Kingdom #1 on Total Film 50 most disappointing list

Toht's Arm

Active member
More disappointing than Episode I? That's craziness. Perhaps it's because KotCS is fresher in everyone's mind than Phantom Menace...
 

Dr.Jonesy

Well-known member
I've said it elsewhere and I'll say it again; the list sucks. It looks like it was compiled by fanboys to cater to internet fanboys, and I was not the first to say this. It's a sentiment I see elsewhere. Besides, a good portion of these films...did anyone expect 'Sex and the City II' to be some great film? Anyone want to mention to the guy who made the list that there are films that existed AND disappointed before 1997? If 'Kingdom' is on that list, then 'Temple of Doom' should be right there with it as far as I'm concerned. Not that I'd want either there of course.

I'm not the only one saying this. If I look at the comments over at DarkHorizons.com or elsewhere, alot of people aren't happy with the list either and the comments that mention Indy are defending it and asking why it's on there and it's quite nice to see even internet commentators defending Indy. So I'm not alone on there. Neither am I alone on the notion that most people/critics really liked the film and that Indy is only on there because of a vocal minority of internet fanboys who nonstop complain, as I've seen that said alot when people responded to that list and TotalFilm's older list that came out awhile back. Alot of people are saying this. The guys on IndyCast last week said that perfectly about those that make a big stink about things.

I'm just glad to see people defending KOTCS and being agitated that it's on the list period, along with Kill Bill Vol. II and Eyes Wide Shut. Even if I hated KOTCS, I'd be saying the same thing I am now because I'd know that the data, evidence, reviews, polls and the opinions of those I know/have talked to points to the consensus being very positively favorable to KOTCS.

How 'Phantom Menace' can be beaten by ANYTHING is beyond my comprehension. This list is supposed to be of 'all time'. Nothing it has on there suggests that's what it's for.

Ladies and Gentlemen, the #1 Most Disappointing Film of All Time;

-RottenTomatoes Score; 77%/User Score of 3.5 - .4 points less than 'Batman Begins'.
-Cannes Film Festival = Standing Ovation
-MovieWeb Fan/Critic Accumulated score; 82% and a 3.8 "Great" score.
-CinemaScore= B+ average
-MetaCritic Score - 65 (4 Pts less than acclaimed Avengers)
-Yahoo! Movies User Score - 4/5 Stars
-BoxOfficeMojo Surveys; 41% gave it an A, 37%; B. Compared to Temple of Doom's 37% A ratings, with each film; having the same number of votes, relatively.
-Fandango Critic/Fan Accumulated Scores of Hundreds of Votes/Reviews = Go!
-Empire Magazine's Top 500 Films of All Time VOTED IN
-AintItCoolNews.com bloggers gave it glowing reviews.
-Fandango Users/Critics Rated it 'Go Now!
-Entertainment Weekly Review A-
-NY Times Review- A
-ComingSoon.net reviews = 8/10 and 7/10
-IMDB Voters - Voted 7 or above majority
-Billboard Review- B
-Saturday; Evening Post; - A
-Roger Ebert - 3/4 Stars
-Most Watched Film on TV - 2009/2010
-Top 3 DVD sales - 2008/09
-ComCast Cable Score - 3 out of 4 Stars
-SlashFilmSurvey; 254,356 polled, 83% voted 'loved it'.
-Every poll on the largest Indy-Forum gave the film high marks in a huge majority.
-IndyPodCast - Reviews - 86.5% Positive from Listeners
-78% Voted Good to Excellent/Perfect at TheRaven.net forums. Over 200 voters.
-Stephen Jared and Michael French of TheRaider.Net gave the film high marks.
-'Kingdom' got high marks on the ClubObiWan.com forums; the second most active Indiana Jones Forum.


Wow...Ouch, huh? I mean, with stats like these it's no wonder it's the most disappointing one of all time! Wait a tick...
:eek:

http://www.darkhorizons.com/news/24779/indy-4-star-wars-ep1-are-biggest-letdowns
Check out the top comments and the ones that mention Indy. Enough said.

End rant.
:p

 
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Looks to me like Total Film had greater respect for Raiders & Co than the others.

That and an expectation that Spielberg / Ford would have been able or willing to trump Lucas' Millenium Schmaltz.

George Lucas: "It's just another period adventure movie with this wacky archaeologist...":rolleyes:

I'd have to say it was more disappointing. JarJar was almost inevitable after he replaced Wookies with Ewoks.
 

Lance Quazar

Well-known member
#1? Maybe that's a stretch. But it's definitely in the top 3.

The films on the list are good choices, but the order leaves much to be desired. "Prometheus" should be in the top 5 easily.
 

