12 Films Which Were Expected to Be Amazing, but Left Fans Wanting More
The world of cinema has given us quite a few movies that are unquestionably excellent. And then there are those, that had all the prerequisites to become a cult classic, but something eventually went wrong. The audiences tend to be quite vocal about their disappointment in these cases.
The Matrix Resurrections (2021)
The release of the sequel to the iconic Matrix saga excited fans of the trilogy. But the high expectations were quickly replaced by disappointment: there were complaints about the acting, the plot and even the special effects, which turned out to be worse than in the original, released back in 1999. Some even said, that the film simply had no right to be called The Matrix.
- In the first few minutes, I already knew that this movie would disrespect and soil the Matrix legacy (and frankly, the last one really toed the line). What were they thinking? This movie has no business bearing the “The Matrix’” moniker. © and_shove_it_up_your_**** / IMDb
Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)
Marvel’s superhero films have always filled the cinema screens and received exceptionally positive reviews; the studio has always taken care to maintain the quality of its films. But something went wrong with the latest Thor. There was so much trademark humor, that it made the film seem like a parody, and overshadowed all the serious issues of life and death that the characters had to face.
- I’m a huge marvel fanboy, and hardly ever have anything bad to say about the MCU, but this was a huge letdown. Ragnarok is easily one of my top 5 marvel films, so was very excited to see this one, but this was really really bad. It was none of the jokes landed for me. First time in a Marvel movie I really wanted to leave or wished it would end already. © ryrymadrid / IMDb
The Lost City (2022)
The Lost City is a comedy with a treasure hunt, kidnappings, chases, and a love story. With Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum in the lead roles, seemingly guaranteeing the audiences’ love. Except that the reviews immediately noted, that there is absolutely no chemistry between the main characters and it immediately ruins the entire feel of the film. The only consolation is the appearance of Brad Pitt.
- In short, this was a weak and humorless version of Romancing the Stone. Without any chemistry between the actors. One minute they’re in a city, then in the jungle, they’re in danger, then sleeping, then they’re walking miles and miles... You don’t know what is going on. © danew13 / IMDb
The Smurfs (2011)
The Smurfs was supposed to be a cute comedy that was easy to relax and laugh at while watching along with the kids. But that turned out to be impossible: even the promised humor was described by the audience as forced.
- I wasn’t expecting much from this film but it wasn’t even funny. It’s full of gratuitous random antics, toilet humor, and product placement that doesn’t even seem entertaining to children. There is barely a semblance of a story. © briancham1994 / IMDb
Ocean’s Eight (2018)
Ocean’s Eight had all the makings of a film that would keep getting re-watched, being the sequel to a famous story, with a stellar cast. But in reality, it was just a pretty picture with huge plot holes.
- I’ll give it 2 stars — one for the stellar cast and one for the dresses, which were truly fabulous. Especially Sandra Bullock’s dress for the Met Gala. Absolutely stunning. But as a movie, this one really was pretty awful. © mailes22 / IMDb
In Time (2011)
The beginning of the film promised a memorable and thought-provoking experience. It’s a world where time itself is the currency. But the film turned out to be just another action with chases, and the audiences were left deeply disappointed.
- I actually like the premise, which has the potential for lots and lots of suspense; it’s like having a ticking bomb strapped to your wrist. What could go wrong, right? Well, the answer is most things. “In Time” is an insipid, soulless Hollywood blockbuster. © Leofwine_draca / IMDb
- This film has a very intriguing premise — that time is a commodity that can be bought or sold, allowing the rich to live indefinitely while time runs out for the poor. Sadly, this idea failed to materialize, the film spending most of its running time being little more than one long chase. © BA_Harrison / IMDb
Uncharted (2022)
As much as the creators of Uncharted tried to create another Indiana Jones, it just seemed as though they tried to copy it, and didn’t even do a good job in the process. Fans of the saga starring Harrison Ford saw many references to the cult classic in the new movie about relic seekers. But the new film didn’t earn the same grandeur.
- These are the type of films that make me want to give up my Cineworld card, which I’ve had for 16 years. Fast & Furious-style nonsense that bores me to sleep — literally. I hope they’re not planning on starting a new franchise cos they’ll lose millions & deservedly so. © aramsdale / IMDb
The Purge (2013)
Here’s another film that had a cool idea and, according to the audience, not the best execution. And let’s not forget the plot holes, like the question, “why wouldn’t the rich people just leave the country temporarily for that one day?”
- The idea is intriguing. For twelve hours a year all crime is legal; do what you want and face no consequence. So what we’re looking at here is a film which, in different hands may have proved to be a controversial and stirring piece of work, but we end up with a flat, rather tame film, which is given some lift by its better elements, such as the performances and some of the fight sequences. Lacking bite, with a frustrating amount of exposition and not enough dissection of issues, ’The Purge’ falls short of what it should have been. © eonbluedan-1 / IMDb
Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (2017)
When the director of The Fifth Element releases another film, many people expect the same level of quality. And although Valerian had the same humor, and high-quality special effects, something went wrong — the film just isn’t memorable and leaves no impression.
- When I first saw the trailer for this and being a huge fan of the Fifth Element, as well as Leon the Professional, I could hardly wait to see it. What a mistake! This was one boring, almost unfollowable story. The leads are pretty, but the inane dialogue waste’s them totally. I nearly fell asleep during the film. So sad, since there was some serious potential here. © mhorg2018 / IMDb
- Perhaps even worse were the two lead actors cast in the main roles, the people supposed to carry this movie. Dane DeHaan and Cara Delevingne had zero on-screen chemistry. © loco_73 / IMDb
The Gray Man (2022)
The Gray Man also had all the prerequisites to become the start of a legendary franchise, with a decent budget and a top-notch cast. But audiences immediately noted the weak plot line and the protagonist’s overly “super-heroic” abilities in fights and chases.
- The Gray Man is mostly a collection of tired spy tropes, directed in a muddled and baffling way, that seemingly exists to set up what seems like will be a fairly unimaginative franchise.
The dialogues were cringe and didn’t excite me at all. The only grace was seeing Ryan Gosling on screen. Being a big-budget film, The Gray Man is a disappointment to a greater extent, considering that the project had A-List actors, but a poor story line. © pranayjalvi / IMDb
Halloween Ends (2022)
The conclusion to the iconic franchise should have put a beautiful end to the long-running rivalry between Laurie and Michael Myers. But audiences were left disappointed: they found the film to be poorly made and unnecessarily focused on minor characters.
- I don’t know what this movie was but I am still waiting on the real final movie in the trilogy to be released. This was just a bad joke right? I kept watching hoping that it would get better and it just didn’t I had heard the final act was good and I was lied to. When it was over me and the girlfriend just felt crushed that it was such a bad movie. © sbob322 / IMDb
Hocus Pocus 2 (2022)
The original Hocus Pocus, released almost 30 years ago, was a favorite with millions, with many making it a tradition to re-watch it on Halloween. Unfortunately, the recent sequel was considered a definite disappointment.
- Took sheer willpower to get through the first 10 minutes it was like watching a middle school play. The 3 young witches were acting like they were waiting for us audience members to clap for how “cute” they were acting and it wasn’t cute. The first one felt grounded in reality within the fantasy of it, we could relate to the characters and it is such a great comfort movie I have watched every Halloween. I feel violated. © Hopedoesnotdie / IMDb
What film or TV series has fallen so far short of your expectations that you still find it hard to get over?