User reviews

'Mega Shark vs. Mecha Shark' is a monster/disaster film directed by Emile Edwin Smith and released straight to DVD in early 2014. The film is the third instalment of the 'Mega Shark Trilogy', successor to 'Mega Shark vs. Giant Octopus' and 'Mega Shark vs. Crocosaurus'. The film stars Christopher Judge and Elisabeth Röhm, with Debbie Gibson reprising her role as Emma MacNeil from the first film.

Following a similar plot to its predecessors, our protagonists are confronted by a bloodthirsty megalodon intent on causing havoc off the coast of Australia, and are left side-lined as their own creation designed to destroy the shark – a robot called Mecha Shark – begins an autonomous unforeseen attack following a communication failure. Following an encouraging opening, the film quickly delves into the series' formula of unoriginal and repetitive set pieces attempting to subdue the creatures, whilst an implausible romance blooms. The narrative of films like 'Mega Shark vs. Mecha Shark' demands the lowest of expectations from audiences, and whilst the film surpasses these nethermost expectations, it sadly offers little to even be classed in the 'so bad it's good' category.

Performances across the board are satisfactory, but there is a gargantuan non-existence of wit and tongue-in-cheek moments which begs the question why a film entitled 'Mega Shark vs. Mecha Shark' is taking itself so earnestly. Undeniably the film offers brief moments of gratification – a shark destroying the head of an Egyptian sphinx can only be a good thing. On majority though the film feels stale and, considering the film's title, it would have been beneficial to give much more screen time to the clash between the Mega Shark and the Mecha Shark.

'Mega Shark vs. Mecha Shark' is a formulaic and uninspired film which begs for, believe it not, more destruction and mayhem. Not totally without merit, the film isn't the lowest of the low of its genre, but is certainly does not amaze or thrill.

This is a long 1,5 hours of your life. The movie is fast paced and never stopped. So much is put it, it must have been a 1000page script. The goofs are quite numerous, it seems nobody read the 1000 page script for errors. Maybe they just didn't want to give you time to think. Or they had a brainstorm and decided to add all ideas into it.

I can't remember the music or sounds of the movie. The acting is worthy of a porno movie. The visuals are there. and literally anything is possible

Mega Shark vs. Mecha Shark (2014)

BOMB (out of 4)

Once upon a time we were given GODZILLA VS. MECHA GODZILLA but The Asylum has delivered a giant killer shark vs. a man-made steel shark. That's pretty much the only storyline that you need as we have a giant real shark doing damage so the government creates a mechanical shark to go after it. Oh yeah, Christopher Judge and Elizabeth Rohm play a couple trying to kill the real shark. This is the third film in the series and perhaps I'm just growing tired of them but I really, really, really hated this movie with a strong passion. Yes, the first two films in the series were bad but so are countless other "one giant vs. another giant" movies. I really don't expect great acting, award-winning direction or anything of good quality but I do hope to be entertained at the very least. A lot of times these movies are entertaining simply because they're just downright fun and know not to that themselves very seriously. Sadly, that's not the case here as the screenplay, direction and everything else is so serious and so over-dramatic that you really have to wonder if anyone had ever seen one of these films before. Why on Earth this thing was made so boring, so dramatic and so unfunny is beyond me but there's just not a single second of this film that's entertaining. Even worse is that the movie doesn't really feature any good kill scenes with the two monsters and instead of action scenes we're given really bad dialogue sequences that just drag on and never go anywhere. The performances are what you'd expect from a movie like this so I'm not going to blame the actors too much. The direction certainly isn't all that memorable and especially with some downright awful and horrendous slow-motion sequences, which just made me want to hit the stop button. Again, if you're going to make a low-budget monster movie like this, don't forget you're making a low-budget monster movie. Those who view these want to have fun.

A new mega shark threatens to destroy humanity. The government creates an exact robotic copy of the shark, either equal to or greater than the original. Now they must fight to the death while people and whole cities get in the way.

The best part of this film was a brief scene that was an homage to the first film's best scene. This is, of course, a showdown between an airplane and a shark... a complete load of nonsense, but highly entertaining.

Beyond that, nothing too exciting. I feel like there was more than the average effort put into the special effects, but most of this is nothing new and even by Asylum's cheap standards it is not as much fun as it could be. I get the impression Debbie Gibson shot all her scenes in one day, because she rarely interacts with anyone and is always standing in the same spot... this is even less than "phoning it in".

