It’s been truly fascinating to watch The Meg evolve over the course of its production history. While the film is based on a fairly serious novel, titled simply Meg, that seems to be the best way to sum up the connections. The movie obviously takes things in a more extravagant, campier area, with a focus on blockbuster action and thrills.
The trailers and promotional material have all taken a self-aware perspective regarding the titular shark. If it’s not making light of how incredibly large it is compared to your average Great White, then it’s making fun of all the helpless people it’ll digest. It’s these tidbits of humor, it seems, that remain The Meg’s saving grace.
According to Exhibitor Relations, who got a taste of The Meg at CinemaCon, the movie knows how ridiculous its premise is and has fun with it.
“WB’s THE MEG—may be the biggest, dumbest and most fun guilty pleasure of the summer. It jumps the shark and it knows it.”
It certainly jumps the shark regarding its source material, which was a suspenseful novel from author Steve Alten. But then again, in a world filled with Sharknado and endless Syfy parodies, what can you expect? Even serious attempts at shark movies like the Jaws sequels have left us with flawed results. Maybe this is for the best.
The Meg stars Jason Statham, Ruby Rose, Li Bingbing, Cliff Curtis and Page Kennedy. It heads to theaters on August 10, 2018.
What do you think about The Meg being a more comedic shark movie? Do you think it’s straying too far from its source material? Let us know in the comments section down below!