If nothing else, 2014 served as further proof that if you aren’t Marvel Studios or Disney, you probably shouldn’t make that sequel.
There were some decent films this year (at least that’s what I hear- our children outnumber our available babysitters two to zero), but there were some top-shelf duds as well. The real problem lies within the fact that studios and marketing firms have gotten better at promoting films, making you want to see them even if your gut tells you otherwise. Essentially, they’ve learned how to polish a turd (something the cliché claims is “impossible”).
Based on sky high expectations, undue hype and/or a cool premise/cast/trailer- here are the 14 most disappointing films of 2014:
Transcendence
Rotten Tomatoes’ Critics Consensus: In his directorial debut, ace cinematographer Wally Pfister remains a distinctive visual stylist, but Transcendence’s thought-provoking themes exceed the movie’s narrative grasp.
Frank Miller’s Sin City: A Dame to Kill For
RTCC: A Dame to Kill For boasts the same stylish violence and striking visual palette as the original Sin City, but lacks its predecessor’s brutal impact.
Exodus
RTCC: While sporadically stirring, and suitably epic in its ambitions, Exodus: Gods and Kings can’t quite live up to its classic source material.
The Amazing Spider-Man 2
RTCC: While the cast is outstanding and the special effects are top-notch, the latest installment of the Spidey saga suffers from an unfocused narrative and an overabundance of characters.
Pompeii
RTCC: This big-budget sword-and-sandal adventure lacks the energy and storytelling heft to amount to more than a guilty pleasure.
Lucy
RTCC: Enthusiastic and silly, Lucy powers through the movie’s logic gaps with cheesy thrills plus Scarlett Johansson’s charm — and mostly succeeds at it.
The Monuments Men
RTCC: Its intentions are noble and its cast is impressive, but neither can compensate for The Monuments Men’s stiffly nostalgic tone and curiously slack narrative.
Maleficent
RTCC: Angelina Jolie’s magnetic performance outshines Maleficent’s dazzling special effects; unfortunately, the movie around them fails to justify all that impressive effort.
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1
RTCC: Sets up the franchise finale with a penultimate chapter loaded with solid performances and smart political subtext, though it comes up short on the action front.
A Million Ways to Die in the West
RTCC: While it offers a few laughs and boasts a talented cast, Seth MacFarlane’s overlong, aimless A Million Ways to Die in the West is a disappointingly scattershot affair.
Hercules
The RTCC on this film wins the 2014 award for Most Backhandedly Straight Forward Compliment(?) Consensus: Hercules has Brett Ratner behind the cameras and Dwayne Johnson rocking the loincloth — and delivers exactly what any reasonable person reading that description might expect.
Godzilla
Godzilla’s RTCC is mostly positive, as its 74% Tomatometer supports. I had to add this to the list however, because of the small handful of movies I saw this year, this was by far the most disappointing.
Annabelle
RTCC: Annabelle borrows unabashedly from better horror films, content to leave viewers with a string of cheap jolts that fail to build on the far more effective The Conjuring.
The Interview
No 2014 film more accurately reflects our opening statement- the hype and controversy around this film was certainly too much for any comedy of its ilk to live up to.