Some of the stars from other shows must have hit the skids and been hard up for money to do this.

But I can't.

I gave 2 stars though purely for the fact that it had me laughing at how bad it is. Also because I now feel a lot calmer, having rid myself of any hatred in me, by focusing it on this trash.

When a massive Megalodon shark is released into the ocean's waters, a Navy team is forced to utilize a monstrous shark-shaped submarine to combat the deadly creature before it's wake of destruction covers the entire planet.

This is a massively entertaining and enjoyable effort that really has a lot going for it. One of the best aspects here is the generous helping of cheesy action spread throughout, since the massive shark is unleashed quite early on in the film which manages to get the new submarine into action as well which is quite an entertaining feat considering the amount of time the two spend battling each other is so high that they take an additional connotation that doesn't touch the past instances in the series by finally putting a worthwhile opponent into battle in an environment with the gigantic creature. The submarine being the same size makes for a truly worthwhile battle of the titans between the two and it happens frequently throughout the film, as the attack on the aircraft carrier, the assault on the carrier fleet and the later battle at the oil rig all allow for some really engaging battles between the two behemoths in an enjoyable cheesy manner, and by being spread throughout the film as a whole makes for quite a lot of fun that helps out in the latter part of the film. Having a full-scale city destruction sequence in the middle of the battle between the two accounts for even more exciting action to take place and the film is grossly overwhelming seeing the giant robot wade through the city leaving as much destruction as it does. Not to be outdone in that regard, it's certainly got the best rip on the airliner-out-of-the-sky routine here with an enjoyable cheesy take on the classic scene in the franchise which is a lot of fun. Again, though, the fact that the CGI featured here looks so bad as it does is something to get over when the robot never really gives off the metallic vibe beyond the overall design featured all sorts of different gears and lenses which reveal its' true nature even though the shark itself is easily the best-rendered of the series despite the frequent and annoying size fluctuations which have always plagued the franchise. Still, the only other true flaw on display is the finale, which has a lot of mention towards the sharks' spawning and breeding instinct but is overshadowed to make way for the city destruction sequences that contain all the action but undercuts the story since such a big deal was made about it throughout the last act of the film. Otherwise, this is a lot of fun overall.

Rated R: Violence and Language.

I mean sure, it's ok that the main boat keeps changing throughout the episode and licence plates are changing from location to location shooting in "Sydney" Australia, but they could have at least realized that cars drive on the other side of the road or at least attempt to show one a right side drive car. You will notice none of the uniforms have info or identifications too. The internal shark cockpit has no words on the dials which makes no sense. I hope the next mega shark movie buttons up those details. Love the franchise, keep it up

The movie was fun and silly.

Previously, "Mega Shark vs Crocosaurus" (2010) ended with the prehistoric creatures fighting their way into a murky abyss. They were both declared dead. How we get a third "Mega Shark" movie begins in Alexandria, Egypt. There, an iceberg cracks and releases "another" of the prehistoric shark creatures. As you might imagine, this one is also very destructive. It begins by decapitating the Sphinx of Giza. This is great loss for civilization – and an incredible feat for a water-based shark. Fortunately, the Americans have built a shark-looking submarine to fight off prehistoric sharks. This "Mecha Shark" is a mechanical version of the destructive monster. Helmed by navigating co-stars Christopher Judge (as Jack Turner) and Elisabeth Rohm (as Rosie Gray), "Mecha Shark" sets out to do battle with the new "Mega Shark"...

Compared to the first two "Mega Shark" movies, this is "Citizen Kane"...

Most obviously, the direction and performances are improved. This time, director Emile Edwin Smith and his "Asylum" crew make the most of their limited resources. The special effects are far from state of the art – but, there is a sense of place. The best "effect" is the mechanical shark's unseen computer voice, NERO, who helps navigate the submarine. NERO recalls HAL from "2001: A Space Odyssey" (1968) – but without the smarmy, underlying sinister tone. The co-starring couple, Mr. Judge and Ms. Rohm, strike the right acting chords and have some chemistry. We hope Rohm and NERO will keep Judge from smoking. From the first film, we see Deborah "Debbie" Gibson in a superfluous cameo. Cheers to Paul Anderson as NERO's voice. Jeers to the series' relentless degrading of the science-fiction/horror film genre.

