Summary
While many iconicmoviesimpress thanks to a combination of intelligence and ambition, such qualities can also be detrimental. In some cases, a movie might set out to make a nuanced point through unorthodox or provocative storytelling and fail to resonate in the way that was intended. Although this often leads to poor responses from critics and audiences, sometimes it’s simply that the film is completely misinterpreted despite, on the surface at least, still managing to achieve a measure of success.
Some otherwiseintelligent moviesfail because their central premise becomes too convoluted to follow, or the story translates poorly to cinema. Others are frustrated because their legacy is either willfully or accidentally misunderstood, with the majority of viewers failing to recognize the deeper subtext of the story and taking its lessons at face value. Whatever the reason a clever movie fails, the end result is inevitably frustrating for the artists behind the project, whose original vision inevitably becomes lost in the misguided commentary. Here are some examples of films that, with hindsight, suffered because of their cleverness.
10 Great Movies That Were Misunderstood Upon Release
These movies weren’t what audiences expected, or they were too ahead of their time, but given space, it is clear they were misunderstood gems.
By many metrics,The Last Jediwas a huge success. The movie made an impressive $1.3 billion at the global box office and achieved critical acclaim, securing a 91% positive review rating on the review aggregatorRotten Tomatoes. And yet, despite these impressive statistics,The Last Jediremains one of themost polarizing entries in the entireStar Warscanon. The reason for this is almost entirely due to itsbold decision to rewrite the series status quo– challenging convention and ultimately proving too clever for its own good for many audience members.
In a transgressive step,The Last Jedireimagined the previously heroic Luke Skywalker as a curmudgeonly and disillusioned hermit – a far cry from the hopeful figure that had defined the original trilogy. The movie also reveled in unpredictability, killing off the presumed main villain Snoke, and revealing that Rey’s parentage was insignificant.These decisions were a radical direction for the franchise. However, despite being a clever concept, the antipathy that many feel towardsThe Last Jedihighlights how double-edged such ambition can be.
Transcendence
Cast
Johnny Depp stars in the sci-fi thriller Transcendence as Dr. Will Caster, a scientist who’s working on creating an AI supercomputer that can surpass human intelligence. Morgan Freeman, Rebecca Hall, and Cillian Murphy co-star in the 2014 movie directed by acclaimed cinematographer Wally Pfister.
Despite boasting a talented cast, a legendary visual stylist in first-time-director Wally Pfister, and one of the most sought-after scripts in Hollywood,Transcendencebecame a classic modern example of a movie that is too clever for its own good. The film’s story, which concerned artificial intelligence, human sentience, and where the line between humanity and machine can be drawn, has arguably only become more prescient. Yet all these elements ultimately proved too weighty to be handled in one 119-minute movie.
Transcendencewas heavily criticizedfor failing to adequately explain its central premise of a human mind becoming uploaded to combine with technology – a key detail that required incredible generosity from the audience. Other critics highlighted problems with the dialogue and the film’s inability to make its story a more universal parable about the human condition. As the rise of AI has proved,Transcendencecertainly attempted to tackle some prescient topics. The execution, however, was lacking.
A film that highlights the often deep divide between critics and audiences,Ad Astraarguably suffered from poor expectation management. A slow-burn, cerebral sci-fi that was as much about contemplating the importance of family in the cold dark of space as it was about explosive action, the movie attempted to incorporate existential themes about the human experience alongside incredibly realistic space travel sequences. Unfortunately, this combination failed to endear it to the paying public.
…Ad Astrawas criticized by many viewers for its deliberate pacing and emphasis on impressive visuals over dynamism.
After a trailer that emphasized action,Ad Astrawas criticized by many viewers for its deliberate pacing and emphasis on impressive visuals over dynamism.This disappointment is highlighted by the movie’s different critical and audience Rotten Tomatoes scores, registering 83% among critics and just 40% among general viewers. The discrepancy demonstrates how the film’s attempt at emotional depth were not necessarily what audiences wanted from a $100 million Brad Pitt blockbuster.
Celebrated by critics and even heralded by French newspaperLe Mondeas “a masterpiece”,High Lifeis one of themost ambitious and challenging sci-fi horrorsof the past decade. As cerebral as it is visceral,the movie follows a criminal crew of a spaceship on a mission to extract energy from a black hole. However, while it owes a debt to previous genre works like2001: A Space OdysseyandSunshine, its complex approach to the premise proved too much for some viewers.
Not only does the morally complex story follow a disarming, non-linear structure, but the movie eschews traditional horror tropes like jump scares in favor of atmospheric tension. This approach did not work for many viewers,resulting in a highly polarized Rotten Tomatoes score of 82% among critics and 42% for general audiences.Coupled with the fact thatHigh Lifefailed at the box office, it’s clear that the movie fell victim to its unorthodoxy.
Tenet
Armed with only one word—Tenet—and fighting for the survival of the entire world, a nameless Protagonist journeys through a twilight world of international espionage on a mission that will unfold in something beyond real time.
As a filmmaker,Christopher Nolan is notorious for his thought-provoking and non-traditional narrative approach.Mementofamously plays in reverse, while projects likeThe PrestigeandInceptionchallenge the audience’s understanding of what is and isn’t real. While these releases are generally considered to be successes, however,Tenet’s reputation is more mixed.
