Kingdom of Heaven—bad script, miscast lead, multiple battle scenes ripped straight from LOTR, virtually no characterization or character development, stupid both-sidesism politics, and also generally complete ahistorical nonsense.

Yet there’s just something about it. The cinematography, design, costumes, supporting actors, and score are all great. Even though the film is basically fantasy, it at least attempts to portray a world that Hollywood rarely approaches. (Agora, kind of a similar movie, is actually probably much better.) Also the Christians are mostly bad or stupid, nearly all of them die violent pointless deaths, it could maybe be argued that the film is anti-colonial, and Saladin wins.

Elysium—white savior film imagines that one dude (with a handful of helpers) can defeat pretty much all space liberals and space fascists. It’s completely absurd. The characters are also one-dimensional. But other than that, it’s a film about “rich people bad” which is otherwise pretty well done and entertaining.

  • veevee [she/her]
    ·
    3 years ago

    While not really a bad movie (it won something I think) Gattaca isn't really that great. The set design and themes and stuff do really make it though and its a really good watch.

    • duderium [he/him]
      hexagon
      ·
      3 years ago

      I always thought Gattaca was cool. I haven't seen it in quite awhile but I would argue that it is an "objectively" good movie.

      • veevee [she/her]
        ·
        3 years ago

        I enjoyed it, but it definitely wasn't an all around strong movie.

    • discontinuuity [he/him]
      ·
      3 years ago

      The end where

      spoiler

      Jude Law burns himself to death just so Ethan Hawke can go blasting off to Saturn while wearing a business suit with a heart defect that will probably kill him and jeopardize the mission

      was so goddamn stupid and ableist

      • veevee [she/her]
        ·
        3 years ago
        spoiler

        I kinda got the impression that Jude Law's character was implied to be living for the mc's dream, and that him committing suicide would have happened sooner. Also I thought it was supposed to be that he didn't actually have a heart defect and people were discriminating against him because he had a high likelihood of it occurring. Regardless its still stupid ablest.