It’s a fact of life that opinions change as easily as the wind. This rings true with movies as well. There have been several movies that I’ve seen in the past few years that I liked well enough at first, but that I’ve either liked more or, more often, I’ve liked less.
While this may seem like a weird thing for a film critic to experience, it’s perfectly normal; opinions change, sentiments change, and one film may stand the test of time better than another.
With this in mind, I want to take a look at some of the films that I’ve changed my mind about over the years. If I happen to have a review of the film in question, I’ll provide a link to the original review, and I may provide an updated Sack Score while I’m at it. So without further ado, here are some films I’ve changed my mind about.
Man of Steel
This won’t be the last DCEU movie on this list. I was born long after the Christopher Reeve Superman films came and went from theaters, and I wasn’t interested in superheroes when Brandon Routh flew onto the big screen as Kal-El in Superman Returns. As a result, 2013’s Man of Steel was the first Superman film I saw in theaters. At the time, I thought it was an enjoyable film that updated the classic Superman origin story for a modern audience. I thought that Henry Cavill portrayed Clark Kent well, and I found the scene in which he figures out how to fly to be an exhilarating sequence that captured what it would feel and look like if you suddenly discovered you could fly. As I’ve gotten further away from my initial viewing of Man of Steel, I’ve found that the film is just … okay. It’s not terrible, but it’s not amazing either. The film can feel a little self-important at times, and its more realistic approach to Superman can be somewhat disheartening. I still enjoy aspects of it, especially since it’s the first Superman film that I ever saw in on the silver screen, but Man of Steel is a film that I’ve definitely changed my mind about.
Batman: The Killing Joke
When I reviewed this film on my Facebook page, I said it was good … when it stuck to the original source material. But as I’ve gotten further away from my first and only viewing, I start to wonder more and more why the filmmakers felt the need to peg a lengthy Batgirl-centric prologue before getting into the story that fans are so familiar with and passionate for. It’s a problematic opening from a storytelling standpoint and from a character standpoint for Batgirl, but if it had been reworked in a few key areas, it could have led into the original storyline a lot better. Of course, it’s always a joy to hear Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill back in their iconic roles as the Caped Crusader and the Clown Prince of Crime, respectively, and Tara Strong back as Barbara Gordon/Batgirl is a pleasure. But I feel like this film could have benefitted from two alternate scenarios. First, instead of being a feature-length film, make it a short film, 45 minutes at the most, that just covers the original graphic novel. Or, second, have the Batgirl prologue be shorter, or at least reworked from what it was. Batman: The Killing Joke is a story that fans always wanted to see Mark Hamill sink his teeth into; for that alone, I still like this film. But the criticisms against this movie, from its bloated runtime to that gratuitous rooftop scene between mentor and protégée (you know the one), are no laughing matter.
X-Men: Apocalypse
The rebooted X-Men series began strongly with X-Men: First Class, and continued to grow with X-Men: Days of Future Past, but according to most audiences, all of that ground to a halt with X-Men: Apocalypse in 2016. But … I kinda liked it … when I saw it. Much like Man of Steel was my first time seeing Superman on the big screen, Apocalypse was my first time seeing the X-Men films in theaters. The things that I liked in this movie were the same things I had liked in all the others; the dynamic between Professor X and Magneto, Magneto’s tragic past and continually tragic present, and seeing all of these mutants coming together and using their powers in visually interesting ways. But there’s now a certain … je ne sais quoi … that prevents me from speaking about this film fondly. Upon reflection, the villain Apocalypse (Oscar Isaac) was interesting at first, and then devolves into the classic trope of “villain opines about how everyone else is beneath him and only he can destroy and rebuild the world,” which makes him less of a compelling villain than he should have been. While Magneto’s story is as compelling here as it is in any other X-Men movie, and the use of mutant powers is just as fun and exciting, X-Men Apocalypse is probably not a movie in the X-Men universe that I’m going to revisit any time soon.
