The Meg Blu-ray Review

The Blu-ray presentation of "The Meg" offers a largely compelling visual experience, despite a few notable shortcomings. The 2K digital intermediate ensures a stunning assortment of bright open air scenes and deep, dark underwater sequences. This digitally shot film produces a sharp and vibrant picture, with an expected lean towards the blue spectrum in underwater environments and a more neutral palette in open air hunting scenes. However, some outdoor shots are overexposed, likely an attempt to simulate intense sunlight on open water. Despite this, the clarity remains remarkable, capturing fine details such as facial textures and the intricate designs of diving suits. Although black levels are generally strong, viewers might notice occasional banding and digital noise, suggesting over-compression issues, especially given that only 30GB of the available 50GB Blu-ray capacity is utilized.

Moreover, while closeups and medium shots deliver impressive detail and sharpness, longer shots such as panoramic views can appear slightly fuzzy. A consistent issue is a faint layer of video noise present primarily in darker scenes lacking strong illumination. This might go unnoticed on smaller screens but detracts from the overall image quality. Comparatively, this issue is less prevalent on the UHD version of the film. The lower average bitrate of 19.02 Mbps, peaking rarely above 25 Mbps, highlights Warner's repetitive habit of not exploiting Blu-ray's full potential. Essentially, "The Meg" presents a solid Blu-ray experience that could have been exceptional if not for inexplicably conservative digital storage choices that limit the visual fidelity of what could otherwise be a reference-quality transfer.

The Dolby Atmos mix for "The Meg" on Blu-ray provides an exceptional audio experience that rivals any high-budget, blockbuster film. While notable for its dynamic range and deep bass impact, the LFE is balanced rather than overpowering, allowing for an immersive auditory experience that reinforces the film's underwater theme. The nuanced ambient effects, such as the sound of water lapping at the boat and isolated sounds during intense scenes like Suyin in the divers' cage, enhance the realism and tension. Directional shifts are seamless, with the menacing Megalodon continually moving across the soundstage, contributing to a consistent sense of envelopment. Notably, vocals and dialogue are rendered flawlessly, maintaining clarity amidst the chaos of scenes.

However, users should note that Warner Bros. defaults to a DTS-HD MA 5.1 track instead of the superior Atmos track. It is crucial to manually select Atmos from the audio menu to fully experience the meticulously crafted 360-degree soundstage. This mix excels in using every channel possible, particularly the overheads, to create a captivating environment where creaking ocean pressures and battles with the Meg resonate with realistic precision. The whomping impacts when the Meg collides with various structures—submersibles, boats, and research facilities—are formidable but balanced to avoid overwhelming other sonic elements.

Harry Gregson-Williams’ score is skillfully interwoven into the soundscape, seamlessly complementing on-screen action without overshadowing dialogue or sound effects. Gregson-Williams injects subtle cues reminiscent of John Williams' iconic "Jaws" theme, adding depth without being overt. Even in quieter moments, there's enough auditory movement and activity to maintain engagement, contributing to an overall exhilarating auditory experience. The richness and complexity of the audio presentation on "The Meg" set a high bar, making it a standout feature of this Blu-ray release.

The extras bundled with the Blu-ray of "The Meg" are rather mild but provide some technical insights. The highlight, "Chomp on This: The Making of The Meg," delivers a standard Electronic Press Kit (EPK) experience, featuring commentary from director Jon Turtletaub, producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura, and various cast and crew members. "Creating the Beast" delves into the visual effects, showcasing the blend of artist renderings and CGI to animate the Megalodon. Lastly, a brief "New Zealand Film Commission" promotional piece touches on the filming logistics in New Zealand. Each featurette, though short, sheds some light on different aspects of the movie’s production.

Extras included in this disc:

• Chomp on This: The Making of The Meg: Recounts experiences from the film’s director, producer, cast, and crew.
• Creating the Beast: Insights into visual effects and creature creation.
• New Zealand Film Commission: A brief promotional clip about the shoot.

