Jason Statham is again as Jonas Taylor, 5 years after his character’s first struggle with the thought-to-be-extinct Megalodon. When there’s a sequel to one of these sci-fi motion flick, one factor is assured — it’s going to be larger than its predecessor and doubtless extra ridiculous. That’s what audiences are doubtless hoping for, as Meg 2: The Trench crashes into theaters on August 4. Critics had been capable of see the sequel forward of its launch, and so they largely appear to agree that it forgot to deliver the enjoyable campiness that drew audiences to the primary journey.
Along with Jason Statham, Meg 2: The Trench returns some acquainted faces from the unique, together with Sophia Cai as Meiying (who’s now beneath Jonas’ guardianship), Web page Kennedy and Cliff Curtis, so who will survive the crew’s subsequent spherical of bloody battles in opposition to the prehistoric beasties? We gained’t reveal spoilers right here, however in CinemaBlend’s assessment of Meg 2: The Trench, Eric Eisenberg has no drawback saying that the film fails to offer the anticipated foolish cinematic expertise, bogging the script down with plots that too typically don’t contain any colossal, carnivorous fish. He charges the film 2 out of 5 stars, saying:
With a script that’s everywhere, the film does nothing significantly artistic or compelling with its larger monster roster (this sentiment very a lot consists of monster vs. monster motion), and what enjoyable huge shark motion it does have is drowned out by overcooked non-Meg-related plotting that features an unlawful mining operation within the trench, a company mole, the resurfacing of an outdated enemy and extra.
Carla Hay of Tradition Combine doesn’t maintain again in her criticism of Meg 2, saying the sequel replaces the campy enjoyable of the unique with “an onslaught of horrible filmmaking.” Hay says this isn’t a case of “so dangerous it’s good,” reaching new ranges of idiocy: The critic continues:
Between the unfocused path, the horrible movie enhancing, the mediocre-to-terrible performing, and the junkpile screenplay, Meg 2: The Trench just isn’t the kind of dangerous film that’s considerably entertaining to look at. It’s only a collection of awkwardly cobbled-together scenes the place motion sequences look jumbled and the visible results typically look amateurish. Meg 2: The Trench quickly turns into a blur of nonsense, as a result of this film simply doesn’t care about having a very good story.
Kate Erbland of IndieWire grades the film a C-, saying nearly all of Ben Wheatley’s movie consists of clunky exposition and a critical lack of Meg-centric terror. The critic writes:
It’s by no means a very good signal whenever you’re checking your watch throughout a movie — particularly a movie constructed on the inherently entertaining elevator pitch of ‘Jason Statham fights large prehistoric sharks!’ — however audiences will doubtless discover themselves doing simply that through the first interminable hour of Meg 2: The Trench. At practically two hours, Meg 2 spends greater than half of its operating time biking by a boring, bizarrely convoluted plot earlier than delivering something really amusing. We would like little or no: once more, Jason Statham combating large prehistoric sharks, however even that’s an excessive amount of to ask of this drained retread.
David Rooney of THR remarks that regardless of extra Megs, the sequel is “much less enjoyable,” combating a pedestrian screenplay and struggling to search out the stability between suspense and silliness. For such a preposterous plot Meg 2: The Trench seemingly ought to have been capable of finding extra enjoyment. Rooney continues:
As a lot because it’s a pleasure to look at Statham slinging explosive harpoons from a jet ski, Meg 2 gives solely scattershot pleasures. It’s too ridiculous to muster critical scares and too tonally unsure to persuade us that it’s persistently in on the joke. Even because the senseless summer time enjoyable for which it’s meant, the overlong film falls quick.
Courtney Howard of Recent Fiction charges Meg 2: The Trench 1 out of 5, saying she discovered herself jealous of one of many film’s victims for locating an early exit to the “mind-numbingly boring, irritating and convoluted shenanigans.” Howard continues, saying audiences deserve higher than “this bloated, rotting cinematic carcass.” The critic continues:
Director Ben Wheatley’s stab at a much bigger, brawnier creature function fails in virtually each approach possible – and even in unimaginable ones too – dawdling with the people relatively than showcasing the beasts lurking beneath the floor. It’s not simply that that is an unremarkable image. It additionally carelessly fritters away the well-balanced leisure worth and ecological sentiments crafted by its predecessor. With little or no pressure or rousing thrills, and nary a very good scare in sight, it is a subpar sequel.
The critics appear to have robust opinions about Meg 2: The Trench, and it’s not simply those above. The film at present holds a 27 p.c score on Rotten Tomatoes from 84 critics’ opinions. Nevertheless, if it is a film you’ve been trying ahead to, otherwise you wish to see simply what everyone’s speaking about, you’ll be able to verify the film out for your self, because the sequel arrived in theaters Friday, August 4. Remember to additionally check out our 2023 Film Launch Schedule to see what different movies are coming quickly.
