The Meg: Unraveling the Mind-Blowing Climax

The summer blockbuster, now a staple in the lives of film enthusiasts, can largely be attributed to Steven Spielberg's 1975 masterpiece Jaws. While not the first shark movie, Jaws sparked a wave of imitations, creating a subgenre dedicated to the deep-sea predator. Nearly 50 years later, audiences crave more than a 4,000lb great white. Enter The Meg, which takes daring steps by introducing an even larger shark.

Premiering in August 2018, The Meg instantly became a major player at the box office, raking in over $530 million. It was inevitable that a sequel would follow. Fans and newcomers alike can anticipate the arrival of The Meg 2: The Trench this August.

What is The Meg about?

The Meg chronicles the story of Jonas Taylor, a former rescue diver who abandoned his career following the death of two crew members at the hands of an unknown sea creature. After leading a solitary life plagued by alcoholism for five years, Taylor is called upon by his ex-wife and a group of scientists to embark on a daring rescue mission in the deepest part of the Mariana Trench. A peculiar billionaire by the name of Jack Morris has entrusted a father-daughter team of oceanographers, Minway and Suyin Zhang, to oversee his underwater research facility, known as the Mana One. Lori, Taylor's ex-wife, and fellow scientist Toshi set off from Mana One in a submersible but lose all communication. Before Taylor can commence the rescue operation, Suyin makes an attempt of her own. Her submersible is attacked by a colossal squid, only to be saved by an even more formidable creature.

Taylor sets out on a mission to save Toshi and Lori. As he struggles to evacuate both scientists, he becomes the target of a massive megalodon shark. Taylor manages to rescue Lori, but Toshi sacrifices his life to ensure their escape from the shark's clutches. With the submersible recovered, Taylor and the rest of the Mana One crew must devise a plan to eliminate the prehistoric sea monster. The "Meg" is on a rampage, capsizing fishing vessels and claiming the lives of unsuspecting swimmers. Countless lives are at stake, and it falls upon the Mana One team and Jonas Taylor to conquer the colossal shark. Their endeavor combines traditional elements of a sea monster quest with cutting-edge technology of the modern era.

How does The Meg end?

The initial plan to eliminate the Meg involves tracking it down and administering a lethal dose of poison. Suyin bravely enters a specially designed cage to confront and ultimately defeat the creature. However, the group's triumph is short-lived when an even larger Meg emerges from the depths, devouring its predecessor. This new Meg wreaks havoc by killing multiple scientists, destroying the advanced vessel of the Mana One, and compelling the crew to regroup at an undersea research facility. Jack Morris reassures his team that he has informed local authorities, shifting the responsibility of dealing with the Meg onto them. In secret, Morris hires a team of mercenaries, who mistakenly detonate depth charges, resulting in the tragic demise of a whale. Subsequently, the Meg devours Morris while the terrified mercenaries hastily escape.

Faced with these dire circumstances, Jonas Taylor and the scientists make a collective decision to take matters into their own hands and eliminate the Meg. Employing a clever tactic, they lure the Meg towards them by using a whale call. Jonas courageously collides his submersible with the Meg, delivering a fatal blow by stabbing it in the eye. The Meg's blood attracts smaller sharks, triggering a frenzied feeding where they tear apart and consume the Meg's remains. In the aftermath, Taylor and the surviving scientists celebrate their significant achievement and make plans for a relaxing vacation following their successful mission. However, as the camera pans beneath the surface of the water, the ominous sound of another megalodon shark can be heard, indicating that despite killing two Megs, more have managed to escape from the trench.

Is the ending different in The Meg book?

In Meg: A Novel of Deep Terror, the ending differs from the film but maintains the essence. In the novel, Jonas kills the shark by igniting his submersible's oxygen supply, causing it to burn from within. He and his crew are then rescued by a passing tourist vessel. Jonas and the other survivors manage to capture the last megalodon pup, which they name Angel. They embark on studying this last remaining member of a supposedly extinct species. Both versions of The Meg leave room for the emergence of more gigantic sharks from the trench, potentially leading to future movies in the franchise.

The Meg is a straightforward film where Jason Statham battles a massive shark. The plot is not the main attraction. The characters embody broad archetypes, the events are easily predictable, and the upcoming sequel, The Meg 2: The Trench, is expected to be much the same. Later this year, Jonas Taylor will return to combat yet another megalodon shark in The Meg 2: The Trench. The simplicity of the concept allows for the possibility of numerous films where Statham challenges increasingly colossal ocean predators. Although Jonas managed to defeat the first two Megs, will he triumph over the next one? Find out in The Meg 2: The Trench.