Movie review
August 2, 2023 · 116 min · PG-13
Woke Score
Lower is better
Breakdown
These are the editorial factors and ratings behind our score for Meg 2: The Trench.
Woke representation / casting
International and Asian leads plus diverse supporting roles fit naturally with the Chinese research institute and Pacific ocean setting; no forced diversity, swaps, or identity signaling.
Woke political dialogue
Occasional lines about protecting the ocean from illegal mining appear as standard villain motivation without lectures or modern activist language.
Identity-driven story themes
Story focuses on shark survival and corporate sabotage; no arcs or subplots built around race, gender, sexuality, or identity issues.
Western institutional / cultural critique
Corrupt billionaires and mercenaries exploit resources for profit in a generic action trope; no pointed attacks on Western institutions, patriarchy, or cultural norms beyond story needs.
Review
Meg 2: The Trench follows Jonas Taylor and an international research team as they dive into the Mariana Trench to study prehistoric creatures. Their mission turns into a survival fight after an illegal deep-sea mining operation releases more megalodons and other monsters while endangering the crew. The story mixes big action set pieces with a subplot about stopping corrupt polluters and includes a young girl character who stows away on the dive. The only noticeable social element is standard action-movie opposition to greedy corporate villains harming the ocean, with no identity politics or lectures.
Woke character or canon changes
Not relevant.
Anti-woke backlash and complaints
No public complaints accuse the film of pushing woke, DEI, or identity politics; discussion stays on quality and entertainment.
Creator track record context
Core team works in commercial action and genre films with no significant history of activist, identity-driven, or social-justice work.
Production
