Heavyweight Benefit. Review of ”Meg: Monster of the Depth”
This story promised to be entertaining and funny. As for the spectacle, the film "Meg" really did not disappoint: shots with a deep perspective, where a monster swims under carefree bathers on bright inflatable circles, are impressive. The constant tension required for a summer blockbuster is present, but on the whole, the picture, without self-irony, sinks under its own weight.Meg - short for megalodon - is a prehistoric monster, a gigantic shark that feeds on whales. Jason State is to fight the monster. It would seem, what else does a summer blockbuster need? In addition, State does not take self-irony, the shark turned out to be impressive, and the slogan of the film sounds like this: "Served to eat." The tape even had shiny promo posters depicting the hapless vacationers with their characteristics (weight, energy, protein, fat). But the further the story accelerates, the more doubts arise: are they serious about this?  Submarine rescuer Jonas Taylor, after an operation on a nuclear submarine with a tragic ending, as they say, went to the bottom. He left for Thailand to fill his feelings of guilt and vowed to return to his craft. But one cheery billionaire Maurice (Raine Wilson) just invested a lot of money in a research station near the Mariana Trench. He flies to it to witness unprecedented discoveries, and eventually becomes a witness to a disaster. The creators innocently put Jonas' ex-wife in the sunken bathyscaphe. This is followed by a battle between the two main characters and a carnage for everyone else. Minor characters die frequently and are not regrettable. Their biography, hastily drawn in large strokes, is banal, helpless and only slows down the action. But here State and the shark gave their best - each scene of their confrontation is spectacular, spectacular, keeps tension and makes you forget about common sense.  And there really is very little common sense here, although it might not exist at all. But in this case, there must be enthusiasm, but it is lacking. Billionaire Morris is desperate to recoup a dilapidated station and finds nothing better than chasing a monster. He wants to be the first to present it to the public by all means. As a result, the film, which already lacks lightness, is accompanied by the story of Moby Dick and the mad captain seeking his own death. Why such references are not entirely clear. Where there is a tragic hero in Melville's novel, here is a completely sane (at first) businessman. True, then he shoots the whale from a helicopter (it's hard to imagine a less sensible move), which leads to new victims and another action scene.  For some reason, State is imposed on the Bruce Willis style, which in itself does not suit him very well. As the director Khlebnikov noted, Willis's hero always rescues the world reluctantly, "from a hangover," and often outright luck is on his side. He has a characteristic squint, stubble, fumes and complete indifference to his own fate. This one may not save, and all the best pictures with Die Hard are kept on this snag. In "Monster of the Depths," the unlucky writers simply copied the well-known scheme, even to the point of saving their ex-wife. But when you look at State, you immediately understand - this will save you. He shows remarkable courage and courage, rescuing unfamiliar people from trouble. And those, despite all the warnings, are drawn to danger. Jonas pretends to wash his hands every time, but, like the DC heroes, he always cares about everything. He's serious and concepts with a capital letter are not just words for him. In general, the shark is doomed. I'm sorry for the shark.  The second main role in the film is with the star of Chinese cinema Li Bingbing. She plays an oceanographer, uncontrollably rushing into battle. It seems that this character is here so that the main character always has someone to save. Do not take the same, really, for the case, simply because you are State. And the girl was also needed so that someone could look at Jonas enthusiastically and timidly and receive the same half-hints, half-peeks in response. The good actress Bingbing selflessly moves the plot and, apparently, intends to stir up the Chinese distribution, which the creators, who have invested a record 150 million dollars in the picture, really hope for. But the big news is that Stateham and Shark are heavyweights in their genre, and no one else is left on screen.  This fight lasts more than four rounds, and each time the victory looks final. But as soon as the viewer exhales, a new fight begins. This rate of breathing may not be enough until the final. The level of threat increases, the number and size of sharks, too, the technique crumbles to pieces, and now the main character is left to fight the 25-meter monster one on one. When the heat makes the events absurd, irony should help, for which only one little dog on the beach is responsible - a reference to the legendary "Jaws". But the dog is unable to keep this seasonal monster afloat. The Topic of Article: Heavyweight Benefit. Review of ”Meg: Monster of the Depth”. |
