Critically Panned Movies You Will Defend to the Death

[-Drifter-]

Obviously there is already a Critically Panned Games You Will Defend to the Death [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/9.377055-Critically-Panned-Games-You-Will-Defend-to-the-Death] thread, but I figured that movies deserve some love too.

So, what critically panned movie (or movies) would you defend to the death? Please make sure to explain why you love the movie in question, and understand that critically panned does not just mean obscure. Also, as with the game thread, try to keep things positive. Don't quote someone's post just to tell them their opinion sucks and so on.

Me, I fucking loved TRON: Legacy. I've heard complaints about it lacking characterization, but for what it's worth I thought they did a decent enough job, and it's not like the original was exactly Shakespeare. Jeff Bridges is awesome as always, and the rest of the cast is strong too (though I'll admit that Sam is pretty generic.)

Really though, what sets this movie apart are the awe-inspiring visuals and kick-ass soundtrack. The designs, the effects, everything looks incredible, and I couldn't help but grin like an idiot while watching the light-cycle battle. Honestly, I don't get why people rate this one lower than the original TRON, 'cause as far as I'm concerned it surpasses it in every area.


If I did have one complaint, it's that most of the best material gets used pretty early on and the last 2/3rds of the movie never manage to create the same sense of awe and wonder. Nevertheless, it's entertaining throughout.

 

[CynicalB]

Wild Wild West
Mission: Impossible II (I rate it higher then 1 and 3)

 

[AKDread]

Howard the Duck

 

[repeating integers]

Seconding Tron: legacy. Excellent film.

I was about to list Avatar, then I realised critics actually liked that film. So, other than that... well, I guess In Time was a lot better than I expected, given the critical rating. Hancock, too.

 

[AgentCooper]

This is an easy one for me.

Speed Racer

I can see why people didn't flock to theaters to see this one and its a shame. After, reading nothing but negative reviews and the occasional positive review. I watched it on HBO and really liked the movie with all the charm and really only had a few minor problems with it.

 

[DJjaffacake]

Star Wars Episode III. I know it wasn't quite panned, but it gets a lot of the hate aimed at the prequels in general, and I think that's unfair. It looked amazing, the acting was good (I know Hayden Christensen was an angsty teenager, but that was what he was supposed to be), the soundtrack was amazing, the story was tragic, and basically I like it a lot, more than Episode IV, which is supposed to be the best.

 

[Marter]

How is Tron: Legacy critically panned? 50% of critics on Rotten Tomatoes liked it, which to me does not say "panned."

OT: I quite liked these movies, and if I remember rightly, the (vast) majority of critics did not.

I Know What You Did Last Summer
Elektra
The Happening
Dude, Where's My Car?
Alien vs. Predator
Creep
Van Helsing

 

[Sixcess]

Judge Dredd

I've never understood the hate for that movie. Visually, it's amazingly faithful to the source material (more so than I suspect the new one will be), doesn't take itself too seriously, and I like Stallone's performance.

That he takes his helmet off is a non-issue for me - it's more of a running joke in the comics than anything else, and for what it's worth at least it's justified by the plot.

 

[Savo]

The Butterfly Effect. I consider it to be an well shot and (mostly) excellently written time travel story. Very few movies have had an emotional impact on me as that movie had. Sure, Ashton Kutcher was in it and there was one face-palm worthy plot hole at one point, but overall it was a great movie. Ashton Kutcher actually did a pretty good job as the main character.

 

[Thaluikhain]

Oh, Judge Dredd, yeah, though not a comic fan.

Batman and Robin, though. The one immediately before that had both Jim Carrey and Nicole Kidman in it. Arnie and Uma Thurman are a big, big step up.

And, sure it was silly and camp, but that was the whole point. Arnie has a very silly freeze-gun, and Uma has big hair.

OTOH, really big cast, and the only non-white characters I can remember were one scientist hostage, one hanger on to the villain, henchmen of the villain, and a woman being auctioned at the party Freeze attacks...yeah.

 

[Scarim Coral]

The Butterfly Effect. I consider it to be an well shot and (mostly) excellently written time travel story. Very few movies have had an emotional impact on me as that movie had. Sure, Ashton Kutcher was in it and there was one face-palm worthy plot hole at one point, but overall it was a great movie. Ashton Kutcher actually did a pretty good job as the main character.

You're not the only one who liked that film. I just like the moral to that film in that be mindful of the action you take (the consequences of it) and also fate is cruel (no matter how much time altering he did, he can never with the girl he loved).

 

[Promethax]

Does Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull count?

 

[The_Waspman]

Aww man, I cant do this. Critically acclaimed movies that I will tear to shreds, yes, I can do that, but liking films that got awful reviews..? I cant really think of any.

 

[MrStab]

Fight Club, hated by critics everywhere on release then loved by people in the years following.

 

[Casual Shinji]

Howard the Duck

Aww yeah, Howard the Duck is the hottest shit!

It has a duck flying through space on a recliner. >

 

[Scrustle]

I also really loved Tron Legacy. I enjoyed Sucker Punch a lot too. F&F: Tokyo Drift is also a bit of a guilty pleasure of mine. I know the film is laughably terrible, I just like watching cars go zoom in Japan.

 

[CrashBang]

The Butterfly Effect. I consider it to be an well shot and (mostly) excellently written time travel story. Very few movies have had an emotional impact on me as that movie had. Sure, Ashton Kutcher was in it and there was one face-palm worthy plot hole at one point, but overall it was a great movie. Ashton Kutcher actually did a pretty good job as the main character.

I didn't know The Butterfly Effect was panned. I love that film; seen it a bunch of times and it's really well-paced and pretty heart-wrenching!

 

[laggyteabag]

The last Airbender, it gets the entire first "book" into a movie, it does feel a bit rushed at times, but it gets all of the important stuff in, and its has a more serious tone than the cartoon.

 

[shrekfan246]

OT: I quite liked these movies, and if I remember rightly, the (vast) majority of critics did not.

I Know What You Did Last Summer
Dude, Where's My Car?
Van Helsing

I liked those three as well, and the previously mentioned The Butterfly Effect and Batman & Robin.

To add my own input, Space Jam and though it's a bit contested, Men In Black II.

EDIT: Well, okay, I probably wouldn't defend these movies with anything resembling effort, but I really liked them and it would take a pretty convincing argument to make me understand why someone else wouldn't like them, apart from maybe being a genre that person doesn't care for. MIB2 may have just rehashed MIB, but it still worked. But then, I'm nowhere near as critical of movies as I am of video games.