It has been nearly twenty years since the original, classic science fiction action film, Meg, hit theaters and made a massive splash as a cult favorite among movie enthusiasts. The film followed two scientists as they battle a giant prehistoric shark that had been released from hibernation deep in the ocean depths.
The franchise was recently relaunched with the release of the sequel film, Meg 2: The Trench. Though the excitement among fans of the original was high upon the announcement of the film’s development, the sequel failed to impress and delivered anything but the big, dumb fun anyone would have expected from a movie about a giant ancient killer shark.
The film follows the crew of the research vessel “Oceana” as they investigate the Marianas Trench, deep in the Pacific Ocean. The crew, led by protagonist Suyin Zhang (Li Bingbing), encounter a mysterious creature lying in the trench that was previously thought to be extinct. Unbeknownst to the crew, the creature is a Megladon, a giant and extremely aggressive prehistoric shark.
The film attempts to capture the same heart-pounding thrills of the original but fails to even come close. Instead of relishing in tense cat-and-mouse action sequences between the protagonists and the massive, menacing shark, the sequel opts for spectacle and CGI excess, wherein, the Meg is nothing more than a prop against which other characters can fight with guns and exploding harpoons.
In addition to this, Meg 2 relies too heavily on tropes that have become common and tiresome in many modern action films. Instead of a gripping and unique plot, the story follows the tried and tired formula of super weapons being developed to destroy the uncharted monsters, all while a government conspiracy works to cover up their existence.
Ultimately, regardless of how big or exciting the premise behind Meg 2 might be, the film fails to deliver the “big, dumb fun” one would expect from a movie about a gigantic ancient killer shark. Instead, it relies heavily on tropes, spectacle, and cliche action movie moments to dole out the action, instead of the intense, edge-of-your-seat suspense the audience longs for when it comes to such films.
