Movies that aren’t as good or bad as their reputation.

Not as bad as it’s reputation:

Wild Wild West

I just read an article dedicated to how bad this film was then and now. I remember seeing this in the theater and leaving completely entertained and satisfied. I was actually surprised to hear how badly it was received and criticized in the following days. I honestly don’t know what’s so bad about it. It was funny, well paced, and acted, had nice action and a coherent straightforward story led by Will Smith who was at the peak of his charming box office prime. About the only negative I can think of is it was a bit silly and far fetched but if you’re going to criticize a fictional film on those grounds why are you even watching? I liked it enough that it’s one of those films I’ve seen so much I can quote certain scenes right off the dome. That’s a lot more than I can say for one of Smith’s more respected films, Bad Boys.


Not as good as it’s reputation:

Bad Boys
Respected by most, especially in the black community but IMO it’s an overrated, unfunny, lame affair. Like WWW it’s well acted, and well paced. I can’t recall how straightforward the story is but I do know it wasn’t very funny and the action was kind of flat and unremarkable. Smith and Lawrence’s chemistry felt a bit off which I blame on either the director or the writers. Their jokes felt forced, like they were trying too hard to make the comedic parts funny. I saw it in the theater, and although there are certain scenes I did like and have rewatched, I don’t think I ever sat through the entire film since. It was bad enough that I never watched the sequel.

 

Wild Wild West was monumentally disappointing...and boring. All that I remember was the stupid mechanical spider. Waste of talent, money...and my time.

Bad Boys was indeed overrated. Is your typical Michael Bay film. Nothing more, nothing less. Competent and forgettable. Somehow it became 'memorable' in some circles. The sequel was worst.

 

100%, Panch.

 

John Carter while not a classic is an entertaining film IMO and not as bad as critics tagged it. Too bad it bombed. A sequel would have been fun.

 

I was certain you would have had them both rated 8/10.

John Carter was monumentally disappointing...and boring. All that I remember was the scene where he fought and beat a whole crowd of martians and the ending which I liked. McNaulty as the villain was weak and the perfect decision to make a bad movie worse. Waste of talent, money...and my time.

 

Watched the Spanish film 'Promocion Fantasma' (Ghost Graduation) 2012 and enjoyed it a lot, even though I concede to the critics that is just a blatant lightweight mix of 'The Breakfast Club' & 'Ghost'. Still I found it charming and entertaining.

Here is a clip when the shy ghost girl (Anna Castillo) enters the body of a student and does a smashing rendition of Shakira's 'Estoy Aqui'.



Yeah yeah they even ripped off The Breakfast Club poster.

 

Bad Boys is a fucking AWFUL movie!! And Wild Wild West is so bad it makes Bad Boys seem like The French Connection.

Not as good as its reputation: Unforgiven.

Such a critically praised movie, won Best Picture and everything, but Honest to God I've never seen what's so special about it. I've watched it SEVERAL times attempting to see what makes it such a great movie, and I fail to see it. Its probably not even a top 20 all time western.

Not as bad as its reputation: Con Air.

I think it's mostly considered a joke, probably because of Nick Cage's comical southern accent, but in reality it was one of the better action movies of the late 90s. You got John Malkovich as the villain, so you can never go wrong there.

 

The REAL answer here is simple...

Not as good as its reputation: ANY Marvel movie.

I'm sorry, I've watched a few of them lately TRYING to give them a chance: I saw Civil War, Infinity War, Deadpool, Ragnarok, and Black Panther... its ALLLLLL fucking mindless garbage. All of it!

The Dark Knight alone is better than the entire shitty MCU movie catalogue combined.

 

Unforgiven is a competent film until it reaches its badass end which is fucking great! It was original and that counts in my book.

I totally agree about Con-Air which is, as you said, one of the best action films of the 90s. The ending with the 'How do I live Without You' song never fails to move me to shed a tear and that is saying a lot about a popcorn movie. This is one of Nicolas Cage best films.

