How about Godzilla: King of the Monsters? The sequel to Godzilla? It’s getting trashed by critics, isn’t it? Yeah, that’s surprising me too. I’d act upset, especially considering its trailers, but I’m not.
The lack of solid reception is causing lots of people online frustration. Especially in film circles, where the arguments range from “what’d you expect?” to “you’re complaining about the opposite problem of the previous movie? Make up your mind!” I shouldn’t be shocked here either, but I’m definitely disappointed.
Rotten Tomatoes gets plenty of flak for being an aggregate site. It’s not the “be-all-end-all” for quality, but writing it off because your favourite movie got trashed is petty and immature. (I should know, I used to think that way.) Because critics are entitled to their opinions, regardless of how “snobby”. And it’s time we appreciated that.
I’ve no interest in the film. Not solely because of its reviews, though that’s not helping, but because Godzilla was a fine enough stand-alone movie. Sure, Kong: Skull Island, was technically superior, but that doesn’t mean Godzilla wasn’t still an enjoyable, if flawed, experience. I admired its use of scope and weight to heighten the suspense, and the character work was admirable. It dragged at points too, I’ll admit it, but I walked out feeling somewhat satisfied.
I think part of why Godzilla: King of the Monsters is getting panned, and this is a theory, is that critics have more appreciation for drama, flawed as it may be, than mindless action. You can debate this all you wish, but examine the reviews for Godzilla VS Godzilla: King of the Monsters. The former has mostly-positive, if not mixed, reviews. The latter is getting trashed. I think that speaks for itself.
But seriously, make up your own mind. I’m only so willing to spend money on wildcards each year, but if you enjoy kaiju pulp, then so be it! Enjoy your dumb fun! It’s why I stopped criticizing Mad Max: Fury Road for being vapid, even though I already wrote an entire piece explaining why. (You do you.)
One movie I didn’t expect much from, yet appears to be exceeding all expectations, is Rocketman. I say that as a big biopic fan, yet recognizing that most of what Patrick Willems said holds weight. Musical biopics, or “musiopics”, have refused to innovate for decades. They’ve been formulaic, uninspired dreck that are afraid to get personal with their subjects. If Bohemian Rhapsody’s indication, audiences are starting to pick up on that as well.
That’s why people weren’t so eager for Rocketman initially. But that lack of expectation could be its biggest strength; after all, why overhype something when you don’t think it’ll be good? It’s a waste of time and energy, right? I think so!
I’m actually more excited for Rocketman than Godzilla: King of the Monsters. Like, a lot more excited. I know it sounds strange to say that, but a musical about Elton John sounds pretty cool! And having Taron Edgerton, that kid from Kingsman: The Secret Service who’s proven he can sing, playing the titular character is the cherry on top. Who knew?
That this movie’s getting praised and the kaiju movie’s being trashed shows how unpredictable film really is. You don’t have to like one or the other. You don’t have to like either of them. Or you can like both! But there’s no denying that Rocketman looks to be a fun time.
Also, the serious drama getting better reviews than the over-the-top monster movie blows my mind.
Akira’s that one movie people have been dreading an American remake of. It’s context-specific, taking place in a time that was incredibly relevant to the 80’s, contains Japanese-centric anxieties, and is based on a dense Manga. That it’s been in production hell for decades isn’t helping matters. We’ve seen what happened to Ghost in the Shell, after all.
Perhaps a glimmer of hope is that Taika Waititi’s been given directorial duties. He not only directed Thor: Ragnarok, one of the best Marvel movies, he also knows and understands how to direct stylish blockbusters. There’s a scene in Thor: Ragnarok where Thor fights enemies to “The Immigrant Song”, and it’s one of the best MCU moments ever. Enough said!
While the thought of Waititi directing Akira, which has been slated for a 2021 release, is exciting, I have my worries. For one, it’s a shameless remake. And two, it’s been in production hell forever. If you want proof, Leonardo DiCaprio, now an Oscar winner, was a 20-something nobody and set to star in it back when it was first announced. It’s been a while.
Personally, I think having this movie at all is a mistake. Akira, aside from me considering it slightly-overrated, is incredibly-Japanese. The characters are Japanese, the setting is Japanese, even the underlying themes are Japanese. I don’t know if that translates to an American setting. It’s not like we can’t do original stories around classist societies that aren’t already tied to a Nippon-centric creation, either.
I’m hoping I’m wrong. I’m hoping Waititi and his writers can make this happen properly. I’m also hoping this proves anime-to-Hollywood adaptations can be taken seriously outside of Alita: Battle Angel, and that they help anime be taken seriously. But, most-importantly, I’m hoping the years in production hell are worth it. Because I can only stomach so much disappointment.
That about does it for now. Ponder these three, somewhat-but-not-really related tangents, and I’ll see you all next time.
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