Is it worth it to see The Meg in theaters? I would have to say yes. The Meg is a Chinese/American production and centers on a prehistoric shark "The Meg"( Megalodon) escaping from the Marianas Trench to wreak havoc on the surface world. Unfortunately at the one time he may have been useful, Aquaman was no where to be found. Instead you have to make do with Jason Statham( he does a very fine job in this role) and Li BingBing, a Chinese actress who also turns in a great performance. The real star of the show however is Shuya Sophia Cai, a Chinese child actress who not only does a great job in her role but also has phenomenal comedic timing. I would say that BingBing and Cai both deserve more Hollywood roles if what I saw in The Meg is any indication of their talent. Now before you start thinking this is a character driven drama let me get back on course. At it's heart The Meg is best described as Sci-fi/Horror. It was marketed as an action movie and while it does have plenty of that, the core of the story is definitely the exploration of the Marianas Trench and the subsequent efforts to avoid being eaten by The Meg.
The Meg features many tense moments and some genuinely scary moments in the underwater scenes. It also features some great special effects that really look great on the big screen. Is it the best movie I've ever seen? No, but I would say it is worth seeing it on the big screen. The Meg gave me more than I was expecting, which is rare for today's movies. An interesting side note, the movie is based on the first in a series of novels. I haven't read them, but from the synopsis I can say that the novels likely have little in common with the film. All in all The Meg is a SyFy channel movie with a budget, and competent actors, and great special effects, and a plot, and, oh never mind. Go see The Meg, it's a fun time and a good summer movie!
