MEG 2: THE TRENCH
US/China, 2023, 116 minutes, Colour.
Jason Statham, Jing Wu, Shuya Sophia Cai, Cliff Curtis, Page Kennedy, Sergio Peris-Mencheta, Skyler Samuels, Sienna Guillory.
Directed by Ben Wheatley.
Meg 2 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 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 - with a climax at the above-mentioned beach resort, some key Chinese characters in the drama and lots of extras on that beach resort.
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, 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.
Up till here, with a few omissions, this is the initial review of The Meg. So, the same basic plot and the same emphasis on characters.
Meg 2 opens with a prologue set in prehistoric times, small creatures, bigger creatures, each devouring the other – until the Megadon devours all. The difference with this sequel is that it is set in the Mariana Trench, could have been called 25,000 feet under the sea. There are crises, Jason Statham Jonas coming to the rescue again, working with friends, going down to explore the deep in a special submersible vehicle, crises, having to walk along the sea trench with all the deep sea dangers, finding the below surface enormous facility, this time involved in mining rare earths (rare sea beds) and smuggling them, masterminded by a ruthless boss (Sienna Guillory) with a traitor on board the surface vessel. Jason with his Chinese friends is also guardian to the young girl of the previous film, lots of dangers, rescue, confrontations, and the finale like the first film (remembering the scene in Jaws), even to the young girl rescuing the dog!
Which means, there is plenty of tension, plenty of action, plenty of heroics, plenty of dangers, the arrogant boss getting her comeuppance, a touches of family care and a super-abundance of mayhem. This is what The Meg 2 promises - and what it delivers. Some of the caustic comments come from viewers who haven’t read the film correctly and discuss it as if it were meant to be completely serious! Otherwise, it is often tongue--in cheek somewhat bloated entertainment – just think of the scene where Jason Statham pierces the Megadon with piping and, single-handedly, holds and supports it, vast mouth agape, with beyond human strength.
1. The title, a variation on Jurassic Park and Jaws, Jurassic Ocean Depths?
2. Audiences, interest in films about sharks, sharks in danger?
3. The background of science, technology and developments? Rare earths on the ocean floor? Smuggling?
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, crustacean era and creatures, 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?
9. The confrontation with the boat, the crew, Jonas in danger, the rescue by the plane in the sea?
10. The group, the decision to go to the ocean bed, the group going down, the menace, the danger, the vehicle, 20,000 feet under the sea, the group, malfunctioning, Jonas and his decisions, the dangers, walking along the trench bed, finding the facility, vast, computers, the rare earth collecting? Smuggling? The personalities of the group, interactions, dangers, death?
11. The villains, the team on the surface, the traitor, her machinations and plans, Jonas and the group surfacing? The imported villain and confrontations? Vengeance? Jonas and his two friends, the plane?
12. Meing, her uncle, Jonas as her protector, the dangers?
13. Bonus, his decisions, in the boat, lowering the shark, the pursuit, dangers, explosions?
14. The resort, people enjoying themselves, satirical presentations, the young girl, safety, going into the sea, to rescue the dog, rescued herself? Mayhem all round? Survivors?
15. The finale, rescues, defeat of the sharks? A popular entertainment - doing what it intended?