Suicide Squad
Back in the day, like the first few weeks after I saw this film, I liked Suicide Squad probably a bit more than the average moviegoer. I liked Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn, Will Smith’s Deadshot, and I even appreciated Cara Delevingne’s Enchantress and the fact that her character introduced straight-up magic as a threat in the DCEU. I even briefly liked Jared Leto as the Joker before remembering that there are at least four actors who have brought the character to life better (my top 4, from 4 to 1, are Monaghan, Nicholson, Ledger, and the aforementioned Hamill). The movie, upon reflection, also feels disjointed, darting back and forth between gritty action movie and the cheesiness that comes from battling a faceless CGI army. I am still looking forward to Margot Robbie’s return to the role of Harleen Quinzel in next year’s Birds of Prey, and I’m interested in what James Gunn will be able to do in Suicide Squad 2, but the original Suicide Squad is one of those movies that I now find myself liking and disliking in equal measures.
Justice League
This is the last DCEU film on this list. I enjoyed this film despite being clunky, but now that clunkiness makes it more difficult to sit through. From the disjointed first half to the boring CGI villain to the CGI used to remove Henry Cavill’s mustache, there are numerous problems with this film that continue to rear their ugly heads whenever I think about this movie. But I also have to acknowledge the parts of the movie that work; Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman continues to be the best part of the DCEU in general, and Ezra Miller as The Flash is enjoyably quirky. In addition, the way the fight scenes were choreographed made for fun viewing. One moment that continues to stand out to me is when the Flash is attempting to outflank a newly-resurrected and enraged Superman; the way the special effects team made super speed look was great enough, but to see Clark’s eye slowly track Barry Allen was a great nod to the fact that in the comics, the only person who can approach Flash’s speed is Superman. I gave this film a 7/10 originally, but I think I have to drop it down to a Sack Score of 6/10. Still enjoyable, just not as enjoyable on repeat viewings.
The Lion King (2019)
My thoughts about this movie are what inspired me to write this article in the first place. In my review a few months ago, I claimed that the 2019 remake of my favorite film of all time was enjoyable enough. But, as I’ve gone over some of the weaker elements of the film in my head, I’ve found myself liking it less and less. It may stem from my love of the original film, or maybe I was just in a bad mood when I saw the 2019 film; regardless, while I gave the film a Sack Score of 6/10 originally, I feel like I would now give it something like a 5/10. And that number may continue to go down. As I said before, it’s not a bad film per say, but its reliance on a far superior movie, a movie that, as I’ve stated ad nauseam on this site and in my real life, is my favorite film of all time, makes it lazy and repetitive. I’m also a bit bitter that this 2019 remake has become the highest-grossing animated film of all time, meaning that all of the advertisements claiming that this was a “live-action” film were entirely pointless. And if the idea of a live-action Lion King was rendered utterly pointless, then the question has to be asked: why update it at all (aside from the financial reasons)? It’s not the worst film to show to kids, but the “live-action” 2019 adaptation of The Lion King has yet to find its place in the Circle of Life.
Final thoughts
So what does this say about film criticism? And what does it say about me? Does it say that film criticism is a dying art form that should be abandoned in a world that has so many cinematic experiences to offer? Does it mean that I flip-flop on movies more than a flip-flop wearing a pair of flip-flops on the way to the flip-flop store? Not at all. True, my opinions have changed about movies, but that’s not unique to me or to any other film critics; as I get older, and as I get further away from my initial viewings of certain films, my views and opinions can develop and evolve. Usually that means that I see more of a film’s flaws, but it can also mean that I can see more of the things that made me like the film in the first place. I know this piece mostly turned into a rundown of films that I like less than when I saw them the first time, but it’s important to note that while I may not like these films as much anymore, I still, at least, like aspects of them. You can still like something or like parts of something while acknowledging that your enthusiasm for that thing has died down. Maybe I’ll look at these movies again in the future and my mind will change yet again. Maybe I’ll just mull them over a bit and my mind will change that way. Regardless, it would be silly and just a little arrogant for me to say that my opinions on films can’t change, and it’s probably healthier to acknowledge that just because I felt one way about a movie at first, it doesn’t mean I’ll feel the same way later on. In the words of the late great Roger Ebert, I’ll see you at the movies.