Peter Jackson's Mortal Engines

[DarthSkywalker]

That's still pretty damn long. I feel like a bulk of that is gonna be angst and exposition.

2 hours without credits is pretty damn long?

 

[-JKR-]

I like the concept and visuals, but I hope that this won't play out like your typical YA adaptation.

 

[Persona]

First review, quite positive but it's a NZ site so probably a bit biased:

Mortal Engines: Wondrous Kiwi-shot fantasy offers pace and style

 

[terry78]

That title seems to give off that vibe.

 

[Drizzle]

So we’ve got a film that’s most famous stars are Hugo Weaving and Stephen Lang and it’s being released in the midst of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Aquaman, Mary Poppins, etc.

How bad are we expecting this thing to bomb?

 

[Persona]

How bad are we expecting this thing to bomb?

Hiroshima

Here's another positive review:

Mortal Engines is a beautiful, burly, bustling blockbuster

 

[Persona]

This review seems to capture the general mixed tenor of the less regionally-biased reviews coming out now.

https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-enter...69371.html

Lot of substantial complaints but also a few nice things to say. I like how the headline is basically, "Well, it's better than Golden Compass, at least."

Second review I've seen with good things to say about Jihae's role.

 

[BaelaTargaryen]

43% on RT currently.

Mortal Engines

 

[Persona]

Yeah, really couldn't fathom any way this was going to be a critical success. And box office will be even worse than that, especially with Spiderverse dropping at the same time.

 

[Sithborg]

So, looks like it will struggle to make YA money.

 

[Persona]

well, now, this is a very encouraging take:

https://www.thewrap.com/mortal-engines-f...r-jackson/

"It took time for 'Starship Troopers,' 'Dark City' and 'Speed Racer' to earn credit for doing exactly what 'Mortal Engines' is doing right now. It’s an overpowering world of steampunk delights, almost Miyazakian in its presentation. It’s hard to complain about a path being well-worn when all the sights will make your eyes pop."

 

[DarkKnight88]

They lost me at Speed Racer.

 

[tanita_mors]

This is probably gonna flop, but last week I saw a different trailer for it in the cinema that made the movie more interesting to me. Though it has some really "I've seen all this before" moments. And I do love Hugo Weaving. I'm almost tempted to go see it on he big screen, given that I wasn't interested up till now.

 

[Hunter Rider]

 

[Micromind]

Critics Consensus: Mortal Engines has no shortage of eye-catching special effects, but lacks enough high-octane narrative fuel to give this futuristic fantasy sufficient cinematic combustion.

Mortal Engines (2018)

 

[THORin]

I'm still excited. Very, very, very excited.

 

[Persona]

Yeah, I've read enough positive things in a lot of the reviews that I can understand why the overall verdict is mediocre but how this might be something I still really enjoy. Lot of praise for the designs and effects and world-building, and for Jihae's Anna Fang and Stephen Lang's Shrike. The reaction to the primary characters is far more muted but I haven't seen any pieces claiming that they're poorly presented or acted, just maybe not as engaging or interesting as they need to be.

It also feels like some of the critics are taking this movie to task for certain things (well-worn tropes, formulaic plot, cheese factor, overstuffed scenes) that they'd gloss over if this was a more popular property. Not that they should be giving that stuff a pass, but just that they seem to feel free to point it out more because they know this movie is probably gonna flop, anyways.

 

[terry78]

A more popular property has more leeway to deal with cliches. That Shrike thing is probably the most interesting aspect of what I've seen.

 

[tanita_mors]

Whenever I see the word Shrike, I think of Hyperion and Endymion. Any connection ?

 

[Marvolo]

This series has nothing to do with Dan Simmons' books.

 

[Mysteryman]

I am new to the franchise.
Outside of The Vengeance Factor, is there a quest element to the film?
Something they need to acquire to further their goals.

 

[MagnarTheGreat]

Late Night TV Talk Show Lineups Page

LAST CALL WITH CARSON DALY, NBC
We 12/12: Jameela Jamil, Hera Hilmar

ACCESS LIVE, syndicated
Fr 12/14: Ali Lohan, Hera Hilmar, Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles

 

[Persona]

While the aggregate scores are poor a lot of the reviews have a "close but no cigar" tone. However, for a few, the good aspects seem to outweigh the bad. I really like Emily Yoshida so was glad to see that she really enjoyed the film:

https://www.vulture.com/2018/12/mortal-engines-review.html

 

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

Going to see this tonight

 

[scarlet-witch]

They lost me at Speed Racer.

That movie was like having a two hour seizure.