So goes the advertising on this latest Gilliam weird out. Yet the film currently scores in the mid to low 50's on Metacritic and Rotten Tomatoes. Either studio ad execs use no name critics who want to get their names out there, or they pay off some less than honorable critics to write good reviews. Either way the consensus is that this film is far from Brilliant, Groundbreaking or a Masterpiece.
Just about any trailer for a movie has positive critical remarks in the advertising, regardless of how good or bad the movie actually is. It's Basic Marketing 101. That being said, the "Masterpiece" comment I would only take with a grain of salt. It's Harry Knowles after all. But Empire, Total Film, The Wrap, and Time are all mostly reputable sources for film criticism.
shareThere's really no such thing as a reputable opinion. Whether or not you agree with them after viewing a film is entirely up to each individual's personal taste.
Most of the movies I consider a 10/10 or a 9/10 don't score too highly with critics. Most of them are in the ~60% range on RT.
I'm just glad I live in the modern world with so many thousands of films that there's something for everyone.
At least, though, Gilliam's undeniably brilliant films, Time Bandits (92%), Brazil (98%), Baron Munchausen (94%), and 12 Monkeys (88%) all have by now garnered the respect they deserve. None of them at the times of their release, save Time Bandits, were lauded by critics. But hey, the most respected opinion of all, Ebert didn't like it until 2004.
Everyone comes around to the good stuff eventually. How a film stands up to time is the real test. A good example of that would be 'There's Something About Mary' vs 'Idiocracy'. The former was a smash success and universally acclaimed... the second was written off entirely.
I doubt anyone today holds Something About Mary in higher regard.
I am not saying that this applies to this film, but you can get those quotes out of negative comments.
Brilliant, in all the wrong ways!
So groundbreaking, my score couldn't go any lower!
A masterpiece of the sh!ttiest proportions!
It marketing, and they have to sell the thing.
Well there's marketing, and there's plain old exaggeration. My MBA in Marketing has proven to have no other obvious/useful value, than sharpening up my ability to smell bs when I read/hear it. I think you've nailed it here, GordonsGekko. This movie was none of those things, and did not live up to its claims. Problem is, when Gilliam's marketers and the rest build people up to expect something better, they might well be less receptive next time around. I think any work of 'genius', 'masterpiece' or any other term like that only really becomes such a thing when it's unbiased unpaid others, who use words like that to describe it, because otherwise it's hogwash.
shareWho gives a damn about metacritic and rotten tomatoes. Watch the flick and form your own opinion
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This movie is 'Brilliant' 'A Masterpiece' etc to morons.
It's a pile of 'Wank'