The Meg

Mana One is a top of the line oceanic research station funded by billionaire Jack Morris (Rainn Wilson) and headed by Dr. Minway Zhang (Winston Chao).  Morris arrives at the station just in time to see the discovery of a previously hidden deep sea ecosphere.  No sooner has the three man sub deployed a rover than both it and the rover are attacked.  Someone needs to rescue the stranded sub.  Enter Jonas Taylor (Jason Statham), the top deep sea rescuer in the world.  While rescuing the crew of the disabled sub, the Megalodon - a 70 foot shark that has been extinct for millions of years - is revealed as not so extinct after all.  Escaping back to Mana One, the submariners are followed by the Meg.  The Meg proceeds to terrorize the region and is soon headed for a popular beach on the Chinese coast.

Though many scenes harken back to Jaws, it is not a scary movie.  Rather than the slow ticks of a fishing line or the bobbing of barrels on the ocean, this movie has speeding subs that make maneuvers more suited to jets in the sky than mini-subs in the sea.  As there are a lot more characters, none of them develop the depth of Chief Brody, Quint, or Matt Hooper.  This is an action movie, not a suspense thriller.  If there isn't wildly unlikely action, then there is a pause for Jonas and Suyin (Li Bingbing) to show growing attraction toward one another or some planning session on how to resolve the latest problem.

 

Statham is himself.  Where his Transporter persona - Frank Martin - is a master with cars and martial arts, Jonas is a master of subs and scuba.  He does it well, as usual, but this doesn't expand his acting chops.  Shuya Sophia Cai shines as Suyin's daughter, Meiying.  She steals scenes throughout the movie and often has the best lines.  She even plays matchmaker for her mother and Jonas.  Rainn Wilson does a surprisingly good job as the billionaire until he is made stupid.  After having survived being on a very large ship that the meg sank, he then goes hunting the meg on a much smaller boat while a helicopter drops bombs on the meg.  Why isn't he on the helicopter?  Well, he wouldn't get his comeuppance that way.

 

This movie is pure popcorn fun.  Thumbs up.