Moedred

Administrator
Staff member
Here's the list:

50. The Tourist (2010)
49. Congo (1995)
48. Shrek The Third (2007)
47. Speed Racer (2008)
46. The Lovely Bones (2009)
45. The Lady In The Water (2006)
44. The Avengers (1998)
43. Ghostbusters 2 (1989)
42. Alexander (2004)
41. Public Enemies (2009)
40. Jennifer's Body (2009)
39. The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003)
38. Sex And The City 2 (2010)
37. Once Upon A Time In Mexico (2004)
36. Pirates Of The Caribbean: At World's End (2007)
35. The Day After Tomorrow (2004)
34. Alice In Wonderland (2010)
33. Vanilla Sky (2001)
32. Catwoman (2004)
31. The Spirit (2008)
30. X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)
29. The League of Gentlemen's Apocalypse (2005)
28. Hulk (2003)
27. Miami Vice (2006)
26. Godzilla (1998)
25. Southland Tales (2006)
24. Jersey Girl (2004)
23. Prometheus (2012)
22. Iron Man 2 (2010)
21. Kill Bill Part 2 (2004)
20. Troy (2004)
19. Batman and Robin (1997)
18. Alien 3 (1992)
17. Planet Of The Apes (2001)
16. The Golden Compass (2007)
15. Fantastic Four (2005)
14. Quantum Of Solace (2009)
13. Green Lantern (2011)
12. Terminator Salvation (2009)
11. Eyes Wide Shut (1999)
10. Ocean's 12 (2004)
9. The Matrix Revolutions (2003)
8. Superman Returns (2006)
7. Sucker Punch (2011)
6. The Hangover Part 2 (2011)
5. Spider-Man 3 (2007)
4. The Godfather Part 3 (1990)
3. X-Men: The Last Stand (2006)
2. Star Wars: Episode One - The Phantom Menace (2001)
1. Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull (2008)
 

Crack that whip

New member
2. Star Wars: Episode One - The Phantom Menace (2001)

Someone needs to tell them Star Wars - Episode I: The Phantom Menace came out in 1999, not 2001 (and the "1" in the title is a Roman numeral, not the spelled-out word).
 

Dr. Gonzo

New member
Lance Quazar said:
#1? Maybe that's a stretch. But it's definitely in the top 3.

The films on the list are good choices, but the order leaves much to be desired.

I'm with you. The films on the list for the most part should be there, but their order is a bit off.
 

Stoo

Well-known member
Anyone (like Dr.Jonesy) who gets upset over a list like this means that they are either very young, very ignorant or very naive.:rolleyes:

---
Dr. Jonesy should also reconsider how he uses the "fanboy" term.:rolleyes:
 
My my, what a list. In context it's hard to take seriously...

To be disappointed there had to be expectations and I find it hard to believe that anyone could have been let down by "40. Jennifer's Body (2009)"...

There are others on the list which prompt the same question but who cares?

Stoo said:
Dr. Jonesy should also reconsider how he uses the "fanboy" term.:rolleyes:
What's a fanboy?
 

Lance Quazar

Well-known member
Rocket Surgeon said:
My my, what a list. In context it's hard to take seriously...

To be disappointed there had to be expectations and I find it hard to believe that anyone could have been let down by "40. Jennifer's Body (2009)"...

Not every item on the list can (or should) be a disappointing sequel or remake.

There are plenty of cases where affection for a particular filmmaker leads to high expectations.

"Jennifer's Body" was written by Diablo Cody of "Juno" fame. Juno was a big hit, garnering Cody an Oscar, and developed a passionate following.

Many people were looking forward to what self-professed pop culture junkie Cody would do within the conventions of the horror genre and were decidedly disappointed with the results.

Those "other items" on the list were similar. "Eyes Wide Shut" was a notable misfire in the otherwise utterly brilliant career of the legendary Stanley Kubrick, for instance.

For my money, I'm shocked "Cars" isn't on the list. While I think the movie is not as bad as many claim, it definitely was a step down from the previously sterling Pixar brand. And, with the shameless cash grab "Cars 2" and the disappointing "Brave", was, unfortunately, a harbinger of things to come.
 

Stoo

Well-known member
Rocket Surgeon said:
What's a fanboy?
This is a burning question that I've always wanted to solve...but found the answer by accident: Fanboy = Dr. Jonesy!:D

---
Regarding the list: I haven't looked at it (nor do I care to)...but *IF* it doesn't refer to anything before 1997 (as Fanboy Jonesy reported) then this "disappointing films of all time" business is absolute bullsh*t.(n)
Lance Quazar said:
Not every item on the list can (or should) be a disappointing sequel or remake.
Which is exactly why nobody should bother paying any attention to these type of lists.:rolleyes:
 
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Dr. Gonzo

New member
Stoo said:
Regarding the list: I haven't looked at it (nor do I care to)...but *IF* it doesn't refer to anything before 1997 (as Fanboy Jonesy reported) then this "disappointing films of all time" business is absolute bullsh*t.(n)

I'm pretty sure The Godfather Part III was before 1997, in fact 1990.

I'd be curious to see a disappointing films list from you Stoo since you have a love for films dating back into to beginnings of cinema.
 
Lance Quazar said:
There are plenty of cases where affection for a particular filmmaker leads to high expectations.
Which is why I didn't balk at Eyes Wide Shut, I agree.

