Ruby Rose is one mighty attractive lady. That she's portraying Kate Kane, aka Batwoman, in a solo lead should have me jumping for joy, but I've come to distrust CW's handling of DC's heroes, no matter how inspiring the casting.
The problem is the network's fickle focus on moral matters. "Arrow" pretty much kept the right vibe (or at least covered both sides of an issue when it could), but try as it may, its valiant design failed to influence the rest. "Supergirl", all on its own disrespectful accord, crushed any hope of that. I fear that "Batwoman" (premiering Oct 9) will deal the same "woke", good-is-bad/bad-is-good card. If that's the case, I could just as well watch the loathsome "Lego Batman Movie" and call it a day.
And yet, how can I be so hasty regarding CW's latest, crossover stunts? The actors and personas in store rival anything on the DC big screen. However, if CW's television counterparts are misconstrued, if the plots lack ethical conviction, what's the point?
My greater fear is what HBO might do to "Watchmen" (premiering Oct 20). How the hell can a superhero show (an impression-of "sequel" to Alan Moore/Dave Gibbon's classic, graphic novel and Zack Snyder's acclaimed movie) thrive on a source that Bill Maher has hijacked for the worse?
The complex concepts of "Watchmen" shouldn't be altered to fit a perceived demographic, let alone appease a pompous, comic-book hater. I can only imagine (and fear) how far the variables will be bent, and what a bloody shame that would be, considering the series' spectacular cast. Whether it be a sequel. prequel or something in-between, "Watchmen" must maintain a conscientious, omniscient vibe to succeed. Without it, it wouldn't be "Watchmen". On this basis, will adapter Damon Lidelhof champion the original conception or redefine it in the Rian Johnson vein?
I can only hope and pray for the best for either series, but when agenda-geared networks get involved, I tend to smell disaster. Please, oh please, for DC's sake, prove me wrong.
"The Meg" (based on Steve Alten's book series, directed by Jon "National Treasure" Turteltaub and adapted by Dean Georgaris and Jon and Erich Hoeber) could have been labeled "Jaws V", but then "Cruel Jaws" (aka, "The Beast") is often called "Jaws V". "Up From the Depths", "Deep Blue Sea"; "Mako"; "Tintorera"; "The Last Shark" (aka, "Great White"); "Open Water"; "47 Meters Down"; in addition to the "Piranha" and "Sharknado" franchises could have borrowed the "Jaws" label as well, but that's the way it goes when a tall tale impacts pop-culture to such a biting degree.
At least "The Meg" is a good knockoff. That doesn't make it a great picture, but it does, like "Jaws", act as an effective, allegorical, sea-monster story where courage and perseverance prevail over great odds, which for fans of the sub-genre, is all that should matter.
In this particular "Jaws" variant, we get a prehistoric monster, a Megalodon, rising from the deep in the grand Godzilla tradition. The behemoth is pitted against a no-nonsense, athletic hero who has the right (and in this instance, justified) Ahab stamina to challenge it: crackerjack diver and man-in-need-of-redemption, Jonas Taylor, played by box-office champ, Jason Statham. (As one might deduce, Taylor is equally reminiscent of "Jaws'"s Chief Brody, along with Statham's long line of two-fisted crusaders.)
To make matters ever more exciting, our hero confronts the creature's onslaught while initially confined in and around an underwater, research complex. (This gives a portion of the film a cozy "Jaws 3D"/"Deep Blue Sea", claustrophobic climate.) Throughout the minatory crashing and thumping, Statham's presence assures us that, no matter how jarring things get, we can still have fun. Like the best funhouse or roller coaster rides, "The Meg" delivers all the calculated, hair-raising goods.
The rest of cast does a swell, if not verbose job, in underscoring Taylor's predicament and includes Riann Wilson; Li BingBing; Shuya Cai; Winston Chow; Masi Oka; Olafur Darri Olafsson; Cliff Curtis; Page Kennedy; Jessica McNamee; and Ruby Rose. The ensemble's sideline, scientific mumbo-jumbo (seasoned by crying, dying and general expressions of fear) allows Taylor/Statham to plunge in and tackle the titanic task thrown upon him with little, direct interference.
The Meg, on the other hand, is as take-charge as our hero, instilling a sense of awe and upping the ante through its kaiju size. Its powerful presence makes one consider why no such previous film, even those in the official "Jaws" canon, ever presented a specimen this overwhelming. (I recall Famous Monsters hinting that "Jaws 2" was to have done so, but of course, that didn't turn out as anticipated.)
By the time the ferocious finale splashes across the screen, we come to understand that man can--and will--conquer a mega monster (or any problem that might materialize) by curbing fear and doubt: a worthy notion that "Jaws" and its offshoots have relayed for decades. In this regard, though our protagonist uses wit as well as brawn to accomplish his task, he's never naive enough to believe he can reason with a thing devoid of reason. In other words, some opponents deserve merciless defeat.
On this basis, I say share "The Meg" with the kids. After all, it's only a matter of time before some great, symbolic thing ascends in their lives. Better they learn to face it head on like good ol' Statham than let cowardice dictate the terms.
