Usually, it's not too tough to guess how a film is going to turn out, especially in the
days of multiple trailers, trailers for different regions, teasers for those trailers, and even
sometimes teasers for the teasers.
Other times... it's not quite as easy, as these films with surprising Rotten Tomatoes
scores prove.
Mortal Engines should have been a surefire hit.
It's got Peter Jackson as a co-producer and co-writer, and it's based on a successful
YA franchise.
Heck, it's about giant, mobile cities that eat each other to survive.
Seems like a license to print money, but unfortunately that still wasn't enough to succeed with fans
and critics.
Earning a 26% on Rotten Tomatoes is rough by almost any standard, but there's something
odd about watching a film that seemed tailor made to launch a massive franchise sputter
out before it even left the starting line.
The Mortal Engines didn't just bomb with critics.
According to IMDb, the film has an estimated budget of $100 million and as of late January
2019, it had just barely cleared the $80 million mark in worldwide gross.
It's doubtful we'll see a followup no matter how ready-made for success Mortal Engines
seems on paper.
The Transformers franchise isn't exactly known as a critical darling, even if it does seem
to have the uncanny ability to print money.
While the original live-action entry for the Robots in Disguise earned a surprisingly respectable
57% on Rotten Tomatoes, subsequent entries haven't fared as well.
Few would reasonably expect the first Transformers spinoff to roar into theaters with a 93% on
Rotten Tomatoes to round out 2018.
Luckily, Bumblebee has got some star power in its tank and a can't-miss formula as its
chassis.
Director Travis Knight injects the flick with late '80s flavor thanks to its period setting
and a Guardians of the Galaxy-like approach to the soundtrack, picking appropriate, timely
hits to keep the energy up.
Meanwhile, Hailee Steinfeld's turn as the young Charlie gives the movie more than enough
heart to let audiences get invested in her friendship with the anthropomorphic VW Bug.
"Hide hide!”
The first Mamma Mia! movie was a hit with fans of the original Broadway musical and
anyone who knows the truth that ABBA rules.
That didn't necessarily translate to making it a hit with critics since it was only able
to attain a 55% on Rotten Tomatoes.
But the truly baffling decision to stage a sequel ended up paying off both critically
and financially.
The fantastically titled Mamma Mia!: Here We Go Again is certifiably fresh at 81% and
raked in $394 million at the box office.
While much of the enjoyment of the sequel comes from the ridiculous setups for its musical
set pieces, the true shining beacon of Here We Go Again is Cher, who steals every scene
she's in as the mother of Meryl Streep's character.
The raucous Mediterranean musical celebration is dripping with schmaltz, but it works.
"It's not punishment; it's the opposite.
It's like a gift to myself."
Walking the very thin line between earnest and cheesy makes for some magical moments
in what could have been a money-grabbing, soulless sequel.
Nicolas Cage doesn't seem like he can say no to a movie, which often leads to him getting
stuck in some absolute clunkers.
However, his chaotic, messy turn in Mandy arrives in service of the first film in years
to take full advantage of Cage at his peak gonzo sensibilities.
Mandy became an instant cult hit and had critics raving after its release, resulting in a 91%
on Rotten Tomatoes.
Mandy follows Cage on a mind-bending, gory journey of revenge aimed at a cult and a group
of drug-addled demon bikers.
It doesn't necessarily sound like a movie that might be sitting at the top of critics'
lists in 2018, but fans and critics alike responded to the stylized violence and shocking
imagery of Mandy.
The perfect storm of Academy Award and Golden Globe Award nominee Ava DuVernay directing
an adaptation of the children's classic A Wrinkle in Time still couldn't wow critics.
The film is currently saddled with a 42% on the service, with an even lower fan rating
of 28%.
A Wrinkle in Time introduces audiences to the precocious Meg Murray, played by newcomer
Storm Reid, as she's led on a time and space-bending journey in search of her father.
While some critics were wowed by the film's CGI wonders, others felt that the effects
bogged the film down and made it a little too cheesy.
"That's one word for it."
The film wears its heart and ambitions on it sleeves and it will be interesting to see
if it persists as a cult favorite.
2018 ended up being a banner year for Spider-Man related media.
While Venom took a bit of a beating from critics, the film has amassed a fervent fanbase and
more than made back its estimated $100 million budget.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse could have been the animated also-ran to cap off the
year, but it ended up blowing the Spider-Man franchise wide open and impressing critics
at the same time.
It's currently sitting at 97% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Spider-Verse's stellar animation alone would set it up to be a game-changer, but the immense
heart at the core of the story propels it into something truly special.
Even critics exhausted by the superhero movie bubble had to admit that Into the Spider-Verse
was a step above.
"Wherever I go the wind follows, and the wind smells like rain."
Game Night could have come and gone without much fanfare due to its incredibly generic
and bland marketing campaign, which hid a raucous, critic-pleasing comedy.
The movie stars Rachel McAdams and Jason Bateman as a competitive couple who have bonded over
their shared love of games.
Kyle Chandler, playing Bateman's brother, hosts a game night framed as an immersive
experience in which one of the guests is kidnapped.
The twist?
The kidnapping is real.
"First one that follows us gets shot!”
“Ok, roger that.
You drive safe.”
“That was amazing!”
“Really good.”
Adam Graham of the Detroit News gave Game Night credit for being an adult movie that
never stooped to lowbrow humor, calling it quote, "a crowd-pleaser to which you'll want
to be invited."
All that positive buzz added up to Game Night scoring an 84% overall rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Duncan Jones is an interesting director with a Tomatometer record that was only recently
derailed by his odd stint as the director of the critically ill-fated Warcraft movie.
Before that, he was riding high with the low-key sci-fi masterpiece Moon and his 2011 follow-up,
the Jake Gyllenhaal thriller Source Code.
Warcraft was still a financial success, especially outside the United States, but fans were eager
for Jones to return to his own stories, characters and worlds.
His next piece of work, 2018's Netflix-distributed Mute, was described as a Blade Runner-esque
excursion, suggesting a strong rebound.
Not quite.
While Mute looked like a return to form, it ended up being a generic, lifeless mess with
not much to say and not much to show for it except a 20% on Rotten Tomatoes.
What happens when a troubled biopic about an infamous gangster that's been in production
for years ends up being a dull, boring slog anchored by a bizarre performance from John
Travolta?
It nets a resounding 0% overall on Rotten tomatoes.
Biopics starring famous actors are usually critical hits.
This one?
Not so much.
Rolling Stone's Peter Travers spoke for many of his peers when he compared it to a lifeless
version of The Sopranos.
"I can't watch this again."
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