Bloated shark story lacks real bite

12A, 113 mins

It’s not safe to go back into the water in director Jon Turteltaub’s supersized horror thriller, which has been splashing about in development hell for two decades.

Based on Steve Alten’s best-selling novel, The Meg imagines the carnage wrought by a 75ft long megalodon shark on an underwater research complex, which has been constructed in delicious proximity to one of China’s most popular tourist beaches.

This all-you-can-chomp buffet of swimmers, surfers and sun-worshipping teenagers provides the film with an overblown action sequence saturated with digital effects, which are notable by their poor execution.

Leading man Jason Statham glowers on cue and removes his shirt for a gratuitous topless scene to verify he is in excellent gym-toned shape even if his film is bloated.

Dr Zhang (Winston Chao) and his daughter Suyin (Li Bingbing, inset) oversee the Mana One research facility financed by bullish billionaire Morris (Rainn Wilson).

The state-of-the-art facility will allow scientists to conduct experiments in hidden nooks and crannies off the Mariana Trench.

During one exploratory dive, the Origin submersible piloted by Lori (Jessica McNamee), Toshi (Masi Oka) and Wall (Olafur Darri Olafsson) is attacked by an unidentified beast. The stricken crew should have 18 hours of auxiliary power and oxygen so Dr Zhang and Mana One’s station chief Mac (Cliff Curtis) make haste to Thailand to persuade underwater rescue expert Jonas Taylor (Statham) to return to the deep.

Jonas obliges for the sake of Lori and he comes stubbled face to slippery snout with a voracious megalodon, which threatens the safety of everyone inside Mana One including Suyin’s cherubic daughter Meiying (Sophia Cai), systems architect Jaxx (Ruby Rose) and remote craft pilot DJ (Page Kennedy).

The Meg swims in frequently charted waters and Turteltaub’s film pays homage for extended periods to Steven Spielberg’s vastly superior Jaws.

Interview with Jason Statham, right

Damon Smith