Release date: August 4, 2023
Director: Ben Wheatley
By John Hoeber, Erich Hoeber and Dean George
Starring: Jason Statham, Wu Jing, Sophia Tsai, Paige Kennedy, Sergio Paris-Menchetta, Skyler Samuels, Sienna Guillory and Cliff Curtis
Rating: PG-13 Action/Violence, some gruesome visuals, language and brief lewd shots
Duration: 116 minutes
But there's more to this silly and explosive summer blockbuster experience. Since the script is so generic, there's nothing creative or interesting about a movie with a lot of monsters (that feeling implies monster-on-monster action), and some fun big shark action will sink the cooked. A non-Meg tale, illegal trench mining, a corporate mole, the rise of an old enemy and more. There are some fun sequences that give the audience exactly what they're looking for (Statham throws an explosive spear at a snowmobile, for example), but it often feels like the movie is trying to figure out what it's doing with its characters (which it isn't). Answers include giant fish and carnivores).
Years after the events of the previous adventure Meg 2: The Trench, Jonas Taylor (Jason Statham) works as a spy gathering evidence against companies that illegally dump radioactive material... but that's about it. Material to give the film the start of action sequences. Suyin, who was presumed dead from Li Bingbing's first film, remains attached to the megalodon world thanks to Jumin (Wu Jing), Zhang's brother and director of the Zhang Marine Institute. There was only one megalodon in captivity at the facility, but research missions followed the eponymous deep sea scene, and Jonas invited Jumin and his team to join a mission to an uncharted sector.
Things take a turn for the worse when Jonas discovers the intriguing young Meiyin (Sophia Tsai)—Suyi's daughter and Jumi's niece—hiding in his submarine, but things quickly turn sour when researchers discover a large underwater facility. It turns out that Jonas's old enemy Montes (Sergio Peris-Mencheta) was involved in the metal mining operation and, seeing the infrastructure of the institute approaching, set off a massive explosion to avoid capture. Not only did this disable the vehicle Jonas and Juming were piloting, but he, his fellow scientist, and Meiyin were 25,000 feet underground, sending a stream of warm water through the thermocline surrounding the trench and launching the Beast. they swim to the surface where they live in depth.
Anyone who's ever watched nature documentaries about the deep sea knows about the strange creatures that live there, sculpted by evolution in extreme conditions, and you'd think Meg 2: The Trench would capitalize on that by populating them. Action with all kinds of strange creatures. Instead, there are only three in the movie, including the Megalodon. In addition to prehistoric sharks, there's a giant octopus (which parks in the resort's marina in Act III and swings its tentacles around the group) and packs of alligator-sized, razor-toothed (sharp) amphibious dinosaurs. This has been a crutch for Blockbuster as they make the characters not only scary in/near water but also on land. It's more about hitting and catching than swinging and missing, because there are opportunities for absurd and fanciful confusion to avoid movements that become monotonous over time. There are no unusual beats - except for a few great Statham-centric moments - and it's very familiar with other blockbusters of the same mindset ... including Meg .
These problems are compounded by the fact that Meg 2: The Trench features only live elements and the charisma of Jason Statham. It's all a plot and not a story, as the progression moves the characters from scene to scene, but ironically never offers any depth. With the exception of high school student DJ Page Kennedy, who is bought after being possessed in the first film, none of the characters have traits or characteristics that make them individuals, and they all speak in one voice. . Meiyi's presence becomes a key element of the experience, as her age and innocence make the film the only source of personal interest for the protagonists.
Some people will respond to this criticism by saying, “I don't care about the story or the characters; "I want to entertain you with a big dumb shark movie." These are not unreasonable expectations for Meg 2 , but the truth is that without something to motivate the audience, the sets become repetitive and boring.
Featuring a sequence in which Jason Statham survives a 25,000-foot swim , Meg 2: The Trench definitely shouldn't be taken all that seriously... but it's not funny enough to deserve such treatment. The predecessor of the film lived up to these expectations, albeit with significant difficulties. But the sequel promises too much and delivers too little, and the disappointment lingers as you leave the theater.
