Jason Statham's character fights off an enormous prehistoric shark in Meg 2: The Trench. Photo: Warner Bros Entertainment
Jason Statham's character fights off an enormous prehistoric shark in Meg 2: The Trench. Photo: Warner Bros Entertainment
Jason Statham's character fights off an enormous prehistoric shark in Meg 2: The Trench. Photo: Warner Bros Entertainment
Jason Statham's character fights off an enormous prehistoric shark in Meg 2: The Trench. Photo: Warner Bros Entertainment

Meg 2: The Trench review - oversized shark flick moves fast but lacks bite


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  • Arabic

Over the past 15 years, Ben Wheatley has established himself as one of the most captivating directors working today.

But while he’s received critical acclaim for the likes of Kill List, Sightseers, High-Rise, and Free Fire, each of which were made on lower budgets, Wheatley’s sensibilities have always seemed suited to Hollywood blockbusters, too.

That’s why there was plenty of excitement when it was announced that Wheatley had signed up to direct Meg 2: The Trench – the $129 million sequel to the 2018 sci-fi action film that made a surprisingly big splash at the box office.

The original revolved around a group of scientists, led by Jonas Taylor (Jason Statham), who encounter a 22-metre long prehistoric megalodon and try to keep it from attacking a crowded beach.

This time around Taylor and his research team embark on an exploratory dive into the deepest depths of the ocean, otherwise known as the Trench. But their mission soon hits a snag when they discover another mining team are already down there in this incredibly remote and dangerous area.

Meg%202%3A%20The%20Trench
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In order to protect their mysterious backer, they try to blow up Taylor and his crew. This only brings them all to the attention of more megalodons, as well as other prehistoric creatures, who then try to break out of the trench to hunt down oblivious humans.

Jason Statham and Sophia Cai Shuya in Meg 2: The Trench. Photo: Warner Bros Entertainment
Jason Statham and Sophia Cai Shuya in Meg 2: The Trench. Photo: Warner Bros Entertainment

Meg 2: The Trench is full to the brim with sequences that should keep viewers on the edge of their seats. Starting with a cold open that takes place 65 million years earlier, it does a great job of showing just how dominant the megalodon was even against the most ferocious dinosaurs. Then, every few minutes, there’s a new nautical obstacle or terrifying creature for Statham, Wu Jing, Page Kennedy, Cliff Curtis, Melissanthi Mahut and Sophia Cai Shuya’s characters to contend with.

Considering that most of these moments take place thousands of metres underwater, you also can’t help but wonder just how far the creative team have stretched science to keep their characters alive.

Which makes it all the more disappointing that Wheatley is unable to deliver the thrills expected from Meg 2: The Trench. Sure, there’s a great pace to the film, as well as a few engrossing scares and jolting moments, but there are also too many wasted opportunities.

Despite some promise, Meg 2: The Trench simply doesn't deliver enough thrills. Photo: Warner Bros Entertainment
Despite some promise, Meg 2: The Trench simply doesn't deliver enough thrills. Photo: Warner Bros Entertainment

Especially when it comes to the scenes in the Trench – they are just too dark. So much so that you either don’t know where you are, what’s happening or which character is actually in peril. At the same time, you don’t get a good sight of the monsters that are wreaking so much havoc.

Initially, this feels like a purposeful ploy, so that Wheatley can build up the tension and allow viewers’ imaginations to wildly fill in the gaps about just how ruthless and dangerous the megalodons are. But by the chaotic final act, where all logic and narrative cohesion are dispensed with, you can’t help but wonder whether the film ran out of money or they just toned down the violence to get a more family-friendly rating.

It’s not just Wheatley at fault, though. The script from Jon Hoeber, Erich Hoeber and Dean Georgaris lacks originality and humour. Even the actors seem to lose interest in providing the intensity required to pull viewers into the bombastic and over-the-top story – although Curtis and Kennedy, both of whom are clearly having a whale of a time, do eat up every scene they’re a part of.

The film’s simple premise and various action set pieces should have resulted in Meg 2: The Trench being a hugely enjoyable summer shark movie that’s both gruesome and exhilarating. Instead, those involved ended up biting off more than they could chew.

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AI traffic lights to ease congestion at seven points to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street

The seven points are:

Shakhbout bin Sultan Street

Dhafeer Street

Hadbat Al Ghubainah Street (outbound)

Salama bint Butti Street

Al Dhafra Street

Rabdan Street

Umm Yifina Street exit (inbound)

Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Company%C2%A0profile
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The specs

Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors

Power: 480kW

Torque: 850Nm

Transmission: Single-speed automatic

Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)

On sale: Now

The British in India: Three Centuries of Ambition and Experience

by David Gilmour

Allen Lane

Our family matters legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

Racecard
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Match info

Bournemouth 1 (King 45 1')
Arsenal 2 (Lerma 30' og, Aubameyang 67')

Man of the Match: Sead Kolasinac (Arsenal)

How the UAE gratuity payment is calculated now

Employees leaving an organisation are entitled to an end-of-service gratuity after completing at least one year of service.

