7.4 stars.
I rate all movies by entertainment value first and foremost. Is this a cheesy film? Of course. Is it as good as Jaws? Nobody is trying to accomplish such an absurdity.
This is a story about a very courageous and heroic guy played by Statham who is called out on a rescue because he is the only man for the job. He also has to prove it to a bunch of scientists just once for them to realize "oh yeah, this guy is the best". And so he has to do some crazy rescue stunts, putting his life in danger over and over.
The marine scientists have discovered a megalodon, which is basically a prehistoric shark that is 5 times the size of a great white (give or take). They have explored beyond the boundaries of where humans have ever been and these dinosaur-like sharks inhabit that depth of the trench. Now they have to contend with the shark(s).
'The Meg' fits the bill for any creature feature film, but the bonus is Jason Statham. In my opinion, he alone raises the bar for this type of film at least a couple of levels beyond most of the generic movies and this is a refreshing take on the genre. A few of the characters are developed just enough to like. There is also a bit of comic relief and some shady characters too. All the ingredients are present and accounted for. This is an enjoyable ride, no concentration or deep thinking is necessary.
