Chinese audiences? The Chinese settings and characters? World appeal? Box office success?

8. The prologue, the danger, the undersea rescue, the impact of the depths, the team, the vessel being shaken, the threat of the Meg? The reactions, Jonas and the symbolism of his name? His pausing, the decision, cutting off the members of the team? Rising to the surface? Action, the later review, the condemnation, his interrogation, not being believed, considered a coward?

9. Morris, the wealthy businessmen, his arrival, presumptions, introduction to the plate, the extent, affluent? The range of members of the staff, the spirit, their experiments?

10. The group, the decision to go to the ocean bed, the group going down, the menace, Laurie and the group, the danger, Tashi and his writing the letter, his self-sacrifice?

11. Thailand, Jonas and his retirement, the group coming to persuade him to return, the explanations? His decision?

12. CEN, her father, their working together, his dignity, science? Her skills? The presence of her daughter, the relationship between mother and daughter? Her spirit, going down? Jonas and is coming to her rescue? Jonas and Laurie in the hospital Ward? The death of Tashi?

13. The role of the doctor, his interrogation of Jonas, condemning him? His role on the plant? The dangers, Jonas and the rescue, the doctor's apology? His later giving his life?

14. Mac, his standing, command, personality, concern for people? The big man, called The Wall, going down with Laurie, the jokes, standing with the Jaws of the Meg? Into the water, his death?

15. Jack's, her being an inventor, participation in the action? The African-American? member, his skills, fear, wanting to get out? The team and the action?

16. The daughter, her personality, with her mother, playing with the ball, seeing the Meg, her talking with Jonas, her awareness of the truth?

17. The Meg, the visuals, in the depths, coming to the surface, the menace of the wall, the teeth marks? CEN and her going to the cage, shark proof, yet the menace? Jonas and his rescuing her again? The bond between the two?

18. Testing the Meg, during it, its dangers? The fact that there were two? The danger to the ship, the deaths, fears, ought audiences identifying with the situation?

19. Morris, his escape, saying words of sympathy, but not informing the other authorities, the helicopters, his wanting to destroy the Meg? His death?

20. The Bay, the people at the resort, the marriage, the dog and its going into the water, the chubby boy and his mother? The threats?

21. The mayhem in the water, reminiscent of jaws?

22. The final decisions, the boat, the wreck, in the water, Jonas and his slitting the belly of the Meg? His being stabbed in the eye? The final rescues?

23. A popular entertainment - doing what it intended?