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View Full Version : Atlantis reviews/D*sney's bad summer/action movies


robert
06-16-2001, 10:06 AM
Hmm, three things mentioned in one title, a record for me. Anyway, nothing changed in the overall reviews for D*sney's Atlantis, they were mixed in New York and LA{Boo!}, and they're mixed everywhere else. This is by far the worst reviewed D*sney animated film I've ever seen since their rebirth in 1989, even the less than classic films like Pocahontas and Hercules got mostly positive writeups. The overall rating on rottentomatoes.com is 47%, and the complants for Atlantis is the same as complaints for practically every single action film I've heard about since The Matrix, good visuals, but no good characters and an incoherent plot, just like D*sney's last action/adventure film Dinosaur and last year's Titan A.E{Ironically Roger Ebert loved both Titan A/E and Atlantis}
But of course who cares about errors in creativity when there is money to be made? So therefore Atlantis will be judged on it's showing against the critic proof but critically trashed new film Tomb Raider, and of course against Shrek. If it can't do well, it's strike 3 for D*sney. Strike 1 was Shrek's big showing at the b/o and it being on it's way to gross over $200 million. Strike 2 is the fact that it will probably make more money than the pre determined champion of the summer, Pearl Harbor, produced by Touchstone Pictures which is owned by, guess who? Yep, D*sney. Strike 3 would be if Atlantis disappoints at the b/o. However, if it does, D*sney will probably stop doing things different in their animated films and go back to the tired old cartoon musical formula which gets them all their money. And forget about them doing any more silly films like The Emperor's New Groove since that wasn't a box office smash.
Now I'm going slightly off topic to mention reviews for action movies again. Both of D*sney's action adventure weren't embraced by critics like their regular films, and this week's other big new action film, Tomb Raider, was trashed by critics. I have officially lost count of how many bad action films were made in the last few years. Every single action movie since The Matrix is the same thing according to people, lots of explosions, no real script. Can you guys name one action movie that wasn't a war movie and wasn't set in ancient times{excluding Saving Private Ryan and Gladiator}since The Matrix that critics and the public liked, there might be a few, but none come to my mind now, buried by the 3000 Miles to Graceland and the Gone in 60 Seconds and the Swordfishes of the world.

WBArchivist
06-16-2001, 01:28 PM
This is Disney's first animated attempt at an adult movie. Heck, we've got chracters here that curse and chain smoke. Thus, when Disney makes an *adult* movie, critics look at it from an adult perspective. Hercules and Pocahontas both blew, but they were typical "Disney Magic" so they were well accepted.

Secondly, now The Mouse has so much competition (Dreamworks, Nickelodean, and a little company called Warners) that audiences are accepted films that don't have Disney stamped on them. Some of these films are very good! (ie: Shrek, Iron Giant)

So, I don't care if Atlantis flops. More power to the underdogs!

The Mad Hatter
06-16-2001, 01:46 PM
If Atlantis did flop, then yes, that might send a powerful message to the mouse that great visuals need to be married to great stories. Dinosaur faultered because of a crap story as well. And that would indeed be a good thing.

My only worry is that, if Atlantis falls to Shrek, the message many people will get will be "cel animation is outdated." Several critics, including that git at Entertainment Weekly, have already hinted at this. So instead of better stories, the end result may be more CGI films with crap stories. We'll just have to see.

I'd also love it if Disney did more flat-out comedies like TENG, but that's unlikely to happen since the suits hated that flick. The production was extremely rocky and expensive, which will only make them that much more less likely to do 100% comedies.

Leaping Larry Jojo
06-16-2001, 01:49 PM
Dinosaur was by no means a failure. Bad story does not equal bad box office performance.

The Mad Hatter
06-16-2001, 10:17 PM
True, but it didn't make Disney enough money considering how much they spent on making it and marketing, and the Secret Lab got closed as a result. Not exactly symptoms of a huge success. Meanwhile, Shrek continues to kick box office butt.

nightwing_38116
06-17-2001, 12:59 AM
Just in case you want check Disney's "inspiration" for Nad..uh I mean Atlantis.

Check out this link and then post what you think.

http://www.zero-city.com/nadia/nadia_vs_atlantis.html



...and for the "Lyin' King" fans (remember the suits at Disney said they'd never heard of Simba, the White Lion).

http://hometown.aol.com/kimbawlion/rant2.htm