"The Meg" adeptly adheres to the formula of a classic B-movie shark thriller, capitalizing on a premise as outlandish as it is exhilarating. Under Jon Turtletaub’s direction, the film successfully delivers mindless, yet exhilarating entertainment that doesn't pretend to take itself too seriously. Jason Statham anchors the movie as Jonas Taylor, a former deep-sea rescue diver who claims his last mission was thwarted by a prehistoric shark. Called back to action years later, he joins an international research team investigating the unexplored depths of the Mariana Trench. Predictably, chaos ensues when a 75-foot Megalodon is unleashed upon an unprepared world.

Character development is secondary to spectacle here. Statham plays his standard action-hero role convincingly, glowering and flexing his muscles in scenes designed for maximum impact. Rainn Wilson offers comic relief as the arrogant billionaire funder, while Li Bingbing adds a dimension of human interest and serves as a partial love interest. The film's PG-13 rating ensures moderate gore, but it still packs in high-octane thrills with elaborate CGI sequences showcasing the monstrous shark as it wreaks havoc above and below water.

The technical execution of "The Meg" is noteworthy; the special effects are impressive, particularly in 3D, enhancing the grandiosity and terror of the giant shark. The screenplay is littered with plot holes and scientific inaccuracies that one must overlook to enjoy the film for what it is: a thrilling escape. With nods to classic predecessors like "Jaws" and "Deep Blue Sea", the movie isn't groundbreaking but provides a fun, high-energy ride. It doesn't add much to the genre but refines enough existing elements to maintain viewer engagement throughout its runtime.

Overall, the movie triumphs as a big-budget creature feature that clearly understands and embraces its identity. Fans looking for high-stakes action agree that its campiness and unapologetic entertainment value make "The Meg" an enjoyable experience.

Review Summary: The Meg (Blu-ray)

"The Meg" delivers a high-octane, guilty pleasure experience worthy of any fan of the monster movie genre. Directed by Jon Turteltaub, the film stars Jason Statham, Bingbing Li, and Rainn Wilson, among others. It brings forth an entertaining spectacle reminiscent of the absurd thrills found in films like "Deep Blue Sea." With its gloriously over-the-top special effects, explosive action sequences, and a tendency for playful absurdity, the film doesn't shy away from its purpose as pure popcorn entertainment.

The Blu-ray edition from Warner Bros. ensures an exceptional audiovisual experience, perfectly capturing the film's grandiose visuals through a pristine 2.39:1 AVC transfer. The Dolby Atmos (Dolby TrueHD 7.1 Core) audio mix elevates the tension with immersive soundscapes, complemented by additional English DTS-HD MA 5.1, French (Canadian), Spanish, and Portuguese DD 5.1 tracks. Subtitles are provided in English SDH, French, Portuguese, and Spanish for comprehensive accessibility. Unfortunately, while the technical presentation excels, the bonus features are disappointingly sparse, leaving room for improvement in this regard.

"The Meg" unapologetically embraces its identity as an extravagant yet mindless crowd-pleaser. It may not achieve the depth and character development that set masterpieces like "Jaws" apart, but this film has no pretensions of such aspirations. Instead, it leans into its sheer escapism, buoyed by Statham's unwaveringly serious performance amidst the fantastical chaos. For aficionados of summer shark flicks, this Blu-ray is a solid addition to your collection. Enjoy "The Meg" for what it is—a bombastic thrill ride that lets you leave your brain at the door and relish in the audacious fun.

Conclusion: I jokingly referred to "The Meg" as “a SyFy movie with a bigger budget and better cast” during its theatrical run, and I find that it really is rather true. Like "Deep Blue Sea," "The Meg" is a trashy bit of monster movie mayhem that is purely fun on a guilty pleasure level, and done so with lots of booms explosions and big special effects of the blockbuster variety. It’s nothing that special, but it put a smile on my face and Warner’s Blu-ray is fantastic. Audio and video are top-notch, but sadly the extras are a bit limited (barely nonexistent). Every shark monster movie lover will get a kick out of this, as long as you leave your brain at the door and expect Jason Statham fighting a shark. Definitely worth a fun watch.