This weekend, the beach opens wide for The Meg, the latest in the shark-eats-everyone genre, which this time pits Jason Statham against a megalodon from prehistoric times that clocks in at around 75 feet. While speaking with Cinema Blend, the director of The Meg, Jon Turteltaub, commented that if he had full control of his action fest he would mix in more of two critical ingredients— blood and laughs:
“Mine would have a lot gorier, but funnier, deaths for people. It’s just awesome. Killing people in movies is a lot of fun.”
RELATED: Another TV Spot For The Meg Surfaces
This comment from Turteltaub is intriguing for two reasons. First, as someone who as already seen The Meg, I can report that the movie has a lack of a firm tone. The Meg is a little suspenseful, but not a lot. It is a little funny, but not a lot. It is a little gruesome, but you get the idea. The vast existing library of shark movies are along of spectrum of scary to humorous, and The Meg has decided to drop anchor squarely in the middle. Perhaps giving it a little more…bite might make it a bit more memorable, so I understand Turteltaub’s motives.
That, however, brings us to point number two: the source itself. Turteltaub gleefully exclaims that on-screen mayhem can be fun, but it’s not like the man is Quentin Tarantino, and I would dare he’s in untested waters when it comes to his ability to handle hardcore, R-rated action. In no world has anyone lauded 3 Ninjas, Cool Runnings, The Kid, Last Vegas, or the National Treasure franchise for their stylish approach to murder.
Whether or not an uncut version of The Meg ever surfaces is likely dependent upon both how many people show up to see it this weekend, and their reaction to the current product. Is a bloodier/funnier shark movie more appealing to you?
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SOURCE: Cinema Blend

