There are a lot of times where a film is either universally despised or beloved, but sometimes a movie seems to make its way to the in-between where some are either praising it or tearing it down. These differences of opinion are usually seen in the crossfire between devoted fans of the source material and film critics.
HBO Max has quite the lineup of films, from iconic nostalgia-core picks to the latest blockbuster releases. Amongst these films are at least a handful of polarizing movies that audiences have either fawned over or despised.
10 Fantastic Beasts Is An Unfamiliar Piece Of Nostalgia
For fans of the Harry Potter universe, the release of Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them was highly anticipated. Fans and casual viewers alike are given a chance to return to the Wizarding World, now filled with new faces. A charming film, Fantastic Beasts follows Newt Scamander as he gathers a few magical (and muggle) friends to help him round up his magical creatures.
However, Fantastic Beasts doesn't carry the same Harry Potter atmosphere that even those unfamiliar with the wizarding world were expecting. Perhaps because of its simultaneous prequel and spin-off nature, Fantastic Beasts felt a far cry from the beloved and magical parts of the original Harry Potter series.
9 The Mummy Is A Balancing Act Between Humor And Horror
In the late '90s, Stephen Sommers dropped his remake of a 1932 classic, The Mummy. The Mummy opened as a golden-hued version of Ancient Egypt. Budding computer animation software and talented makeup artists gave audiences a hyper-realistic idea of what an undead mummy would look like.
Woven into the terrifying appearances of Imhotep and skin burrowing beetles, Brendan Fraser and other characters provided quick-witted comebacks and comedic relief. The Mummy was too goofy and didn't take itself seriously enough to win the praises of critics. However, devoted audiences still speak highly of 1999's iconic The Mummy.
8 The Last Duel Blurs The Line Between Point Of View And Truth
Ridley Scott's addition to the historical drama genre, The Last Duel, was released quietly to theaters. The Last Duel is a medieval retelling of a sexual assault crime from the perspective of three different characters. The Last Duel has been either well-received by some or disapproved by others, and understandably so.
The story insists on letting viewers decide the truth to the incident, making them jurors. This may have been done with good intentions, as it reflects society's handle on sexual violence today. However, the result feels like a loss of a serious narrative.
7 Tenet Is Either An Abstract Masterpiece Or Far Too Confusing
The intense and sweeping scores that Ludwig Goransson gave fans in Tenet were top of the line, but that may not have been enough to keep audiences engaged in the movie's plot. Christopher Nolan's stunning take on time travel, or rather time alteration, is the core reason that viewers are kept on the edge of their seats while John David Washington is fighting off the bad guys in reverse. Though the lengthy runtime may be the reason for some to stray away from the action-heavy Tenet, its heaviest criticism is the confusing plot and the hard-to-follow characters.
6 Joker Tries To Make Viewers Fall For The Villain
Todd Phillips and Scott Silver's Joker impressed and horrified audiences with Joaquin Phoenix's remarkable performance and the dark subject matter involved.
Joker is a profoundly dark and severe depiction of someone living with a mental health condition that spirals out of control, reflecting the Joker's descent to madness and villainy. Some audiences found themselves feeling sorry for and sympathizing with Arthur Fleck, finally understanding his role in the Batman mythos. Others, however, still couldn't get behind the Joker.
5 The Hobbit Wasn't Enough For Long-Time Fans Of The Lord Of The Rings
Fans of The Lord Of The Rings had been waiting for a return to The Shire for almost ten years. However, what should have been a highlight of Bilbo Baggins' journey rubbed some the wrong way. Though the first in this prequel trilogy was exciting for some and disappointing for others, Peter Jackson gave audiences a much-needed nostalgia trip to his previous Tolkien-versed world.
From the unnecessary inclusion of characters to heavy reliance on CGI, the drawn-out storytelling of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey provides fans with a love/hate relationship with the prequel series.
4 Malignant Was Campy, But Not Hair-Raising
For Malignant, James Wan was inspired to return to his inspirational roots and create a blend of horror that some may not be familiar with. Some horror fans think the campy style of horror is laughable.
The opening scene sees two doctors treating a psychiatric patient called Gabriel, who has special powers. The plot then follows Madison, a young woman who realizes her murderous visions are happening in real life. When viewers come to learn that Gabriel was more attached to Madison than they expected, Malignant became more campy than bone-chilling. Fans couldn't decide whether the constant twist and turns in Malignant were genius or ridiculous.
3 Nightmare Alley Divided Fans
Even long devoted fans of Guillermo del Toro's work may not have loved Nightmare Alley, which does well in reclaiming the noir genre. Nightmare Alley is a remake of a 1947 version of the same name, which was directed by Edmund Goulding. While Guillermo del Toro is known for his originality, critics thought this remake was less hard-hitting than the 1947 version of Nightmare Alley.
An otherwise pulpy noir thriller, one particular problem in the dramatic story that visually nods to classics of the past is the lack of fantastical elements that typically come hand-in-hand with Guillermo del Toro.
2 The Lost World Isn't The Worst Jurassic Park Film But It Isn't Necessarily Good
The Lost World: Jurassic Park is one of the most forgotten parts in the series, but truly not the worst. Structurally, the lack of attention to character motives and the addition of new dinosaurs loses the strength of the plot, but The Lost World was a fun journey nonetheless.
The inclusion of Jeff Goldblum's Dr. Malcolm gave The Lost World just enough fuel to retain the feel of its predecessor. However, The Lost World has only gained a rating of 5.64/10 on Rotten Tomatoes, and it wasn't considered compelling.
1 Mortal Kombat Was More Violent Than Players Remember
Since the last live-action Mortal Kombat film was released, fans of the video games had been particularly excited for the 2021 film to be released to HBO Max subscribers. For some, 2021's Mortal Kombat was a welcome revival of the franchise, but the film only managed a score of 5.5/10 on Rotten Tomatoes.
The excessively bloody visuals of Mortal Kombat may be what most audience members found problematic. Mortal Kombat is a violent game, but seeing that violence further glorified in 4k may be too much.