**** Mega Shark vs Mecha Shark (1/24/14) Emile Edwin Smith ~ Christopher Judge, Elisabeth Rohm, Matt Lagan, Paul Anderson

You know your career has tanked when you're the lead actor and actress in a mega shark movie. I don't know what Worf was thinking, but he's even worse here than in New Generation. The Elizabeth Rohm character is the tired old bad @as super woman character who tries to save the day by jumping into the mecha's mouth. Have these people EVER taken acting lessons? The part that killed me was her driving at high speed, while talking to Worf, with her eyes not even on the road. Good example for young drivers there lady! Maybe the fans of these travesties of film making watch them dueling bong parties or something. Please... just stop.

The Mega Shark movies are the kind that aren't to be expected much from, but even with that in mind I personally didn't consider Giant Octopus or Crocosaurus particularly good, some fun moments, mostly for the so-bad-it's-good value there was, but mostly they were too amateurish and ridiculous to take it even for what they were. Mecha Shark is the best of the three but from personal opinion it was only passable. It is the best-looking of the trilogy definitely, the scenery is very nice as well as the underwater shots and the editing is reasonable. The score is catchy and in a way drives the movie rather than bog it down. The special effects are better than average if not great, a huge improvement on its predecessors anyhow(and I'd go as far to say that much of the underwater stuff was quite good), sure there are a few ropey ones here and there. Much of the acting is not bad at all despite not having very strong material to work with, the playing-it-straight approach is adopted and it suits the movie just fine, doing it without going through the motions. Elisabeth Rohm and Christopher Judge are commanding leads. And the last act is a lot of fun, the pace is snappier and while inevitably predictable some of it is amusing and at times endearingly silly. There is an exception regarding the acting and that is Deborah Gibson in her brief appearance, if she had a bigger role she would have come across as less phoned in. The characters are not annoying as such but are not very interesting, and that is including the shark who is more goofy than menacing. The script mistakes insultingly cheesy for snappy, the jargon is really stilted too and a lot of scenes have dialogue and voice-overs that over-explain things. If there was one word to describe the script, bloated would be it. The concept was ridiculous in the first place, but two thirds of Mecha Shark is rather indifferent until the last act really picks up. That it's predictable is to be expected, but the suffocating pacing, lack of tension or suspense and scenes that are very derivative, with a few parts reminiscent of those from its predecessors(like the mid-air leap jet chomp from Giant Octopus) but also reading too much of inferior copies. They were mildly fun previously while making you feel stupid at the same time, here they were just tired. All in all, at best it's reasonably fun and it is easily the best of the Mega Shark trilogy. But while it is a significant improvement technically and acting-wise, there could have been room to have more fun and the improvement does not translate into the writing department, with a sense of not just trying to do too much but also feeling very bland and indifferent. 4/10 Bethany Cox

I came into this movie seeing the title and hoping for an amazingly terrible movie and I was not disappointed. This movie made me laugh harder unintentionally than any movie has intentionally in a while. This is a great movie to sit down and make fun of with your friends.

A movie can be bad for several reasons. The actors can be bad, the dialog can be bad, the special effects can be bad and the script can be bad. I guess that is OK. It just means that it is bad in every way.

What is worse is that this movie is evil. In a world where sharks are on the red list, about to be extinct, from some depth this demonic movie surfaces. Lo and behold, the mega shark threatens mankind. If anything, the mega shark saves shark kind from humans! Had the film makers had anything at all to contribute with, that would have been the plot. How could they turn the good guy into the bad guy without realizing it? This is the kind of script that a 5th grader could have written, an evil one, that is.

Note: I watched "Mega Shark vs Mecha Shark" from Amazon Prime streaming to a Roku 3 device in the United States.

Mega Shark vs. Mecha Shark is the third entry in what became a series of films released by The Asylum. In this entry the Mega Shark returns somehow and the United States builds a robot shark or Mecha Shark to fight against it. No reason is given for why Mecha Shark is especially effective or why it has to have jaws. The film drops you into the dialog, yes dialog, and not action immediately.

Those expecting a big monster fight are going to be frustrated. There is one genuinely good clash between the two near the beginning in homage to a famous scene from the earlier films. Aside from the big moment, we only see the sharks bounce off each other a few times.

