’ll start with the positives…you know I try to be positive even about the worst film…keep that in mind!
I kid, I kid. (I had to write notes as I was walking to the train from the cinema as I had already forgotten most of the film)
Well, not really. So, Jack Black as Claptrap is possibly one of the best bits of casting in cinema this year—funny and iconic! The action was also enjoyable for the most part.
Now, onto the issues…
Cate Blanchett, I hate to say, is awful in this. Either she was totally miscast, or she just phoned it in. Every bit of dialogue felt like a chore for her to get out. Kevin Hart, who I thought would be a huge part of the film, barely registers. He’s maybe the fourth lead, which is surprising given his star power.
As for the dialogue—was this written by AI? Not even ChatGPT is this bad. It felt like someone had input the command, “give me terrible action dialogue from late 90s and early 00s films.” About 20 minutes in, a character actually says, “Oh yeah? You and what army?” only for another character to point behind her and say, “This one.” It was very hard to concentrate after that!
Another major issue is the 12A (PG-13 in the US) rating. The games are solid 18-rated gore fests, and you hire a director like Eli Roth, the king of grindhouse, only to strip away all the blood and gore. With no real stakes, the violence felt lackluster.
The runtime isn’t too long, and Claptrap does have some great moments. The film is a popcorn flick, for sure. I always recommend seeing films in the cinema to keep our theaters operating, but for me, this is a 2/5.
No, wait, after some sleep, it’s a 1.
Cate and Kev and Jamie I salute you for the big bags of money you got for this film.
⭐️
