Rent Meg 2: The Trench on Amazon Video (paid link) // Buy the book (paid link)
Written by: Jon Hoeber & Erich Hoeber and Dean Georgaris (screenplay by), Dean Georgaris and Jon Hoeber & Erich Hoeber (screen story by), Steve Alten (based on the novel "The Trench" by)
Directed by: Ben Wheatley
Starring: Jason Statham, Jing Wu, Shuya Sophia Cai, Cliff Curtis, Page Kennedy
Rated: PG-13
Watch the trailer
Plot
A research team encounters multiple threats while exploring the depths of the ocean, including a malevolent mining operation.
Verdict
This suffers from sequel bloat. It's little more than a big budget B movie. The story is thin. little more than a forced link between mindless action. Characters make silly decisions just so we can get to the next big set piece. It seems the rules of this movie were bigger and more in all cases. It doesn't help. This either needs to work on the plot or embrace the silliness and go for really ridiculous.
Skip it.
Review
A sequel to 2018's The Meg, this suffers all the problems that often befall sequels. So much of this movie is contrived to create action. I enjoyed the first movie. It wasn't great, but it was fun. It knew how to strike a balance between fun, funny, and action. I enjoyed the first enough that I figured the sequel couldn't be that much worse. I was wrong, this throws a bunch of scenes together hoping it works.
 |
| Jason Statham, Cliff Curtis, Wu Jing play Jonas, Mac, Jiuming |
The first scene starts sixty-five million years ago. It's unnecessary, and that's my thought through much of this movie. This is sillier. Jonas (Jason Statham) is hanging out in a cargo container. Then it's revealed he's a spy. Then we get a scientist in an exo-suit. This movie throws a lot out, and there are a lot of tropes.
This almost feels like a satire or parody of the first movie. With how serious the trench was in the first movie, here they take it lightly, planning to head back in like it's no big deal. Jonas is the man who fought a megladon and won, swarmed by people wanting pictures when he's in public
 |
| Melissanthi Mahut, Cliff Curtis, Jason Statham, Sophia Cai, Wu Jing play Rigas, Mac, Jonas, Meiying, Jiuming |
There's a pet megladon. Based on how crazy the first movie was, you'd think a pet would be a bad idea. It is a bad idea, but the movie wastes no opportunity to ramp up the action even if it means characters make bad decisions.
Jonas and his crew end up on the trench floor. While they encounter plenty of creatures, the movie never makes it feel like a dire situation. This entire movie is mindless. Instead of creating a believable plot, this introduces sabotage and backstabbing. It's a ploy to provide interest to something that's boring. The killer lizards exist in this movie just to boost the intensity. If the first movie had one megladon, this one needs more. This movie wants to be go for bigger and more. It lacks because of that. This never slows down enough to develop a plot. The big budget doesn't help.
If this is going to forgo a good story, the movie needs to completely embrace the cheesiness and go for ridiculous or pare down and work on the plot. This is a sequel that exists entirely because the first movie was a financial success. I don't see any way they make a third one.
No comments :
Post a Comment