Meg 2: The Trench

"Back for seconds."

2023 1h 56m EN

😐

6.3

MID

★6.3TMDB · 4,143

ActionScience FictionHorror

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

An exploratory dive into the deepest depths of the ocean of a daring research team spirals into chaos when a malevolent mining operation threatens their mission and forces them into a high-stakes battle for survival.

“Back for seconds.”

WhatsApp X Facebook Telegram

Cast

Jason Statham
Jonas Taylor
Wu Jing
Jiuming Zhang
Shuya Sophia Cai
Meiying
Page Kennedy
DJ
Sergio Peris-Mencheta
Montes
Sienna Guillory
Driscoll
Cliff Curtis
Mac
Skyler Samuels
Jess

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Ben Wheatley
Writers: Dean Georgaris, Erich Hoeber, Jon Hoeber
Languages: English
Countries: China, United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

$129M budget — tentpole studio territory.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Made its money back 3.1× over at the box office.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 3 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 2 countries: China, United States of America.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

CINEMA

Did you know

Part of the "The Meg Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Ben Wheatley, shot by Haris Zambarloukos. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Harry Gregson-Williams. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Jonathan Amos shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Ben Wheatley directs. Haris Zambarloukos behind the camera. Harry Gregson-Williams scores. Jonathan Amos cuts. Made its budget back several times over at the box office. Produced in China, United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1$129M budget — tentpole studio territory.
2Made its money back 3.1× over at the box office.
3Released 3 years ago.
4International production across 2 countries: China, United States of America.
5Part of the "The Meg Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.
6Directed by Ben Wheatley, shot by Haris Zambarloukos. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
7Original score by Harry Gregson-Williams. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
8Editor Jonathan Amos shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
9Jason Statham and Wu Jing and Shuya Sophia Cai carry the top of the cast.
10Marketing tagline: "Back for seconds.".
11IMDB entry: tt9224104 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
12Classified under 12 themes, including "based on novel or book", "deep sea", "sequel", "underwater".
13Released under 17 different titles around the world.

The technical file

Cinematography: Haris Zambarloukos
Original score: Harry Gregson-Williams
Editing: Jonathan Amos
Production design: Chris Lowe
Costume design: Lindsay Pugh
Makeup / hair: Sylvia Atkins
VFX supervisor: Peter Bebb
Stunt coordinator: Tolga Kenan
Runtime: 116 min · 1h 56m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $129,000,000
Box office: $398,500,317
Return: 309% of budget
Original language: EN
Certification (US): PG-13
IMDB: Meg 2: The Trench (2023)

Part of

The Meg Collection

The adventures of Jonas Taylor, a deep sea diver who goes up against a thought-to-be extinct prehistoric shark.

Also by

Ben Wheatley

Stills · wallpapers

Selected frames

Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.

Wallpaper

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

Community reviews

What people are saying

CinemaSerf2023-08-12
★ 5/10
Now the "Meg" (2018) itself could never be called a good film, but it is a great deal better than this muddled and derivative effort. "Jonas" (Jason Statham) is now working as a sort of eco-policeman trying to stop the dumping of toxic waste into the oceans, and after a snappy "007" style opening, he is daringly rescued by "Mac" (Clff Curtis) and "Rigas" (Melissanthu Mahut) and returned to the research centre where he is reunited with "Jess" (Skyler Samuels), "DJ" (Page Kennedy) and the adrenalin seeking "Juiming" (Jing Wu) who are nursing the daughter of the last megalodon! The team now travel to a remote installation where they must investigate some more of the beasties that live below the frozen layer put there by nature to ensure than we don't mix. Thing is, it seems they are not the only folks who've hit on the idea that there might be untapped riches 25,000 feet below the surface, and soon our team are involved in a contretemps with "Montes" (Sergio Peris-Mencheta) that introduces treachery, double-dealing and causes explosions galore that release not just megs, but also an enormous octopus into the ocean where they can merrily terrorise the holidaymakers on the nearby resort of "Fun Island". Can "Jonas" et al manage to take on four of these super-creatures before they've snacked their way through the tourists? This might have been a bit better if they'd just cut all the preamble and gone straight to the rig and to the underwater action, big fish and pyrotechnics. As it is, we spend far too long meandering about on the surface meeting the characters and there's way too much pointless dialogue throughout - though one or two half-hearted witticisms and puns help a little - before an ending that is entirely predictable and really rather processionally so. The acting is just banal, the continuity is all over the place - as is the editing - and the huge chunk of Ali Baba money that's floated this thing ensures that the switches from the English to Chinese languages actually smacks more of keeping everybody happy in the boardroom rather than engaging anyone in the actual cinema. Simply, even the charismatic Statham cannot rescue this from the doldrums of CGI-led mediocrity that churns out an unremarkable hybrid of "Jaws" and "Jurassic Park". It does need a big screen. If you wait til it's on the telly then you will be even more disappointed. Mind you, is that actually possible?
MovieGuys2023-08-26
★ 5/10
Meg 2 doesn't really feel like a follow up film, to its 2018 counterpart. Indeed, the latest instalment feels more like a platform for various action "stunts". The giant,prehistoric shark's are essentially window dressing, for a variety of frenetic action sequences, where things blow up, are torn apart, shot at, harpooned, people gobbled up Jaws and Jurassic Park style and what I can only describe as acrobatic, aquatic scenes with jet ski's and the like, all take place. They even throw in a giant squid, to spice things up. Or put more simply, this is a messy mash up, of derivative, often dispirit ideas. Unsurprisingly, the results a bit chaotic, with no compass to direct the viewer, in terms of the story, such as it is. Its quite watchable, in its own way but it never really goes anywhere. In summary, watchable on a very visually superficial level. Lots of action but little in the way of an established story, to pull the whole thing together.
mohitgupta9432023-08-26
Good Movie