Close-Up Culture name our 10 most overrated films of the last decade.
10. The Jungle Book (2016)
Disney’s CGI remakes have been largely underwhelming. Although The Jungle Book is one of their better attempts, it doesn’t deserve to be rated higher than the far more charming 1967 version.
9. American Sniper (2014)
Clint Eastwood’s war film tapped into America’s patriotic spirit and, unsurprisingly, made a lot of money at the box-office. It’s still baffling to me, however, that this flawed film earned an Oscar nomination for Best Picture.
8. Argo (2012)
Argo might be the most forgettable Best Picture winner of the decade. An enjoyable but unremarkable film.
7. The Post (2017)
From my review of the film: “Spielberg is all too happy to indulge in this self-congratulatory tone – and the result is numerous eye-rolling moments. Most namely, Streep angelically standing in the light during the courtroom scene before exiting past a long row of awe-inspired women.”
6. Fences (2016)
Viola Davis’ big acting moment – with spit and snot flying everywhere – is what sticks in the memory about Fences. Unfortunately, that emotional peak dwarfs anything else in Denzel Washington’s big-screen adaptation. I remembering seeing Moonlight and Victoria in the same weekend as Fences, both of which are more technically interesting and emotionally potent films.
5. Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010)
Watching any film with a title containing ‘Part 1’ is like reading a book with the final 100 pages ripped out. You go in knowing that you’ll have to wait months, maybe even years, for an actual ending. In this instance, the Horcrux hunting feels like a drag to non-Potter enthusiasts who have already sat through six movies.
4. Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
I was in a midnight screening where Marvel superfans cheered through this film like they were at the World Cup final. If you tune out that fandom noise, you’ll realise this is a drawn out and eye rolling climax.
3. Black Panther (2018)
It’s worth celebrating the cultural significance of Black Panther, but those tired with the superhero genre will find little else to rejoice about in this film.
2. Bohemian Rhapsody (2018)
People somehow saw past Bohemian Rhapsody’s shallow storytelling, overhyped lead performance and dizzying editing to make it one of the most acclaimed films of 2018.
- Deadpool (2016)
Much of the hype around Deadpool can be attributed to the banality of the superhero genre. Take Deadpool out of that context and its a fairly average film that indulges far too much in Ryan Reynold’s one-note comedy.