The Meg (2018)

The Meg is a big-budget sci-fi action thriller directed by Jon Turteltaub, based on Steve Alten’s novel Meg: A Novel of Deep Terror. It’s basically what happens when you take Jaws, crank it up to prehistoric scale, and add Jason Statham as the tough guy who has to save the day. Let’s dive into the depths of this movie, step by step.

Detailed Summary

A Mission Gone Wrong

The movie opens with rescue diver Jonas Taylor (Jason Statham) attempting to save the crew of a damaged nuclear submarine. During the operation, he sees something massive outside the hull—something that causes him to abandon part of the crew in order to save the others. Branded as reckless and unstable, Jonas retires in disgrace.

Welcome to Mana One

Years later, a billionaire named Jack Morris (Rainn Wilson) funds an underwater research facility called Mana One, led by Dr. Zhang (Winston Chao) and his daughter Suyin (Li Bingbing). The team attempts to explore deeper into the Mariana Trench, breaking through a thermocline that hides a world beneath the known seabed. That’s when disaster strikes: their sub is attacked by a massive creature.

Enter the Megalodon

The creature is revealed to be a Megalodon, a prehistoric shark thought to be extinct for millions of years. With the research team trapped, Dr. Zhang calls upon Jonas, the only man to have ever survived an encounter with this mysterious beast, to help. Jonas reluctantly returns and manages to rescue the trapped crew—including his ex-wife Lori—but not before confirming his worst fear: the Meg is real.

The Meg Escapes

The breach in the thermocline allows the Megalodon to escape into open waters. Now free, it begins attacking everything in sight—boats, whales, and anything unlucky enough to be in its path. The team scrambles to figure out how to contain or kill the shark before it wreaks havoc on populated beaches.

Chaos at Sea

In one of the film’s most memorable sequences, the Meg targets a busy beach full of swimmers. Panic ensues as people try to escape the water. The Mana One crew realize they have to kill the Meg once and for all, leading to a climactic showdown.

Movie Ending

In the final act, Jonas and Suyin team up to take down the Meg in a heart-pounding battle. Using submarines and advanced weaponry, Jonas draws the shark into a fight. In the decisive moment, he stabs the Meg in the eye with a harpoon, fatally wounding it. As the massive predator thrashes, blood fills the water, and it becomes vulnerable to attack from smaller sharks in the area that begin tearing it apart.

With the Meg dead, survivors regroup on a rescue boat. Jonas and Suyin share a moment of relief that hints at a budding romance. Meanwhile, Morris, the billionaire who tried to cover up the Meg’s existence earlier, gets a fitting end—he is killed by the creature before the final battle. The film closes with the waters calm once more, but the possibility of other creatures lurking beneath the trench lingers in the audience’s mind.

Are There Post-Credits Scenes?

No, The Meg does not have any post-credits scenes. Once the film ends, that’s it. No teases for a sequel or hidden scenes—though given the box office success, a sequel (Meg 2: The Trench, 2023) eventually followed.

Type of Movie

This is a sci-fi action thriller with monster movie vibes. Think of it as a mix between Jaws, Jurassic Park, and a disaster movie rolled into one.

Cast

• Jason Statham as Jonas Taylor
• Li Bingbing as Suyin Zhang
• Rainn Wilson as Jack Morris
• Cliff Curtis as James “Mac” Mackreides
• Ruby Rose as Jaxx Herd
• Page Kennedy as DJ
• Winston Chao as Dr. Zhang
• Shuya Sophia Cai as Meiying (Suyin’s daughter)

Film Music and Composer

The score was composed by Harry Gregson-Williams, who crafted a tense, adventurous soundtrack that combines ominous deep-sea tones with action-driven music. The soundtrack works especially well during shark attack scenes, keeping the suspense high.

Filming Locations

The film was shot primarily in New Zealand and China, with significant scenes filmed at Warner Bros. Studios in Auckland. The Chinese locations were especially important since the film was a Chinese-American co-production, which helped it appeal to global audiences.

Awards and Nominations

The film wasn’t a major awards contender but did receive nominations in categories like Best Sci-Fi Movie at the Saturn Awards. Its main recognition comes from being a global box-office hit, earning over $530 million worldwide.

Behind the Scenes Insights

• Jason Statham, who is a skilled diver in real life, performed several underwater stunts himself.
• The Megalodon was created almost entirely with CGI, requiring detailed collaboration between visual effects teams in multiple countries.
• Steve Alten, the author of the original book, had been pushing for a film adaptation since the late 1990s.
• The production faced challenges blending Hollywood action with Chinese market requirements, balancing both audiences.

Inspirations and References

The movie is directly adapted from Steve Alten’s 1997 novel Meg: A Novel of Deep Terror. It also nods heavily to Jaws, from the shark’s attacks to the beach panic scene, while also leaning into modern blockbuster spectacle.

Alternate Endings and Deleted Scenes

Some scenes involving gorier deaths were cut to achieve a PG-13 rating. Early drafts of the film were much darker and bloodier, closer to the horror tone of the novel.

Book Adaptations and Differences

The biggest difference is tone: the book is much darker and more violent, with far more gruesome shark attacks. Jonas’s character is also portrayed differently—he’s more of a traumatized scientist-diver in the novel than the action-hero version we see in the film. The movie trims down much of the novel’s backstory to focus on action and visual spectacle.

Memorable Scenes and Quotes

Key Scenes

• Jonas’s first face-to-face encounter with the Meg.
• The crowded beach panic scene.
• The final underwater showdown between Jonas and the Meg.

Iconic Quotes

• Jonas: “He looks heroic, but he’s kind of got a negative attitude.”
• Morris (before his death): “It’s just a shark.”

Easter Eggs and Hidden Details

• The name “Mana One” is a nod to Polynesian mythology, where “mana” refers to a life force or spiritual energy.
• The beach attack sequence mirrors scenes from Jaws, down to the overhead shots of swimmers panicking.
• Jason Statham’s diving background was subtly referenced in his character’s confidence underwater.

Trivia

• The Megalodon in the film is about 75 feet long—bigger than what most scientists estimate the real creature’s size to have been.
• The project had been in development for almost 20 years before it was finally made.
• Eli Roth was originally attached to direct but left due to creative differences.

Why Watch?

If you’re into monster movies, shark thrillers, or Jason Statham punching things, this is a fun popcorn flick. It doesn’t take itself too seriously, but it delivers exactly what it promises: a giant prehistoric shark wreaking havoc.

Director’s Other Movies

• National Treasure (2004)
• National Treasure: Book of Secrets (2007)
• Cool Runnings (1993)
• While You Were Sleeping (1995)

Recommended Films for Fans

• Jaws (1975)
• Deep Blue Sea (1999)
• 47 Meters Down (2017)
• Sharknado (2013)
• Jurassic World (2015)