'Meg 2 Struggles to Keep Up as Over-the-Top Entertainment Takes on More'

"Meg 2: The Trench" is a campy and absurd monster movie filled with underwater tests, sabotage, and a comedic spectacle.

In the vast depths of the ocean, there exists a creature that surpasses the size and power of Bruce, the infamous "Jaws" shark. This magnificent beast is known as Meg, the mighty undersea Megalodon, and it played a pivotal role in the success of the 2018 monster movie, "The Meg." Now, in "Meg 2: The Trench," we are transported back to the Oceanic undersea lab, an extravagant and costly facility established by Jiuming, a Chinese billionaire portrayed by martial arts star Wu Jing. As Jiuming delivers a speech in Chinese, praising the importance of environmental studies, we, the audience, rely on English subtitles to comprehend his words. It is worth noting that "Meg 2" is a Chinese co-production.

Once again, we are reintroduced to Jason Statham's character, Jonas Taylor, the unofficial guardian of the undersea lab. Jonas is a man who consistently finds himself in life-threatening situations, yet he remains resolute in his determination to tackle one challenge at a time. The film unfolds with a series of breathtaking underwater scenes, which may remind some viewers of the tragic real-life incident where a submersible imploded, claiming the lives of five individuals who were attempting to explore the Titanic. However, this somber thought quickly dissipates as "Meg 2" embraces its campy nature, presenting us with a barrage of increasingly absurd plot twists, ranging from acts of sabotage to encounters with multiple Megalodons, a species traditionally known to be solitary. Curiously, the film never provides an explanation for the sudden appearance of these squads of shark-like creatures, each the size of a whale.

The first half of "Meg 2" primarily consists of underwater tests, during which the submersibles become incapacitated, leaving Jonas and his resourceful crew with no choice but to make their way to safety on foot, without any protection. Unfortunately, not everyone will survive this perilous journey, and thus, the film commences its bloody body count. As the survivors reach the sea lab, they uncover evidence of sabotage and a mutiny orchestrated by a group of villains with nefarious intentions. These malevolent individuals plan to exterminate everyone in the trench, a location situated many miles below the surface, in order to profit immensely from the exploitation of its lifeforms.

Driven by greed, these mutineers embark on a ruthless killing spree, leaving Jonas to orchestrate one miraculous rescue after another. Throughout the chaos, Statham's character maintains a stoic and unwavering demeanor, never once suggesting that the absurdity unfolding around him is anything less than serious.

However, as "Meg 2" transitions away from its undersea dynamics and ventures into the realm of Fun Island, a beach resort reminiscent of a fusion between Jurassic Park and DisneyWorld, the film takes on a comedic tone. Bikini-clad women, annoying lap dogs, and lecherous men become targets not only for the Megalodons, who hungrily attack the beaches, but also for prehistoric, saber-toothed lizards that seem to have emerged from an entirely different dinosaur-themed epic. These repulsive carnivores swiftly dispatch the armed squads, leaving one pressing question hanging in the air: Will the yapping little lapdog survive or become the next meal?

"Meg 2," while still based on Steve Alten's 1999 novel, "The Trench," features a new team of writers, including Jon Hoeber, Erich Hoeber, and Dean Georgaris, as well as a new director, Ben Wheatley. The result is a film that feels like a delirious daydream born from prolonged exposure to scorching sunlight.

Rated PG-13, "Meg 2" is currently showing at the AMC South Bay Center, Boston Common, and various suburban theaters. It deserves a solid B grade for its audacious and entertaining spectacle.