Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		3.5
Audio		3.0
Extras		2.0
Overall		3.0

The Meg 3D Blu-ray Movie Review

Is 'The Meg' Larger than Life in 3-D?

Reviewed by Martin Liebman March 31, 2019

Warner Brothers and Best Buy have collaborated on this store exclusive 3-D release of the hit Jason Statham Monster Movie 'The Meg.' This is but one of no less than three unique 3-D releases; this Best Buy exclusive includes the 3-D disc, the 2-D Blu-ray, a DVD copy of the film, and a digital copy (as well as a slipcover for those who care). It's the best of the three, which grow progressively worse. There's another which is basically the same but drops the DVD. The third, which is exclusive to Amazon, ditches the DVD and the 2-D Blu-ray, leaving it without any supplemental content. It's interesting to see the studio throw three versions on the market when most other studios have abandoned the format altogether. But hold the praise. Warner Brothers has not exactly rolled out the red carpet for any of these 3-D releases; each 3-D disc lacks the Dolby Atmos soundtrack found on the 2-D Blu-ray and UHD discs, which has become the studio's standard practice for its 3-D discs. The included 5.1 lossless soundtrack is decent, but there's no reason not to offer fans the best presentation in all configurations.

Maybe it's not better down where it's wetter.

For a full film review, please see my friend Michael Reuben's analysis here. The movie score above reflects my own. What can I say: I am a sucker for movies like this!

The Meg 3D Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Warner Brothers brings The Meg to Blu-ray 3-D with a good, though not excellent, extra-dimensional presentation. The image reveals quality depth from the outset, inside the ship in which Jonas Taylor makes the life-and-death decision that ultimately causes him to retire -- or run -- from undersea rescue work. The submersible inside of which Lori, Toshi, and "The Wall" explore the depths of the trench has a marvelous spatial dynamic about it, probably the best in the movie. Particularly enjoyable is when the camera faces forward to reveal the curved glass surrounding the cockpit, but also making the scene special are the various jutting computer displays and other details inside of it. The space is a great fit for 3-D. The mix of shapely lines and an enclosed space create a dynamic visual. Back in the larger command center deep inside Mana One, there's a little less dramatic sense of place, though a large curved screen hanging from the ceiling is a nice, rotund touch that the 3-D presentation handles quite nicely. The station's lengthy corridors find a healthy, happy home in 3-D and serve as some of the best pure depth visuals the movie has to offer, creating a legitimate sense of stretch and place that compliment several key scenes, including one in which Suyin's daughter, Meiying, first encounters The Meg, which attacks the glass. Ocean surface shots, of which there are many, offer a fair, but not dramatic, sense of space towards the horizon.

Underwater shots are not as dynamic as those seen in Aquaman. There's a good sense of spacial awareness, but not the feel for sprawling life and place that James Wan's movie has to offer. This feels more limited because it is. Focus is often on the foreground rather than a sprawling underwater kingdom extending to a dramatic and complex background. In fact and in general, The Meg does not have that same Aquaman feel that it was shot with 3-D in mind. There are not really any "gimmick" shots of note. On the review Sony XBR65Z9D, there was a bit more crosstalk than is normally expected or experienced. Overall, though, this is a good, healthy 3-D image, not the most dynamic and not a transformative watching experience that suddenly makes The Meg any more enjoyable compared to a flat Blu-ray or UHD screening, but it's a relatively stable presentation that takes advantage where it can.

The core visual elements -- textures and colors -- do not take a major hit compared to the 2-D Blu-ray, which was itself not of reference quality. Still, the 3-D does not appreciably darken the image and it carries over the slightly lackluster textures found on the 1080p disc. In this reviewer's opinion, the 2-D UHD is still the way to go, but 3-D fans should find this to be a fairly good, if not broadly generic, conversion presentation.

The Meg 3D Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The Meg's 3-D release inexplicably (though expectedly given Warner's sketchy treatment of its 3-D releases of late) foregoes the excellent Dolby Atmos soundtrack found on the Blu-ray and UHD releases and replaces it with a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack. There's definitely a lack of distinguishing dynamics here compared to the Atmos mix. This track, even at its most intense, sounds a little flat. Bass is engaged and the track makes full use of the speakers afforded to it -- rears are active with regularity and front-end width is excellent -- but it lacks that oomph, that unmistakable clarity and big, cinematic sonic texturing. There are quality environmental details, like gentle ocean waves when characters speak on a boat, and beachside din during the film's finale -- before, during, and after the attack -- is impressive in terms of stage envelopment, but action simply can't hold up to the Atmos offering. Dialogue delivery is clear and center focused while musical delivery is likewise well detailed and presents primarily across the front with some surround support.

Note that due to home theater logistics, I was not able to review the 5.1 track included on the actual 3-D disc. This audio review is based on the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track included on a 2-D Blu-ray copy of the film, which should be identical to that included on the 3-D disc.

The Meg 3D Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The Meg's 3-D disc contains no extras, but the bundled 2-D Blu-ray has on offer everything listed below. For full reviews of this supplemental content, please click here. This Best Buy exclusive release ships with a DVD copy of the film and a Movies Anywhere digital copy. It also ships with a non-embossed slipcover.

• Chomp on This: The Making of The Meg
• Creating the Beast
• New Zealand Film Commission

The Meg 3D Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The Meg is obviously not for all tastes. Responses to the film seem to be varying wildly (with opinions perhaps favoring the "blah" side of the ledger), but chances are fans of brain-off Monster and Disaster movies will enjoy it. The cast nicely balances the challenge of taking the material seriously while still having fun with the nonsensical side of things. Warner Brothers continues its tradition of, as Michael Reuben has called it, "Stupid Disc Authoring" by omitting the much better Dolby Atmos soundtrack, replacing it with an otherwise redundant DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 presentation. The 3-D visuals are fine, taking advantage where they can but offering a generally effective but fairly straightforward, "generic," maybe, 3-D conversion. At least this Best Buy exclusive, unlike Amazon's, includes the Blu-ray, which contains a disappointingly scant collection of extras as well as a copy of the film with the superior Atmos soundtrack. For hardcore 3-D fans only.