Rating summary

Movie		2.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		1.5
Overall		3.0

Mega Shark Versus Mecha Shark Blu-ray Movie Review

Megaloboredom.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman February 25, 2014

It's official: The super-size "Shark" movie has officially jumped the shark. The Asylum has burned out film fans (and this reviewer) on the gigantic beasties after a parade of Mega Shark films have strived to entertain audiences through lowest-common-denominator filmmaking. Mega Shark vs. Giant Octopus felt like enough of a bad thing. The gimmicky Sharknado spawned a cult following for its title but not on its artistic, storytelling, dramatic, or visual merits. Mega Shark vs Crocosaurus? Who knows, who cares, it's not on Blu-ray (though it's not like taking a stab and calling it "awful" without seeing it would be much of a leap). With its latest flub, Mega Shark Versus Mecha Shark, The Asylum returns to the well but not to the drawing board for a movie it claims on the back of the box is sort of like The Lord of the Rings. Um, OK. Sure. Yeah.

Is it just me or do my special effects stink?

An iceberg brining much-needed water to a drought-stricken Egypt is destroyed when Mega Shark breaks free from it. The creature hurls the tugboat pulling the ice into the sphinx, destroying one of the world's most celebrated landmarks. Now, the United Nations has banned all commercial boating, putting the livelihoods of the world's fishermen at risk. Man's only chance of defeating Mega Shark is by building a shark of his own. A new, advanced mech shark is ready to set sail, and she's more powerful than the last. She's bigger, sports, stronger teeth, can dive deeper, fires non-nuclear warheads, and is operated by an advanced AI named "Nero." She's to be piloted by Rosie Gray (Elisabeth Röhm), wife of Jack (Christopher Judge). Now, it's up to Rosie's skill and her mech's abilities to rid the world of its oversized menace.

Mega Shark Versus Mecha Shark opens with a comical shot of a boat pulling a really, really fake CGI iceberg. Way to set the tone, Asylum. The movie continues onward and downward from there, spitting out bad FX shot after bad FX shot on top of clunky editing, a lackluster narrative, and boring characters with forced backgrounds. The film endlessly attempts to create a sense of urgency where one doesn't exist, pumping Action-style music over the film -- even when there's not much happening -- in hopes of building up an artificial pace and tension. The film's first half is an endless circling of the drain, where one scene only leads to another that ends up back where the first one started, usually with Rosie at the controls of one of the mechanical sharks, sporting a useless eyepiece and sitting in a spartan set that looks like it was cobbled together from a few odds and ends from hardware and secondhand electronics stores. To the film's credit, it strives to showcase a few artsy slow motion Michael Bay "hero" shots here and there that work fairly well, particularly in the budget context. Still, they cannot hide the movie's hastily constructed backbone, mediocre acting, and lousy visual effects.

With Mega Shark Versus Mecha Shark, it feels like The Asylum is taking a second stab at recreating Pacific Rim, Director Guillermo del Toro's fast-paced robots-versus-interdimensional-monsters thrill ride. The studio failed with Atlantic Rim, er, Attack from Beneath, a terribly cheap clone but one of the most unintentionally humorous movies released in the last few years. This is, more or less, the same thing, smaller in scope with only one (well, two, really) mech and one organic being battling in the world's waters and, maybe, elsewhere by the time the movie rolls into its third act. Ideas for the next one? How about Mega Shark versus other Asylum properties? Mega Shark vs. Android Cop, Mega Shark vs. Mother, Mega Shark vs. American Warships, Mega Shark vs. Bigfoot, Mega Shark vs. Golden Winter, and Mega Shark vs. Abraham Lincoln vs. Zombies all sound pretty great. One can only dream...nightmares.

Mega Shark Versus Mecha Shark Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

At least with The Asylum, viewers can expect a top-of-the-line HD Blu-ray image, and this title is no different. Indeed, Mega Shark Versus Mecha Shark features a strong all-around high definition transfer. The HD video sourced motion picture offers sparkling clarity and sports only a hint of the dreaded lower-end glossiness. Details are frequently magnificent, revealing intimate skin tones, fine clothing textures, and the finest textures on the rough-around-the-edges props. Colors are vibrant and frequently dominant, showing expert nuance and transition, save for some light banding on difficult background surfaces. Black levels are suitably deep and flesh tones appear natural. Overall, a positive viewing experience for a subpar movie.

Mega Shark Versus Mecha Shark Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Mega Shark Versus Mecha Shark's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack lacks the polish and nuance of the big boy Action movies, but it's more than serviceable and is, in fact, frequently enjoyable. The presentation offers well defined music that flows nicely around the stage, dominating the front but enveloping the listener across the back, too. Action sound effects are big and clearly pronounced, delivering chaotic bass and a massive stage presence across every battle scene. Action ambience is well defined, too. The track effortlessly wraps listeners in the chaos of a submarine with alarms blaring, crew screaming, and water spilling in. Dialogue is firm and focused in the center channel.

Mega Shark Versus Mecha Shark Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Mega Shark Versus Mecha Shark contains the usual Asylum extras, plus a bonus commentary.

• Audio Commentary: Director Emile Smith, Writer Jose Prendes, and Actor Christopher Judge guide viewers through the film.
• "Making Of" Featurette (HD, 6:49).
• Gag Reel (HD, 1:49).
• Previews: Additional Asylum titles.

Mega Shark Versus Mecha Shark Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

With its Mega Shark films, perhaps The Asylum is trying to create this generation's Godzilla franchise, cranking out film after film about the same giant character wreaking havoc on humanity and battling some other, equally large, foe. Of course, neither Mega Shark Versus Mecha Shark nor any of its brethren are up to the challenge of replicating that franchise's success, especially not on this sort of budget. As it is, the Mega Shark movies feel like yesterday's news, their fifteen minutes long since gone and now just hanging on by a thread. At least audiences know exactly what to expect, and they'll be ready for the next inevitable release, which will hopefully be Mega Shark vs. Nazis at the Center of the Earth. The Asylum's Blu-ray release of Mega Shark Versus Mecha Shark delivers excellent video and audio. The usual Asylum extras are included, plus commentary. Skip it.