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The Meg
Movie

The Meg

2018 • Action, Horror, Sci-Fi

Woke Score
3
out of 10

Plot

Five years ago, expert sea diver and Naval Captain Jonas Taylor encountered an unknown danger in the unexplored recesses of the Mariana Trench that forced him to abort his mission and abandon half his crew. Though the tragic incident earned him a dismissal from service, what ultimately cost him his career, his marriage and any semblance of honor was his unsupported and incredulous claims of what caused it - an attack on his vessel by a mammoth, 70-foot sea creature, believed to be extinct for more than a million years. But when a submersible lies sunk and disabled at the bottom of the ocean - carrying his ex-wife among the team onboard - he is the one who gets the call. Whether a shot at redemption or a suicide mission, Jonas must confront his fears and risk his own life and the lives of everyone trapped below on a single question: Could the Carcharodon Megalodon - the largest marine predator that ever existed - still be alive - and on the hunt?

Overall Series Review

The Meg is a simple, high-octane monster movie that prioritizes action and spectacle over complex political or ideological commentary. The plot centers on a disgraced, rugged male hero who must overcome his personal trauma to defeat a prehistoric shark and save others, a fundamentally meritocratic action narrative. The casting is notably diverse, reflecting a modern blockbuster's desire for international appeal, but the characterization is largely driven by genre archetypes rather than a lecture on immutable characteristics. A corporate billionaire, the primary human antagonist, is depicted as a self-serving, greedy white male who meets a deservedly gruesome end, a narrative choice that aligns with a common trope of vilifying wealth and privilege. The female characters are competent scientists and technicians who actively contribute to the mission, and the story features a positive family element through a mother and daughter. Any environmental messaging is generic, focusing on humanity's hubris in disturbing nature. The film remains focused on shark-punching entertainment and largely ignores ideological framing on sex or spirituality.

Categorical Breakdown

Identity Politics4/10

The cast is consciously diverse and international, a strategic choice that goes beyond colorblind casting, as noted by the director. The primary human villain, a white male billionaire, is portrayed as an incompetent, greedy, and self-centered 'Asshole Victim' who attempts a cover-up and is punished. The sole black character serves largely as comic relief and is noted for being unable to swim at an oceanic research station, fitting an 'Uncle Tomfoolery' trope that the film attempts to lampshade. The competent heroes are a mix of races and genders, but the ultimate physical victory and redemption arc belongs squarely to the white male lead.

Oikophobia3/10

The central conflict is caused by the hubris of a human-funded scientific venture disturbing a sealed, hidden ecosystem, playing into a generic 'man disturbing nature' environmental theme. A Chinese scientist provides commentary on human destruction of new environments and laments the Meg's death as a continuation of this trend. However, there is no direct vilification of 'Western civilization,' national institutions, or ancestors; the critique is leveled at corporate greed and mankind's universal impact on the environment.

Feminism3/10

Female characters are highly competent: Suyin is a skilled marine biologist and submersible pilot, and Jaxx is an 'edgy tech genius' engineer. They are not portrayed as instantly perfect, as Suyin nearly dies and requires rescue. The main male protagonist, though initially a failure, is the primary physical hero who defeats the Meg. The narrative contains a positive family unit (mother and daughter) and culminates in a traditional male-female romantic pairing between the hero and the female lead, which counters anti-natalist messaging.

LGBTQ+1/10

The film contains no overt or subtle centering of alternative sexualities or gender ideology. The core romantic relationship is a traditional male-female pairing. The narrative structure and character dynamics are entirely normative, with no lecturing on non-biological reality.

Anti-Theism1/10

Religion is completely absent from the film's narrative, themes, and character motivations. The conflict is purely an action-monster scenario driven by science, deep-sea exploration, and survival. Morality is objective—saving people from a monster and exposing the corporate liar is good; letting the monster escape is bad—with no critique of faith or embrace of moral relativism.