Meg 2: The Trench is the follow up film to the money making The Meg, which was ridiculous but worked. This one dials things up to 11, but is that a good thing or a bad thing?
2018’s The Meg features a rescue diver named Jonas Taylor (Jason Statham) taking on a 75-foot-long prehistoric shark, also known as a Megalodon. You might think this is a concept that is just about as ridiculous that it can get…. but now queue the sequel. In Meg 2: The Trench, an exploratory dive into the deepest depths of the ocean doesn’t go according to plan and Jonas once again finds himself at odds with giant sharks. Just for funsies a giant octopus, crazy eel like creatures with legs, and dinosaurs join in the mix because… why not?
Note: This piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Meg 2: The Trench would not exist without the labor of the writers and actors in both unions.
Both of these films are based on a book series written by Steve Alten, so there is source material to work into the movies. However, the books tend to be a bit more scientific than the movies, although they are still quite fun. There are seven novels so far, meaning there are many more movies that could come to the screen, should there be a success of them and a want for them.
So how did Meg 2: The Trench live up to the hype of the first movie? And will audiences want more. That is a hard question to answer.
Let’s start off with the positive aspects of this movie. It is fun. It is ridiculous. It is wild. The first movie was too, but it was a little bit more serious at the same time. That isn’t the case with Meg 2 (more on that later).
There are some shocking and crazy kills and human versus creature fight scenes that will have viewers laughing and clapping. But these come few and far between. Still, there is something satisfying about watching a Megalodon eat someone who has been annoying every time they are on screen.
Jason Statham is known to be a great action hero on screen. While we do see him go up against a few creatures, there is only one human on human action sequence — and it flies by. He never really gets to show off his skills, which is a little disappointing.
Audiences will be rolling their eyes at a lot of the one liners that should work on paper, but they just don’t in the context of the movie. Some of them work, don’t get me wrong, but far too many fall flat in comparison. DJ (Page Kennedy) is the only one who pulls off the comedic timing with ease. Every line of his might not work, but the majority do. So kudos to him.
As for the story itself, there are many plot points that are just silly in nature. Things that are done to allow the characters to survive and move onto the next part of the movie are so far fetched and insane, that they are laughable — but not in a good way. Then, all of a sudden, it wraps up and the movie ends. The climax is rushed through and it is clear that they are counting on a third movie to tie up the loose ends that are left behind.
Overall Thoughts
Meg 2: The Trench tries to be a ridiculous and campy movie that doesn’t take itself too seriously. The problem is it somehow falls in the middle of scientific/serious and campy — never fully residing in one lane. That causes it to just not work, overall.
This movie has its moments, but the first one is infinitely better. The Meg seemed to know what it is. Meg 2: The Trench does not. But if you want to watch some off the wall sea creature fights, it’s in theaters now.
Rating: 1.5 out of 5
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About Meg 2: The Trench
Jonas Taylor leads a research team on an exploratory dive into the deepest depths of the ocean. Their voyage spirals into chaos when a malevolent mining operation threatens their mission and forces them into a high-stakes battle for survival. Pitted against colossal, prehistoric sharks and relentless environmental plunderers, they must outrun, outsmart and outswim their merciless predators.