 

Its Malkovich that makes Con Air a quality movie more than Cage.

But yeah, I guess Con Air would rank among the top 20 or so best action flicks of the 90s.

Hard to say what THE best action movie of the 90s was, but I'd probably say Speed.

 

Not as good as its reputation: Wall Street.

Its dated as Hell now. I would imagine it was quality in the 80s, but I dont think its aged as well as some classics. I actually think the sequel with Shai Labuef is better than the original.

Better than its reputation: Wolf.

I see it has a only a 60% on RT, and I think it's mainly considered one of Jack Nicholson's biggest duds, but I feel it was one of the best werewolf movies ever made. James Spader played a great villain.

 

The Rock remains the ONLY Michael Bay movie that's decent. Dassss his one!

Armageddon, Bad Boys, Pearl Harbor... God awful movies.

 

Wall Street. That is another one that I never cared to watch. Wolf? one of the worst werewolf film ever made! So you see we are on opposites end on this one.

 

No, Wolf was good.

The GOAT werewolf movie is an American Werewolf in London imo. Which others would you rank above Wolf?

I remember The Howling and Silver Bullet. Neither was anything special imo.

Wolfen was pretty good.

Wolf has the advantage in that Nicholson and James Spader are both great actors, and that elevated the movie.

 

I don’t get how someone doesn’t see the greatness of Unforgiven. To me it’s the dialogue and character portrayals that makes it great. Even the bit actors are very good IMO.

Con Air doesn’t even have a bad reputation. Most everyone I know liked it so I can’t even see it being on this list unless someone was actually making the case it’s not as good as it’s reputation.

Wolf is one I didn’t know had a bad rep. I never really hear anyone talk about it but I agree it’s very underrated. I’ve seen it several times so that says something.

Never saw Wall Street although for some reason I did sit through the sequel. I don’t remember anything about it but I do remember it kept my attention and I never felt a need to turn it off so I guess that says something.

 

Wolf was a pathetic attempt at a metaphor for chauvinists males disputing over a female. That film was pure shit. I piss on Jack Nicholson's overacting here. Better than 'Wolf'? The Howling shits on it. Company of Wolves shits on it. Ginger Snaps and its second sequel shits on it. The original 'Wolfman' and the Benicio del Toro remake shits on it. Hammer's Curse of the Werewolf with Oliver Reed shits on it. Dog Soldiers shits on it.

I don't consider 'Wolfen' a werewolf film as it was about a pack of real, but intelligent wolves.

Ginger Snaps Back: The Beginning even with its microbudget accomplished great atmosphere so lacking in many bigger budgeted films.

 

The Bad Boys with Sean Penn and Esai morales was better than the Will Smith & Martin Lawrence.

The Hangover was just an entertaining enough comedy, nothing that stuck out as that good to me.

Raging Bull was brilliantly shot and directed, but something about it felt sluggish and dragged. I’m not even sure if I rank it in my top 5 Scorsese/De Niro movies.

The Cable Guy was better than people said.
It was just expected by many to be another goofy Carrey comedy instead of a satire/commentary on TV

 

If there is ever a thread for great but forgotten movies, that Sean Penn Bad Boys film definitely goes on it.

I agree about the Hangover, completely overrated. I never rewatch it when it comes on tv and the sequels don’t even exist as far as I’m concerned.

I think The Cable Guy is well acted but isn’t very entertaining. For a dark comedy it came out a bit too dark and not funny enough which makes the film give off a feeling of dread. Of course I may be a bit off since this is based on the last time I saw it, opening night at the movies.

 

Yeah, The Hangover was a steaming pile of shit. Probably the most overrated comedy ever made. Not even a TINY bit funny.

Going purely off it's low RT score of 43%, the movie Hoodlum is a lot better than that score would indicate.

I would rank Hoodlum among the top 10 best gangster/mob movies of the 90s. Solid performances from Laurence Fishburne, Andy Garcia, Tim Roth, and Chi McBride.

Another gangster flick that's better than it's bad reviews is Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead.