Meg 2: The Trench review roundup, megaladon film UK age rating, cinema release date - how long is movie?

Forget Barbenheimer, for truly discerning film fans, the most awaited movie event of the summer has been Meg 2: The Trench.

Yes, the Megaladon shark that we're all sure we saw devoured by its smaller brethren in an act of mass cannibalism at the end of the first film (spoiler alert) is back, as is Jason Statham, the only man who can save us from the underwater pre-historic threat.

The original 2018 film wasn't exactly warmly received by critics, but despite it not being an Oscar contender, it still provided a silly, popcorn classic blockbuster full of cheesy fun.

But how does the sequel fare? Is The Meg 2 more of the same, a fun thrill ride that may be devoid of artistic merit, but will still provide you with a couple of hours' escapism? Does the sequel provide a surprising, awards-baiting turn from Statham, or is it so bad, it's simply just bad?

Here's what critics are saying about The Meg 2 as it hits cinemas today (4 August):

Is Meg 2: The Trench any good?

At the time of writing, The Meg 2 is getting the kind of critical kicking that would make even a grizzled action-hero veteran like Jason Statham wince.

The first film received a not-entirely-fatal 46% Rotten Tomatoes approval rating from critics, with audiences falling roughly on the same level, with 43% of fans enjoying it.

But, Meg 2: The Trench seems to be sinking even further than its predecessor, at least in the eyes of critics, with only 25% of the 61 reviewers who have submitted their write-ups so far having a good time.

With the film only recently having been released, Rotten Tomatoes has yet to come to a critical consensus, but it doesn't take much to assume it won't be favourable when the website does so...

• "Meg 2 doesn't know what it is, other than a movie sort of like that first movie, but messier." - Caryn James, BBC (1/5)
• "Meg 2 is a movie that's never quite sure if it wants to play things totally straight or be self-aware, if it wants to be an actually serious horror movie (there are well-timed jump scares) or a ludicrous shark-chomping actioner." - Ian Sandwell, Digital Spy (2/5)
• "[Director Ben] Wheatley goes full throttle on the B-movie spectacle, packing the nearly two-hour runtime to the gills with aquatic horror madness and nonstop entertainment. It's messy, but this sequel knows exactly what type of movie it is." - Meagan Navarro, Bloody Disgusting (3/5)
• "Meg 2: The Trench feels like a creature feature we’ve seen a billion times over – probably on late-night cable, only able to hold our attention for fleeting minutes before the channel changes to greener televised pastures." - Matt Donato, IGN (4/10)
• "Looking for sparks of genuine originality in Meg 2: The Trench is as foolish as asking Jason Statham to do an American accent. However, like Jason Statham, the movie knows its job, and delivers on exactly the level you’re hoping for." - Liz Shannon Miller, Consequence (B-)
• "Brief moments of pleasure are buried at the bottom of an ocean of exposition, dumb plot twists, and incomprehensible underwater action." Matt Singer, ScreenCrush (2/10)
• "We want very little: again, Jason Statham fighting massive prehistoric sharks, but even that is too much to ask of this tired retread." Kate Erbland, indieWire (C-)
• "Lamentably, Meg 2: The Trench repeats the error of the first movie’s shark-punching extravaganza by failing to embrace the campiness of its concept and trying to make something serious out of it." - Marco Vito Oddo, Collider (C+)

Why is it a 12A?

Meg 2: The Trench has been rated a 12A by the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC), but why is that?

The 12A certificate allows children under 12 to watch the film in a cinema if accompanied by an adult. For films that target both adolescents and adults, the 12A rating allows families to watch together without excluding younger members.

According to the BBFC, Meg 2: The Trench is rated a 12A due to ""moderate threat", "violence", "bloody images", and "rude gestures."

In terms of violence, the film contains "large explosions, undetailed shootings, heavy blows and use of improvised weapons." Meg 2: The Trench also features scenes of "giant sharks devouring boats of people.

"There is use of the middle finger gesture. Mild bad language occurs ('ass', 'bastard', 'piss', 'bloody', 'son of a bitch'), as well as very mild bad language ('hell', 'damn').

"There is a visual reference to condoms. However, this is comic, brief and undetailed. A man makes a brief inappropriate remark to a woman on a beach. His behaviour is negatively presented and immediately condemned."

How long is Meg 2: The Trench?

Meg 2: The Trench clocks in at just under two hours in length, with an official run time of one hour and 15 minutes.