Lance Quazar said:
"Jennifer's Body" was written by Diablo Cody of "Juno" fame. Juno was a big hit, garnering Cody an Oscar, and developed a passionate following.
You've constructed a fine argument, unfortunately I don't believe any of those reasons merit inclusion on an "all time" list.

I was looking forward to what the self-professed "modern guide to movies" would do within the conventions of the all time lists genre and I continue to be decidedly disappointed with the results.:)

Except Crystal Skull...
 

Dr.Jonesy

Well-known member
Stoo said:
Anyone (like Dr.Jonesy) who gets upset over a list like this means that they are either very young, very ignorant or very naive.:rolleyes:

I'm not upset, just mildly peeved, that's all. I put forth my argument to dismiss that it shouldn't be placed on the list, at least not so highly that was that.

Stoo said:
This is a burning question that I've always wanted to solve...but found the answer by accident: Fanboy = Dr. Jonesy

How am I a 'fanboy'? I openly criticize each Indiana Jones film, I don't own one piece of merchandise, and I never went to see an Indy film more than once or twice. Or any film in a franchise for that matter. There are two types of fanboys; ones that collect stuff and critique nothing and then there's fanboys who hate everything and nitpick. I don't fit into either categories.

All this coming from the guy who avidly hates the Chris Nolan Batman franchise and their fans. Fanboys complain about other franchises; isn't this what you usually do?

If the few posters left here on TheRaven can say it deserves to be there, why can't I say it doesn't? Doesn't make me a fanboy in the negative term for saying so. If this were a couple of years ago, I'd be far from the only one saying what I have.

I'm a fan, that's it. I find it ironic since you're also on a forum for the same subject with 6,500 posts you're calling me the fanboy. Get off my case, sir.
 
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Moedred

Administrator
Staff member
Diablo Cody should have learned from Shyamalan how to stay off the list:

ImageNightShy-thumb-550x312-42663.jpg


From a studio's perspective, terrible openings and unwanted prints sent back two weeks later constitute disappointment. Bad movies are forgotten. But something like Crystal Skull is remembered forever. Devin Faraci wrote, "I get pissed off about the movie now, looking back on it, not because the movie itself makes me angry or it ruins Indiana Jones for me, but just because it’s so ****ing middling, and I really, really expected something – terrible or great – from it." Terrible like Highlander 2, of which fans polled by Total Film apparently have no recollection.
 

Forbidden Eye

Well-known member
I think Eyes Wide Shut is pretty great and doesn't belong on the list, and proves how silly lists can be. In fact, I see the strong reputation of that film growing constantly and people putting it in a higher regard with each passing year, which isn't surprising. Both The Shiningand Full Metal Jacket were considered "disappointments" as well, only to be regarded as masterpieces as time passed.

As far as Indy 4 goes, I don't have a problem with those who found it disappointing(I find quite a few things in the 2nd half that could've been much improved with each viewing) but clearly Phantom Menace should've been #1. Even though many here(including myself) were far more excited for Indy 4 than the Star Wars prequels, the hype for Phantom Menace was really 2nd to none. The fact it turned out as silly as it did only made it more painful for a lot of people and gave people new expectations to how disappointing a movie could be. I guess we've gotten to a point where a lot of the kids from 1999 now enjoy Phantom Menace for nostalgic reasons and don't see the flaws(though RedLetterMedia helped).

Also, I found The Dark Knight Rises more disappointing than Prometheus.
 
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Dr.Jonesy

Well-known member
Forbidden Eye said:
As far as Indy 4 goes, I don't have a problem with those who found it disappointing(I find quite a few things in the 2nd half that could've been much improved with each viewing) but clearly Phantom Menace should've been #1. Even though many here(including myself) were far more excited for Indy 4 than the Star Wars prequels, the hype for Phantom Menace was really 2nd to none. The fact it turned out as silly as it did only made it more painful for a lot of people and gave people new expectations to how disappointing a movie could be.

Also, I found The Dark Knight Rises more disappointing than Prometheus.

I don't have any problems with people here finding Indy disappointing. It can be on the list and in the end it doesn't matter, but #1 is really stretching it beyond belief. And sure fans here were more hyped up for Indy, but that film fared quite well on here. And if the list or any list is for all time, it should have more than two or three films from before 2000. 'Temple of Doom' especially.

I worry that as great as TDKR is for me and the glowing reviews it's gotten from critics/fans, it'll inevitably wind up on these lists soon and in the coming years.

As far as I'm concerned, TPM can't be beat. That film has entire documentaries about how sad fans are 10 years on (I personally think that's pathetic if you ask me if you can't get over it 10 years on). :p

Although Stoo is on my nerves today, I'll have to side with him in that these lists don't matter, period.
:hat:
 

Dr. Gonzo

New member
Pale Horse said:
Where's "THE TWO JAKES"?
Yeah, Jack just couldn't hack.

Dr.Jonesy said:

I worry that as great as TDKR is for me and the glowing reviews it's gotten from critics/fans, it'll inevitably wind up on these lists soon and in the coming years.

The Dark Knight Rises was great? :confused:
 
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