An ensemble comedy that takes the all-star-few-jokes sketch formula of New Year's Eve and Valentine's Day, surgically removes the jokes and instead slaps its audience in the face with a rotten kipper, it's fair to say that Movie 43 has not made too many friends in the movie-reviewing community this weekend (read this piece on the Hollywood Reporter for an interesting look at how it came to be). Not that everyone railed against its loose gathering of poo-flinging and fartypants skits, or the face testicles it attaches to the lovely features of Mr Hugh Jackman, though. The Washington Post gave it a rave, and, having brought down Richard Nixon, they can usually spot a stinker. But Woodward and Bernstein were in the minority. Most reviewers took a rather less kindly approach, as this cacophony of criticism roundly attests.
"A terrifyingly spontaneous cry of comic obsolescence." Richard Brody, The New Yorker
If you mashed-up the worst bits of Howard The Duck, Gigli and Ishtar, it still wouldn't approach the soul-sucking badness of Movie 43… Being waterboarded might be more fun." New York Post, Lou Lumenick
"The screenplay might have been written over an all-night poker game bull session." Nick Pinkerton, The Village Voice
"Shouldn't be confused with a good movie." Tim Grierson, Screen Daily
"Was someone holding Kate Winslet's children hostage?" David Edelstein, New York Magazine
"The biggest waste of talent in cinema history." Peter Howell, Toronto Star
"A potpourri of off-color, politically incorrect and potentially offensive vignettes." Stephen Holden, New York Times
"In quite a few of the shorts, half of the actors' heads are cut out of frame. Their heads are literally cut off of the screen in a movie that was professionally filmed by accredited cinematographers" Jenni Miller, Hollywood.com
"You won't believe how tiresome bad taste has become." Joshua Rothkopf, Time Out New York
"One plotline involves a desperate filmmaker pitching ideas to a bewildered studio executive at gunpoint. The principals behind Movie 43 might want to employ a similar method on audiences." Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter
Posted on Monday February 4, 2013, 10:46 by razerlyma
4
I went to see it, got a couple of chuckles (but I have a deranged sense of humour). It's big problem is that it's just not a movie. It's not even compiled of short movies. It's a stretched out series of rejected SNL skits, how it found it's way to the multiplex, lord only knows. It's not the worst movie ever made, there are far lesser attempts than this, it's not applicable because it's barely a movie. Read More
Posted on Friday February 1, 2013, 20:00 by odddaze
5
It's simply bad, nothing more. I went to see it and to be honest was more bored by it than anything else. I did find a couple of moments funny, but not many, but for a film attempting to be offensive and outrageous, it's not and it isn't. It's simply a very bad film. Read More
Posted on Tuesday January 29, 2013, 21:24 by Kev2012
6
draney hit it on the head The reviews have made people curious to see how bad it is and the reality is that it isn't that bad. It's just another poor film that wants to be shocking and outrageous and fails. The plot of teens searching for the most banned movie ever is stupid because if you actually searched the internet I'm pretty sure there's far worse out there.
The best review is from the BBFC website with their breakdown of the offensive stuff and why it really isn't that offensive hence the uncut print and 15 certificate.
The League of Gentlemen do this kind of thing so much better and funnier. Read More
Posted on Tuesday January 29, 2013, 15:28 by Loosecrew
Bad reviews Is it wrong that all these bad reviews make me want t see it more? Read More
Posted on Tuesday January 29, 2013, 09:33 by draney
9
Different US release So the interconnecting story in the US was different. I wonder why they changed it for the UK.
Actually, scrap that I wonder why they made the thing in the first place. 90 minutes of my life that are gone forever.
I thought Love Bite was bad, but this might just sneak it, primarily due to the amount of talent involved, It;s unbelievable that this got past the script stage.
@thosemovieguys Read More
Posted on Tuesday January 29, 2013, 01:33 by thosemovieguys
10
RE: The Absent UK I genuinely think someone had dirt on these actors. Read More
Posted on Monday January 28, 2013, 23:32 by dolfinack
11
The Absent UK No mention of your main competitors huh? Just the US ones? Read More
Posted on Monday January 28, 2013, 23:11 by blindfold
