Cinema Spotlight: The Meg
Review by Claire Hoenecke
The Meg is just Jaws but bigger and nowhere near as good.
The Meg isn’t a good movie, but if you’re in the mood to be mildly entertained for two hours, you can have a good time. It hits all the action movie clichés: a retired hero who must return to the work he once swore off; a smart love interest who is not quite as brilliant as our hero; a billionaire businessman who puts profit in front of people; and plenty of death.
Even though The Meg gives you exactly what you expect it’s still not completely satisfying. The previews marketed the film as a parody of similar shark horror films, but for the most part The Meg takes itself seriously. There is humor in the movie, but it’s typical action movie banter that doesn’t match the self-referential humor of the trailers. Had the film decided to lampoon the monster movie genre it could have been hilarious. Instead it’s predictable and flat. The only aspect of the film that stands out as mildly unique is the eventual fate of the titular Meg.
Overall, The Meg is mediocre. It’s not a waste of time, but I wouldn’t see it unless you have literally nothing else to do.
Rating: 5/10
Rated PG-13 (for action/peril, bloody images and some language)