Deep in the Trench

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The Meg returns

An apex predator, the Megalodon, makes its way into a movie called The Meg, directed by Jon Turteltaub. The movie focuses on the megalodon shark, the world’s most enormous shark that is extinct in real life, but it is alive in the Meg film series. The first Meg film was released on August 10th, 2018. And now the second film, Meg 2: The Trench, was released on August 4th, 2023.

In both films, Jason Statham plays Jonas Taylor, the main character in the movie, along with his crew that help conquer the megalodon. The Meg films are based on a novel of the same name by Steve Alten. This series of underwater chaos has the cast saying that it is just like Jurassic Park but underwater.

These films also spark the question of what would happen if the megalodon were alive today. The first film focuses more on the discovery of the megalodon and how they can attack the environment around them. The film had more intense scenes and attacks. The second film, a sequel to the first film, still involves the megalodon but in a more scientific state. Including the domestication of a megalodon held by Jonas’ research team and conflicts involving the discovery of multiple prehistoric beings, not just the megalodon.

“All the scenes with the sharks made it entertaining. They were very realistic. I looked forward to seeing them when they showed up on the screen,” said Deerfield Beach High School freshman Brianna Rivera.

This second film, unlike the first film, also shows the discovery of a trench deeper than what is known as the deepest trench in the ocean. Hence the title, Meg 2: The Trench. This is where the conflicts of Jonas’ team begin.

Shuya Sophia Cai plays Meiying, a 14-year-old girl that is family to the crew and wants to follow in their footsteps of working like them. She adds a touching feeling to the film and humor to keep the plot entertaining. Both films have similarities and differences. They both include near-death experiences, but the people end up getting saved from the megalodon which adds a positive atmosphere to the movie.

The Meg films portray a fairly realistic point of view, but not everything in the movie is capable of in the real world. There has been no confirmation that there will be a third film, but conversations have sparked because of directors discussing the possibility of it. Anyone who is interested in megalodons should absolutely see this new movie. As the character Jonas Taylor once said, “Meg versus man isn’t a fight… it’s a slaughter.”


Written by Janna Margar Pit | Graphic Designed by Makayla Napoleon