When The Meg hit theaters in 2018, it was every bit the fun and bonkers monster movie that fans likely expected from National Treasure and 3 Ninjas director Jon Turteltaub, and its massive $530 million global box office earnings were certainly enough to spark a sequel, even if it took a few years to come together. Now, the article dropping follow-up Meg 2: The Trench has arrived, with a positively awful Rotten Tomatoes score in its wake, and it’s somehow become the rare movie whose terrible reviews have made it a must-see for certain movie fans.
When it comes to movies that totally bomb with critics, filmgoers aren’t always so convinced that the product on display is truly that bad, and that wariness is multiplied whenever we’re talking about giant, goofy action fare like Meg 2. To the point where the Ben Wheatley-helmed sequel’s initial 0% Rotten Tomatoes score was something to celebrate in and of itself for the X user below.
alright now I'm REALLY excited pic.twitter.com/O1ofr2drDiAugust 3, 2023
Such a post can be quick to draw in like-minded film fans, and this one did just that. Even though some of the comments were more straightfoward opinions about the movie, several were right in line with the initial opinion, such as:
- It could be in the negatives and nothing would stop me from taking my kid to see this next week - @MattFini
- You know its going to be great when it starts off this low - @GeekVibesNation
- gonna be my favorite theater experience this year i already know it - @imethanryan
- If it was any higher than 0....I'm not going to see it. Only means one thing... - @PhilD333
The latter commenter posted a pic of Martin Scorcese with the worlds "Abolute Cinema" superimposed. Whether it is or isn't the Citizen Kane or Raging Bull of shark movies, I don't think anyone sitting down in theaters is ready for something so high-brow. But being high-minded certainly could help with the enjoyment factor.
One fans celebrated the fact that Meg 2: The Trench has already earned more than $140 million in its opening weekend, even when up against other popular fare such as the billion-dollar Barbie and the debut for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem.
Despite critics trying to bury it, the Meg 2 earned $142 million in its opening week! Thats with a 0% Rotten Tomatoes and headlines saying that would end it 😆 🤣 😂 I'd personally take The Meg versus TMNT or the Marvel nostalgia bait hero slop being served up these days
@ThatUmbrella
I'm not sure that everyone would agree with the preference for Meg 2 over the Turtles or MCU heroes, but more than enough people showed up in theaters around the world to prove that it's not necessarily a minority opinion.
The post below is from someone who clearly doesn't need positive reviews to see a "giant fucking shark" movie, so long as the movie does indeed feature said shark.
No one is going to see The Meg 2 for Oscar level performances. We just want to see the giant fucking shark! Okay?! I’ll see it twice! pic.twitter.com/aX5tHCnRcQAugust 3, 2023
One fan playfully suggested that the reason Meg 2's Rotten Tomatoes score is so low is that the sequel just didn't design a mega-shark whose scariness outweighed its adorableness.
the real reason the meg 2 premiered with a rotten tomatoes score of 0 is because they made the shark too cute! you’re telling me i’m not supposed to root for this little cutie!!
@hmac22_
And let's not forget that even movies that turn out to be giant box office bombs aren't necessarily bad movies, which just goes to show us all that everything is relative, and that absolutely includes feelings about movies. Who knows how high Meg 2's score might have been if everyone watched it under the most ideal circumstances?
As noted, Meg 2: The Trench is currently bringing in tons of money around the world, so be sure to check it out. And check out all the other upcoming horror movies heading to theaters and streaming in 2023 and beyond!
