What’s less fun is the exposition and necessary lessons on how humans have messed with Mother Nature. The romantic angle between Jonas and Suyin will make you cringe – in one scene, she walks into his room without noticing that he has only a towel on. And they continue to flirt with each other even as they descend into the ocean to battle a monster.

You’ll have to get past that. And focus instead on the impressive giant CGI shark, a surprising mid-film twist and the climax when through some supremely illogical turn of events, we get Statham going mano a mano against the shark. Which is exactly what we paid for.

“The Meg” is best when it acknowledges its derivativeness, just one more silly shark movie in an ocean full of them. Its finest moment is when Statham, having willingly jumped into the water near the Megalodon, channels Dory and murmurs to himself: “Just keep swimming.”

Don’t go expecting The Meg to be the catch of the week and you won’t be too disappointed.

Perhaps the biggest drawback is the writing which does not narrow down on the film’s tonality. There are points where it takes itself a little too seriously, and others when it aims straight for cheesy popcorn blockbuster status. Little surprise then that director Jon Turteltaub doesn’t know what kind of film he’s making either. The momentum picks up towards the end when the monster mayhem escalates to bigger proportions, but it turns out to be too little, too late. Even if mega-sharks and Statham are enough to lure you to ‘The Meg’, check your expectations before you dive in.

Ironically, this film is based on a successful book series and was made in the hopes of starting a franchise. I can’t recall any other franchise starter so dead on arrival that its own stars bash it in the media. You’re better off being eaten by an actual shark than subjecting yourself to this cinematic guano.

The Meg does not promise much but neither does it ask much of its audience.