The time-traveling spy thriller pairs John David Washington’s mysterious “Protagonist” with Robert Pattinson, and follows a complex story of time manipulation The visuals are undoutedly spectacular, but many critics and viewers felt thatTenetbecame too bogged down in its multiple timelines, confusing characterization, and tangled narrative. Although many found it a rewarding intellectual exercise,Tenetfailed to replicate the critical acclaimof Nolan’s previous releases – a testament to its misguided intelligence.
One of the most celebrated and beloved sci-fi action blockbusters of all time,The Matrix’s problems have nothing to do with its reputation and box office success. With both critics and the paying public, the movie had a massive impact, pushing technological and storytelling boundaries and helping redefine an entire subgenre of filmmaking. In the years since its release, however, it’s clear that the film’s message about authoritarianism has not only been misunderstood, but increasingly weaponized to advocate the very causes it was arguing against.
The Matrix’s “red pill” metaphor, in particular, has become a hot topic in modern political discourse. Right-wingers often use the image as a byword for understanding perceived system biases against their belief system, while those on the left likewise use it to describe someone who has fallen down a conspiratorial rabbit hole. In fact,both interpretations arguably miss the central point of the device, which has subsequently been confirmed as one of many subtle allusions to transgenderism inThe Matrix– a thesis confirmed by none other than co-director Lily Wachowski (viaThe Independent).
Like many ofMatt Stone and Trey Parker’s projects,Team America: World Policeis simultaneously reviled and revered for its uncompromisingly irreverent comedy. Gags in the film take aim at everyone from Hollywood liberals to Kim Jong-Il and everyone in between. Yet despite this take-no-prisoners approach, it is arguablyTeam America’s liberal critique that has resonated more deeply down the years– despite the filmmakers' intention.
As a satire that takes no prisoners from either camp, it’s interesting to see howTeam America’s message has been warped by both sides to suit their own agenda.
Particularly telling is thatTeam Americawas ranked highly inNational Review Online’s list of “Best Conservative Movies”. This interpretation deliberatelyemphasizes the movie’s excoriating take on perceived hypocritical and ineffective celebrity activism, while willfully ignoring the movie’s equally clear critique of America’s role in the War on Terror. As a satire that takes no prisoners from either camp, it’s interesting to see howTeam America’s message has been warped by both sides to suit their own agenda.
The Wolf of Wall Street
The Wolf of Wall Street, released in 2013, is a biographical crime drama directed by Martin Scorsese. The film follows New York stockbroker Jordan Belfort, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, as he becomes embroiled in a high-stakes securities fraud case involving Wall Street corruption and organized crime connections.
Arguments over Martin Scorsese’s biographical epic can essentially be boiled down to a split between those who feel the film venerates its protagonist, versus those who believe it criticizes him. On one level, it’s easy to see why some would critique the film since it revels in the debauchery of its characters and their amorality and even features a cameo from the real Jordan Belfort at the end. This, however,ignores the movie’s equally unflinching portrayal of his reprehensibility.
Despite the veneer of glamor,Belfort is unquestionably the villain ofThe Wolf of Wall Street.Not only is his criminality and misogyny on full display throughout, but the movie culminates in a dark look at the truth of his character – showing him viciously attacking his wife and kidnapping their child. Nevertheless, the fact that this message has so clearly become lost, to the point where Belfort’s villainy is even up for debate, suggests thatThe Wolf of Wall Streetwas perhaps too subtle in its signaling.
One of the most controversial and talked-about movies of the 1990s,Fight Clubis also one of the decade’smost misunderstood movie projects. The story, based on Chuck Palahniuk’s novel, is aslyly subversive tale of civil disobedience, uncertain masculinity, and a rejection of commercial consumption. Yet despite, these wide-ranging themes, much ofFight Club’s subtlety has become lost through surface interpretation.
Considering that the film is a metaphor for society’s struggles, rather than an explicit call to arms, (the) reaction highlights howFight Clubhas been misinterpreted by many of its fans.
In a clear sign that many viewers failed to recognize the underlying messages at the heart of the film, one of the most shocking effects of its aftermath wasthe rise of real “fight clubs” across America. There were also dozens of reported copycat crimes reportedly inspired by the movie’s Project Mayhem plot, including a bomb detonated outside a Starbucks. Considering that the film is a metaphor for society’s struggles, rather than an explicit call to arms, this reaction highlights howFight Clubhas been misinterpreted by many of its fans.
Although the film seems to be a mindlessly violent sci-fi war movie,Starship Troopersis actually one of the most savage political satires ever made. On one level, the movie is a tongue-in-cheek critique of fascist authoritarianism, using the imagery and iconography of Nazism to explore how propaganda can be used to control a population. Beyond this surface message, however, is an even more subtle message.
Starship Troopersis not just a critique of past authoritarian regimes, but a prescient warning to modern America. The movie’s send-up of tropes like the high-school jock and unquestioning patriotism holds a mirror to many of the United States' most easily abused characteristics. Released before the war in Iraq,Starship Troopersnow seems incredibly relevant, given its themes of propaganda and xenophobia. Much of this depth was lost by audiences in the bug-on-human carnage. Yet this doesn’t change the fact thatStarship Troopersis a much more intelligentmoviethan many gave it credit for.