The tenure is calculated on the number of days worked and does not include lengthy leave periods, such as a sabbatical. If you have worked for a company between one and five years, you are paid 21 days of pay based on your final basic salary. After five years, however, you are entitled to 30 days of pay. The total lump sum you receive is based on the duration of your employment.

1. For those who have worked between one and five years, on a basic salary of Dh10,000 (calculation based on 30 days):

a. Dh10,000 ÷ 30 = Dh333.33. Your daily wage is Dh333.33

b. Dh333.33 x 21 = Dh7,000. So 21 days salary equates to Dh7,000 in gratuity entitlement for each year of service. Multiply this figure for every year of service up to five years.

2. For those who have worked more than five years

c. 333.33 x 30 = Dh10,000. So 30 days’ salary is Dh10,000 in gratuity entitlement for each year of service.

Note: The maximum figure cannot exceed two years total salary figure.

2.0

Director: S Shankar

Producer: Lyca Productions; presented by Dharma Films

Cast: Rajnikanth, Akshay Kumar, Amy Jackson, Sudhanshu Pandey

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Dhadak 2

Director: Shazia Iqbal

Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri 

Rating: 1/5

SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20M3%20MACBOOK%20AIR%20(13%22)
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MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League, last-16. first leg

Atletico Madrid v Juventus, midnight (Thursday), BeIN Sports

Five%20calorie-packed%20Ramadan%20drinks
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Central%20Bank's%20push%20for%20a%20robust%20financial%20infrastructure
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BANGLADESH SQUAD

Mashrafe Mortaza (captain), Tamim Iqbal, Liton Das, Soumya Sarkar, Mushfiqur Rahim (wicketkeeper), Mahmudullah, Shakib Al Hasan (vice captain), Mohammad Mithun, Sabbir Rahaman, Mosaddek Hossain, Mohammad Saifuddin, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Rubel Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Abu Jayed (Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru Editing by Amlan Chakraborty)

ATP WORLD No 1

2004 Roger Federer

2005 Roger Federer

2006 Roger Federer

2007 Roger Federer

2008 Rafael Nadal

2009 Roger Federer

2010 Rafael Nadal

2011 Novak Djokovic

2012 Novak Djokovic

2013 Rafael Nadal

2014 Novak Djokovic

2015 Novak Djokovic

2016 Andy Murray

2017 Rafael Nadal

2018 Novak Djokovic

2019 Rafael Nadal

Brief scoreline:

Manchester United 1

Mata 11'

Chelsea 1

Alonso 43'

Iftar programme at the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding

Established in 1998, the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding was created with a vision to teach residents about the traditions and customs of the UAE. Its motto is ‘open doors, open minds’. All year-round, visitors can sign up for a traditional Emirati breakfast, lunch or dinner meal, as well as a range of walking tours, including ones to sites such as the Jumeirah Mosque or Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood.

Every year during Ramadan, an iftar programme is rolled out. This allows guests to break their fast with the centre’s presenters, visit a nearby mosque and observe their guides while they pray. These events last for about two hours and are open to the public, or can be booked for a private event.

Until the end of Ramadan, the iftar events take place from 7pm until 9pm, from Saturday to Thursday. Advanced booking is required.

For more details, email openminds@cultures.ae or visit www.cultures.ae

 

Friday's schedule in Madrid

Men's quarter-finals

Novak Djokivic (1) v Marin Cilic (9) from 2pm UAE time

Roger Federer (4) v Dominic Thiem (5) from 7pm

Stefanos Tsitsipas (8) v Alexander Zverev (3) from 9.30pm

Stan Wawrinka v Rafael Nadal (2) from 11.30pm

Women's semi-finals

Belinda Bencic v Simona Halep (3) from 4.30pm

Sloane Stephens (8) v Kiki Bertens (7) from 10pm

If you go

 

  • The nearest international airport to the start of the Chuysky Trakt is in Novosibirsk. Emirates (www.emirates.com) offer codeshare flights with S7 Airlines (www.s7.ru) via Moscow for US$5,300 (Dh19,467) return including taxes. Cheaper flights are available on Flydubai and Air Astana or Aeroflot combination, flying via Astana in Kazakhstan or Moscow. Economy class tickets are available for US$650 (Dh2,400).
  • The Double Tree by Hilton in Novosibirsk ( 7 383 2230100,) has double rooms from US$60 (Dh220). You can rent cabins at camp grounds or rooms in guesthouses in the towns for around US$25 (Dh90).
  • The transport Minibuses run along the Chuysky Trakt but if you want to stop for sightseeing, hire a taxi from Gorno-Altaisk for about US$100 (Dh360) a day. Take a Russian phrasebook or download a translation app. Tour companies such as  Altair-Tour ( 7 383 2125115 ) offer hiking and adventure packages.
Red flags
  • Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
  • Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
  • Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
  • Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
  • Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.

Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching

Key findings of Jenkins report
  • Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
  • Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
  • Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
  • Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
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Updated: August 03, 2023, 7:01 PM`