Megalodon makes Jaws look like a trout. It can bite through a blue whale easily, swallow shark cages whole, and destroy deep-sea submarines effortlessly. Fortunately for the clueless team of scientists who awakened the beast, there is one man smarter than the Megalodon. Jonas Taylor (Jason Stratham) plays the hero again and again as he seems to be the only one who grasps the gravity of the situation. The rest of the team displays an ignorant optimism that predictably gets many of them killed.
The Meg often has a goofy, jovial feel as the characters crack jokes even seconds after being attacked by the shark. Though the humor lightens the mood of the film, its hard to relate with and often feels out of place (most people would be curled up in a corner having a panic attack). Don’t let yourself be lulled into a false sense of security though. There are plenty of gory casualties and jump-scares as the shark displays its impressive appetite.
As the team spars with the shark, they encounter difficult situations where they must choose between their individual safety or the safety of someone they love. This film navigates the morality of these split-second decisions showing the good and bad consequences that often accompany them. Love often prevails, and team members sacrifice their own well-being to give someone else a fighting chance. These selfless actions raise the amount of integrity in The Meg to a significant level.
Dove Take
In this next-level shark thriller, the only rival to the bad judgement calls made by the hapless team of scientists is their readiness to give up their lives for one another.
Despite the integrity, there is enough violence and profanity (though not exactly gratuitous) to warrant approaching this film with caution. Dove.org does not approve The Meg.
