Paramount Pictures
Not every movie that hits the big screen will become a big hit.
There are plenty of films every year that are generally sub-par. For the most part, people know they’re not all that great. Some people enjoy them despite not being the best, and that’s alright.
But what about those movies that seem to be universally loved… but you just don’t get it? Despite winning awards, being talked about all the time, ending up on lists everywhere, or being praised by critics; some movies don’t seem to live up to all the hype.
Sure, the films that win awards and the praise of critics are usually pretty good. Their reputation precedes them, but when you sit down to watch them, you can tell why they are widely regarded as great. However, there are a few instances when one of these hyped-up movies just winds up overrated.
If you have ever seen The Notebook, you probably know what I’m talking about. If The Notebook is your favorite movie, I’m sorry.
I know that not everyone has the same taste in movies, so you are sure to find a wide range of opinions for any given film. Some films, though, really feel like they were oversold – and that’s always disappointing!
Check out these overrated feature films. They were definitely on the receiving end for awards, praise, and hype. But to be completely honest, they just didn’t live up to it, and they’re definitely overrated. At least, in my humble opinion…
With a production budget of around $100 million, Gravity pulled out all the stops when it came to special effects. Critics and audiences ate it up, and the film raked in over $700 million at the box office. It also won seven Oscars. All that said, though, I do think the film is kind of overrated.
As I said, they did it up with special effects, and the movie was eye-catching. It feels like they should have at least spent some of that budget on the writing, though. The plot wasn’t very immersive, and there were definitely a few loopholes here and there. There are also some flat-out inaccuracies that fail to adhere to the basic laws of physics, like when Sandra Bullock’s tears poetically float off her face.
I know I’m probably going to get in trouble for saying this, but The Breakfast Club is overrated. You heard me. It’s gone down as a revered classic from John Hughes and essentially founded the teen movie genre as we know it today. I’m not denying that.
But what I am saying is that The Breakfast Club leaves a lot to be desired. I know that not all movies have to have some extraordinarily dramatic plot or lots of impressive explosions, but this movie is really bland. Five whiny kids stuck in detention together, learning how to be friends. Add to that the fact that all five teens featured in the movie are just shallow, basic stereotypes (the rebel, the athlete, the princess, etc.), and it just doesn’t live up to the hype that’s been attached to it.
You would think that three hours of excess and debauchery would make for an entertaining trip to the movie theater. Of course, you would also be wrong if those three hours of debauchery are in The Wolf of Wall Street. There’s something really strange in the way that the entire movie runs together as a massive slew of violence, drug use, nudity, and enough nonchalant abuse to make anyone uncomfortable.
Not a single character in the movie is likable or interesting, so there’s no one to root for. The main characters jump from one abuse to the next. The movie never addresses these scenes; it’s just back to business. There are so many cuss words and slurs in the movie that it feels like Scorsese didn’t hire any writers. To top it off, I can’t even figure out what the climax of the movie is supposed to be.
The highest-grossing film of 2013, Frozen was all the rage when it came out. It was everywhere. You couldn’t go anywhere, turn on a tv, or listen to the radio without getting bombarded. And if we’re being honest, fans just haven’t been able to “Let It Go” since. It’s a massively successful franchise, and people are still head over heels for the animated princess flick.
It’s not exactly bad, and there’s a reason why the well-composed soundtrack gets stuck in your head. The animation is what you would expect from a Disney princess movie. But don’t you think Frozen might be a little overrated? The plot is pretty nonsensical, and there’s only so much a talking snowman can do to keep it engaging.
Originally, Elsa was the Snow Queen, an evil supervillain with an army of snow monsters to attack the heroes. That probably could have jazzed up the movie a bit more.
Let’s be completely honest here. The Notebook was so overhyped that it was ridiculous. It’s like the ultimate romantic chick flick, and no one would stop talking about it. In fact, it was talked about so much that I didn’t even bother watching it at the time – simply because I was already tired of it before I ever got to see it.
I did eventually watch The Notebook and was wholly unimpressed. It just didn’t live up to what I expected. I like the idea of it being set in the 1940s, but there’s nothing about Ryan Gosling or Rachel McAdams that invokes that vintage ‘40s feel. Plus, can we talk about how the “romantic” relationship feels more toxic and overbearing? I mean, it starts with him hanging from a Ferris wheel and threatening to commit suicide if she won’t go out with him.
I know that Pretty Woman has become an iconic ‘90s rom-com, but I don’t think it’s all it’s been hyped up to be. It probably gets a lot more credit thanks to nostalgia. Richard Gere and Julia Roberts starring in the flick probably helps, too.
Otherwise, it’s a really unbelievable story and feels more like a yuppie fantasy than anything else. A wildly successful man gets dumped by his girlfriend, so he hires a hooker (just for the company, right?) for a week, and they fall in love. The film really wants to be a Cinderella story about love transcending money, but instead, it feels like an obsession with status. I mean, Vivian only becomes a better person because she met a rich guy? What are we trying to say here?
Do you remember the commotion surrounding James Cameron’s Titanic back in the late ‘90s? It was wild. The epic film was the first to reach the billion-dollar mark at the box office. It held the title of the highest-grossing film of all time for years. People were buying knock-off “Heart of the Ocean” necklaces, and that Celine Dion song was playing so much that I had to stop listening to the radio.
Look, it’s a good movie. I’m not denying that. I saw Titanic while it was in movie theaters and a bunch more times after it came out on VHS – in that 2-tape set because the movie was so freakin’ long. I will even admit I dressed as Jack for Halloween that year. But it’s easy to look back and see that Titanic was definitely overhyped and overrated.
After The Greatest Showman hit movie theaters, I was hearing about it everywhere. People were gushing over how amazing it was, and it definitely inspired more than a few Halloween costumes. Audiences were fascinated by the showy costumes, dazzling performances, and great production value.
But once you move past the visual aspects of the film, things start getting a little less impressive. The film was widely criticized for its artistic license. The film was supposed to be a biopic about a real-life person who led a unique life. Instead, the movie was “loosely” based on P. T. Barnum and never really plunged into his complex, intriguing real-life story. In other words, it’s definitely visually dazzling, but the portrayal of Barnum was unrealistic, and the movie kind of glorified him when he was actually kind of a terrible person.
There is no denying that Avatar was one of the most technologically advanced movies at the time of its release, showing the world what great (and expensive) 3D movie design could do. It definitely upped the ante for every subsequent 3D movie. And it should, considering it had a massive budget of $237 million.
Sure, it looked visually stunning and downright unreal in IMAX theaters, but Avatar didn’t have a lot else to offer. Take out all the new technologies and groundbreaking visual effects, and there isn’t much left. The plot was cliché at best, and it was basically just a science fiction remake of Pocahontas.
Being overrated didn’t stop Avatar from being a box-office success, though. And it didn’t stop James Cameron from coming back and making two sequels.
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