When it comes to The Meg, the characters are really not the highlight of this sharktastic movie, right? It’s more about the run-to-your-mama scary Megalodon. I can’t even complain, it’s truly entertaining seeing the Meg chase, chomp and kill all of these characters, and then gets what’s coming to it at the hands of Jonas Taylor. Speaking of Jonas, he’s one of the best characters in The Meg, but is he the best? Well, why don’t we cut to the chase, shall we? Let’s rank the top 5 best characters in The Meg! 🦈
5. Suyin
Where do I start with this one? Firstly, let me say that Bingbing Li‘s acting ability is decent. But in The Meg, she gives a surprisingly lackluster performance. Incapable of pulling from any real emotions, her character Suyin comes across extremely shallow. Secondly, Li struggles with the English language, so many of her lines feel awkward and forced. Thirdly, there isn’t much that Li brought to the table, making me think that someone else could’ve done a better job as Suyin.
Now that I’ve heavily criticized Bingbing Li, you’re probably wondering why she’s number 5 on the list? Sure, there wasn’t much competition, but why did I choose her? In all honesty, I think that Suyin has a couple of redeeming qualities. Whether it’s her overarching role in the movie, as the “motherly” character who tries to save everybody, or her struggles with not being good enough, Suyin is actually somewhat interesting to follow. While her journey isn’t spectacular, there’s some depth here, which we don’t see in most other characters in The Meg.
Bingbing Li’s performance hinders Suyin from blossoming, but the character itself has a few good qualities that make her mildly interesting. It’s enough for me to give her the 5th spot as The Meg barely has any good characters to begin with. In turn, Suyin is 5th!
4. Minway Zhang
Papa Zhang, the founder of Zhang Oceanic, is the father of Suyin and Jiuming (featured as the deuteragonist in Meg 2: The Trench), and he’s one helluva decent character. While he’s rarely the center of attention, he shines brightly enough for me to consider him a gem. Yes, I know, it’s a subtle way of saying that I like him. But I think that he adds much needed maturity and seriousness to an otherwise unintentionally comedic horror movie!
Winston Chao doesn’t necessarily impress, but he’s acting is rock solid. It’s not awkward and off-putting, which is the case with most other characters. Instead, what we get is Winston’s comfort acting, where he plays the fatherly, mature, stern individual who has a heart of gold.
What made me place Minway Zhang at the 4th spot on my list of the best characters in The Meg is how his scenes actually made me feel something. Whether it was his reaction to the death of his friends or him and Mac trying to convince Jonas to help them, his mature perspective and warm words added a level of realism to an otherwise comedic movie. In other words, he pulled me in with his presence and commentary. It’s what made his death the only impactful moment of The Meg, as Winston acted really well, and he was a character I didn’t want to see die. With a special moment with his daughter, a touching dialogue, we truly got a nice ending to Minway.
3. Mac
Mac is the backbone of The Meg. He’s the only character that feels genuinelly well-written into the movie, without feeling like an over-acting mess of a character. It’s something I appreciate. I am surely not alone, right? However, this also makes Mac feel somewhat out of place. The other characters are more over-the-top and theatrical, while he is more down to earth and mature. He is also dependable, reliable and actually respectable. It’s the thing that makes him stand out. In The Meg, Mac is the guy that will be loved by the older audiences, and for good reason!
Cliff Curtis does a decent job, but doesn’t shine through the script. In his attempt to ground the character, he loses some of what makes him so special as an actor. His ability to transform even the smallest of roles to a charismatic ball of joy wasn’t present in The Meg. It’s not a big deal, but I would’ve loved to see Cliff get a chance to properly shine. It didn’t happen. But luckily for us, he did a solid job and gave us a pretty good character anyways!
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2. Meiying
Is it just me or is Meiying absolutely ADORABLE?! She’s exactly what The Meg needed; a funny and cute kid that makes you go “awwwwwww”, and who bridges the comedy and humanity of The Meg’s storyline in the most perfect way imaginable! Through the eyes of the child, we see true joy, real fear, and an abundance of “life”, all of which are vital in making this joke of a film feel alive and actually scary. If not for Meiying, I’m not sure The Meg would’ve even worked as a film to begin with, as she carries a heavy bulk of the film on her shoulders. I wholeheartedly mean that!
Shuya Sophia Cai shines brightly as Meiying, brining the character to life with a great aura and childish fun. It’s what makes Meiying good to begin with; her fun-loving innocent behavior and personality. In turn, she’s truly very entertaining. And this gives way to several fun interactions between Meiying and her mom, Jonas, and others. If I were to put it in other words, I’d say that she’s like the “light” of The Meg, always shining when she’s on the screen. It’s a great quality to have, and only a great character could pull it off this effectively!
1. Jonas Taylor
Surprise, surprise! Jonas Taylor is the best character, and nobody is surprised. But, what can I say? Jason Statham rarely ever disappoints, and as Jonas Taylor (a rescue diver) he gives us yet another rugged and manly character, who has balls of steel, a shiny dome and the skills to kick butt when needed. And the Megaladon’s butt is no exception to the kickin’!
Jonas is an individual who struggles with inner demons, past failures and regret. You see, he once failed to save people in a submarine wreck. He saved some, but couldn’t save all of them. But this was no ordinary wreck. The submarine was rammed by “something” when Jonas was inside, trying to save people. So he was forced to make a difficult decision. But when the water settled, nobody believed his story of a “being” attacking the sub. In turn, he started drinking, hiding, to forget his troubles. Many years later, during the events of The Meg, we see him come out of retirement and face his struggles, fears, and his ex-girlfriend. It’s truly engaging and fun to watch!
What a beautiful way to give Jonas a story that’s interesting and relatable, as we’ve all found ourselves in situations where we’ve had to make difficult decisions as well. In turn, he comes across as a very sympathetic figure, and an individual with his heart in the right place. And in the events that follow, we see Jonas’s determination, toughness and heart, when he faces his fears and overcomes new challenges that he could’ve never imagined coming across!
When it comes down to it, Jason Statham carries The Meg, and his badass action scenes are a big reason for that. In turn, I’m placing him 1st on my list of the best characters in The Meg!