Jason Statham’s Shark Sequel Makes Waves on Prime Video

Jason Statham has squared off against some tough characters in his time, but going head-to-head with a prehistoric shark for a second round in 2023 was a bit much for the critics. Still, punters couldn’t get enough of this wild creature feature, and now The Meg 2: The Trench is chomping its way up the Prime Video streaming charts, looking set to crack the top five as the weekend rolls in.

The first Meg was exactly what it said on the tin—a B-grade creature flick with Statham hamming it up as a pumped-up, tongue-in-cheek version of Jaws’ Martin Brody, or maybe even Robert Shaw’s Quint, taking on the biggest fish in the sea. Reviews were rougher than a sandpaper shark, but the film still hauled in a massive $529 million at the box office. That sort of cash made a sequel a sure thing, and the follow-up had to dial everything up to the max.

Back for Another Bite

Five years on, The Meg 2: The Trench landed with Statham back in the thick of it, this time facing another monster from the depths in a story based on Steve Alten’s 1999 sequel to his original Meg novel. Not that the plot really matters—let’s be honest, most folks just want to see a massive, angry shark causing chaos. The official blurb sums it up:

Dive into uncharted waters with Jason Statham and global action icon Wu Jing as they lead a daring 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 Megs and relentless environmental plunderers, our heroes must outrun, outsmart, and outswim their merciless predators in a pulse-pounding race against time.

Spielberg’s Jaws is famous for barely showing the shark, mostly because the mechanical beast kept breaking down. That film became a masterclass in suspense. The Meg series, on the other hand, is all about letting a giant CGI shark run riot in the most over-the-top set pieces you can imagine, and the sequel doesn’t hold back.

Audience Cheers, Critics Jeer

The sequel’s critical score sank to a dismal 27%, but regular viewers were much more forgiving, giving it a 72% rating. One review called it

An absolute blast of high budget camp

while another reckoned

if you want a movie that isn't trying to be a comedy but is just hilariously ridiculous, you have come to the right place.

Of course, there were plenty of one-star reviews too, with some calling it

the worst movie of the year

and

one of the most stupid movies made in the last decade.

Statham’s not exactly known for subtlety, and his fans know what they’re in for when his name’s on the poster. The Meg 2 delivered exactly that, and while there’s no official word on a third instalment, you’d be brave to bet against it.