I think every film fan has a title or two that they were eagerly anticipating, but wound up being disappointed by. So here’s a list of films that didn’t necessarily make me mad, though the reality did fall short of my expectations. Not saying these are bad films, per se – they just weren’t to my taste for the reasons listed below.
1.) Justice League (2017)
Whooo boy, starting out with a major one. I have been rooting for the DCEU to take off since Man of Steel (which I actually liked quite a lot) and, considering Batman is my all-time favorite hero, I always go into DC films with high hopes. Unfortunately, this team-up adventure fell massively short of expectations, was a pacing nightmare, had the worst CGI mouth in film history, and though there are some hopeful glimmers – the cast, and I’m a fan of the fight scenes – Justice League was far more of a mess than a triumph, and I came out of the film wondering and longing for what could have been had this film not faced such a troubled production. If those bright fragments of the DCEU can all come together and be expanded on with improved writing and a centered focus, then I have confidence that the franchise can get on the right path, but Justice League didn’t help much in getting DC back on track. Thankfully, Patty Jenkins will be at the helm for Wonder Woman 2...
2.) Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief and The Sea of Monsters (2010 and 2013)
I’m listing both of these, though my quibbles are predominantly with the second. I am generally lenient with book-to-movie adaptations, but some efforts are worthy of reproach, and the attempt to adapt the popular YA book series following a young demigod boy and his friends as they embark on a series of mythical adventures had little to no payoff for fans. The first film already eschewed several important factors, such as casting older teenagers instead of preteens and stripping away some vital characterization presented in the novels, but the second took that stance and made the film nearly unrecognizable from the source material, so much so that I doubt the folks who made the film even read the book. As a big fan of Rick Riordan’s book series, I was sincerely disappointed that the transition to screen was not so much seamless as it was a bumpy, uneven ride, and I hope we might get a miniseries of the books someday instead. At this point, I can rewatch the first one with minimal cringe, but the second is a no-go.
3.) Iron Man 2 (2010)
This is one of only two Marvel movies I have only seen once, along with Thor: The Dark World… however, I am also one of few Marvel fans who consider the Iron Man films as a whole to be the weakest of the original crop, but that is mainly due to 2 and 3. With an underwhelming villain and plot, even the bright spots of Iron Man 2 (Downey, the introduction of Black Widow) did little to fend off a creeping sense of disappointment while I was watching it. RDJ makes a compelling and convincing Tony Stark, but in this case, it just wasn’t enough, and didn’t live up to the legacy the first film has garnered.
4.) Spectre (2015)
I’ll preface this explanation by saying that I do not like James Bond films, and the short of it is that I don’t like the character and certain behaviors that these films and his character perpetuates. THAT SAID, I know there is a lot of merit to be found in the material, spy stuff is fun, and I don’t dislike any of the actors or whatnot, yet I usually don’t see these movies because I am predisposed to a negative opinion. I gave the Craig movies a shot, but after disliking Casino Royale and Skyfall and skipping Quantum of Solace entirely, I went into Spectre with higher hopes, considering Christoph Waltz was cast as the villain, and I’ve never been disappointed by one of his performances. Well, now I have. But his performance wasn’t the only disappointment – the plot dragged and much of the film came across as underwhelming, so it’s safe to say I won’t be seeing any future Bond films, unless the right name is cast in the 007 role. I will say, though, that the opening sequence is extremely impressive and an amazing visual accomplishment.
5.) Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace (2001)
I mean… do I need to explain this one?
Jar Jar Binks. Enough said.
Seriously… this film was a huge let down for me, and for many Star Wars fans throughout the galaxy. Of the litany of reasons I was disappointed by this film, I think the main factor was the criminal under-utilization of Darth Maul. Never has such a badass villain been so unfairly treated by limited screen time. But while I was merely disappointed by this film, many other fans were enraged by it, so I guess my reaction could have been a lot worse. I also just don’t watch the film anymore and avoid it at all costs, so my disappointment has not has much time to progress to hatred or a more extreme level of anger.
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Frostwritten 