The director, Emile Smith, wisely understands the limitations of the budget and scope available. The CGI is passable for late 90s standards and therefore jarringly bad for today. Thus, there aren't many instances where Mecha Shark fights Mega Shark. Both look too fake for us to care for long. The film suffers from instances where there is a jump in time in a scene. It's like watching an edited version of film during an old horror double bill. For instance, a fat man is shown running from the terrestrial Mecha Shark. The camera focuses on him exclusively for a shot. In the next instant his upper body is seen and he spurts blood. Presumably he is crushed or he just laid down and died, I guess?

Most of what appears on-screen is dialog in the same computer control room many of these films feature. It tends to get boring after several minutes of contacting the army or explaining scientific hullabaloo. At least the main actors, a husband and wife duo, have enough chemistry to keep us interested. The wife is obsessed over saving lives at all costs while the husband is more calculated and thoughtful. It's a welcome contrast to the gendered stereotypes we would expect to see in a film like this. The two complement each other's personalities and we get the feeling they have love for each other beyond the mere words. Also noteworthy is the digital assistant, Nero, who serves as operating system of Mecha Shark. Nero has an erudite, British manner of speaking and interacting with the main characters.

In the era of Sharknado, it may be surprising to see that the film mostly plays itself straight. The script and acting are competent enough to mitigate any bad movie night potential here. The film is watchable and that's good enough for its scant runtime.

Gifted director Emile Edwin Smith keeps the suspense high and the thrills intense in this superb science fiction film set in exotic Australian locales. The screenplay by H. Perry Horton is intelligent and sharp witted, pulling no punches as it questions the wisdom of modern science while confronting humanity's misguided efforts to control the earthly environment. The special effects are quite good indeed and some of the sweeping vistas of vast destruction are unrelentingly haunting. There are several moments when the graphic violence and mayhem is overwhelming and it becomes necessary to look away from what is horrifically depicted on screen. A superb cast brings depth and realism to their characters, with Elizabeth Rohm especially good as a woman fighting to save her family as well as mankind. The shattering climax, with helicopters and explosions that recall the iconic, surrealistic impact of Apocalypse Now, is simply unforgettable.

Abominable shark movie stars Rohm as the pilot of a mechanical shark prototype (dubbed Nero) designed with the intent of destroying its living nemesis, the megalodon. Judge and Rohm share good on-screen chemistry, and both appear to be enjoying themselves in spite of the tripe in which they find themselves (I assume willingly), but it does nothing to improve the quality of the movie, nor it's entertainment value.

After taking a hiatus from 'Mega Shark vs Crocosaurus', former teen idol Gibson reprises her role from the earlier 'Mega Shark vs Giant Octopus', which at least featured some tongue in cheek humour to lessen the pain, alas there's no sign of that comedic flair on display here. Steve Hanks is the only other recognisable name in the cast (to me) playing a naval captain (as he often does in these Asylum pictures).

This 'mega shark' instalment features an Australian angle with the Sydney Opera House in the firing line (!) as Meg migrates to where her natural ancestors apparently originated. Atrocious acting (e.g. The extraneous scene in which a journalist approaches a disgruntled fisherman for his opinion on fishing bans is so amateurish and disconnected it's laughable) and appalling CGI (shark vs aeroplane gets another inglorious encounter) ruins whatever remote chance of success there could've been, whilst the film is so light on plot it's duller than a daytime soap opera.

So dull that the chess game being played by the tugboat crew in the film's early stages was the most captivating moment, although I couldn't understand the move made by the first mate, nor how the pieces stayed on the board in the rolling seas. It's bad (not in a good, ha-ha way) and yet somehow still manages to spawn another sequel ('Mega Shark vs Kolossus') which is just as lamentable and best to avoid.

You can actually read my opinion in the title. This is beyond bad, this is an absolute mess, the animation of mega shark is far beyond horrible even for 2014, the cyber girl looks like a fake hacker from a bad movie from 2000's, her acting is so dumb i dont have words to describe it, you just have to watch 2 minutes of her in the movie to realize what a mess is this. Honestly i would be so so so so so embarased to put this movie in a theatre with my name in the direction. I didnt even lost my time (not entirely) cause i watched 5 minutes, skip 15, watch 10 minutes (at this point i mostly suffered), then skipped 20 minutes, and at the end i just quit the movie. I didnt even finished this, im so disappointed that i told a friend of mine about this horrible absolute mess of a movie i saw online and she laughed so bad only with the title. Like what should i expect about a movie called "mega shark vs mecha shark", its so dumb from the very beginning.

My son who is six years old thought this was the dumbest and stupidest movie Hes ever seen in his life