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8 Disappointing Movies That Should Have Been Great

Is there anything worse than being disappointed by a movie? Think of the ones you waited patiently and eagerly for, only to discover that everything you imagined in your head hadn't made it up onto the screen. Like, at all. There are certain movies that had the odds weighed against them from the very start, and we're not going to be dealing with those here: think George Lucas territory, what with The Phantom Menace and Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. You willed them to be amazing, of course, but you knew the chances of success were on the lower end of the spectrum: in those cases, George Lucas is a generally lousy filmmaker, and the hype machine was in maximum overdrive.

4) Killing Them Softly (2012) (Dir. Andrew Dominik)

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What We Thought Before: A modern gangster pic with Brad Pitt taking the inspired lead as a charismatic mob fixer. What’s not to like? And with Andrew Dominik – who made the brilliant The Assassination of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford – behind the camera, this thing is sure to knock it outta the park.

What We Got: Though it’s beautifully shot and acted, the film never comes together after the first hour, and insists on ham-fisted political intercuts that don’t fit with the material as seamlessly as the director thinks they do. There’s also a lack of drama, given that Pitt’s character is never required to exhume much energy. Ultimately, it’s a little dull and a little boring, especially when the characters seem to talk and talk and said scenes seem to go on and on and on. The plot, too, is extremely slight.

What They Should Have Done: Got rid of the unnecessary political avenue and emphasized the film’s inherent Martin Scorseseness. Cut down some of the longer scenes that have you checking your watch.

Redeeming Features: A spectacular opening twenty minutes, with a seriously tense and well-executed heist sequence. There were some great comic moments, too, though few and far between.

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