Five years after the initial megalodon rampage, elite diver Jonas Taylor (Jason Statham) now dedicates his time to combating environmental criminals and their illicit profiteering. He also works at an oceanographic center in Asia, continuing his exploration of the mysterious trenches in the Mariana. However, a new threat emerges from these depths: a pack of ferocious prehistoric sharks.
Jason Statham as Jonas in a scene from “Meg 2: The Trench”
Jason Statham, known for his tough-guy persona in cinema, has also become a meme sensation (his social media is flooded with jokes, often posted by Russian-speaking fans). “Meg 2,” an unexpected sequel to a mediocre film, once again pits Statham against the megalodon. Sadly, this battle is even more shamelessly trashy, with subpar graphics, reminiscent of “Sharknado” (minus the irony). It’s as if cinematic styles that should have been forgotten have resurfaced in a bad dream. Apparently, shark movies still draw an audience, even if it’s just for the morbid curiosity of seeing predators emerge from sand (a movie already exists), swirling in tornadoes, or battling a grizzled action star.
Jason Statham as Jonas in a scene from “Meg 2: The Trench”
Statham exudes his usual macho charisma, but the sharks are a letdown. The film lacks their presence, despite increasing the number of monsters to three. There are scenes of illegal precious metal mining, detailed underwater walks in exosuits (perhaps a nod to James Cameron), and generally tedious introductions and digressions that bog down the first half of the film, making it feel more like a corporate thriller (where Statham fights environmental criminals).
Jason Statham as Jonas in a scene from “Meg 2: The Trench”
Ben Wheatley, a director known for his dark humor, was the main hope for this aquatic battle. However, even his British sensibilities weren’t enough. He simply repeated the genre’s pattern of making a bad shark movie sequel (a trend that started with “Jaws 2,” whose existence is often politely ignored). Wheatley also pushes conflicting buttons: when the audience expects “Statham vs. Sharks” and nothing else, he tries to introduce drama and character development. Does anyone really care about the story of Meiying (the girl from the first film)?
In its third act, “Meg 2” is more honest with the audience, offering unadulterated shark carnage, or rather, a compilation of scenes where Statham rides a jet ski with a harpoon and displays his Olympian strength. As a former swimmer, he can hold his breath indefinitely and fend off sharks with just his leg. Statham has done more impossible things, though. However, Wheatley’s film not only fails to overcome the cheapness of the first film but amplifies it, falling short of the 2018 film in graphics, scene direction, and overall compositional and rhythmic unity. It would have been wise to release “Meg” directly on digital platforms, but there’s a catch: the underwater scenes are so dark and incomprehensible that home monitors might only worsen the situation. If the characters are mere puppets, the director should at least use them for his own wild purposes—to entertain the audience. However, “Meg” doesn’t even do that, refusing to attempt what no one would condemn: trying to be cool and self-aware. The sequel could have been a decent B-movie, exploiting low taste and offering a large dose of guilty pleasure. Instead, the American-Chinese production delivered a bland, smoothed-over film that fails in one key aspect: it’s not even truly outrageous.