The new Ratchet & Clank game is a smash hit; the movie potentially less so. Reviews are starting to roll in for Rainmaker's big screen take on Sony's iconic platforming double-act, and they're pretty brutal. UK newspaper The Telegraph, for example, scored it a 1/5 in an absolutely scathing write-up, describing it as "an hour and a half of loathsome gargoyles yelling gibberish at each other over deafening laser fire, apparently pieced together with all the discernment and care of a fox dragging a torn bin bag around a garden". Ouch.
The rag summarises: "There is a shatteringly unfunny running joke in which Drek's minions fiddle with their mobile phones whenever their master's back is turned: audience members of all ages may feel their texting fingers twitching in sympathy throughout." The paper's not alone, either: Time Out London gave the movie a slightly more promising 2/5, justifying that "at least one gag in five is actually funny", while AV Club concluded that "it sits at the zero point of watchability".
We're sending our very own Joey Thurmond off to see this later in the week, so we'll report back with our own thoughts soon. At least the game's good, though, right? Right?
Comments 50
I have to admit this doesn't surprise me too much, I'm finding the game so much fun but the cut scene humour isn't particularly funny.
I'm guessing they released a movie alongside the game to push game sales etc. Hopefully with the game selling well before the movie is even out, they'll make more without the need for a movie.
@mrobinson91 It's surprising because it was written by the actual Ratchet writer. I guess Ratchet is funny when it's delivered in short two minute cut-scenes, but when it's dragged out over 90 minutes with no gameplay to pad it out, probably wears thin pretty quick.
Maybe the movie wasn't such a good idea. Shouldn't tarnish the game's image, but you never know.
Had any of the reviewers played any Ratchet & Clank game before?
@AlexKidd Looks like some are familiar with the game, yes. @DrJoeyStein's a big fan so he'll obviously be able to give his perspective having played most of the games.
Well I like the game. Yeah not all the humour is great, but that's why games work, if the mechanics are fun then you can look past it, films, not so much!
Oh for the love of God
I seem to remember film critics didn't like Blade Runner and Pulp Fiction either so I don't take their opinions that seriously.
To be honest I think a lot of the best humour in the game flies under the radar a bit, I think it's funnier than a lot of people give it credit for.
I guess the best thing to do is wait until the movie is released and see what non film critics have to say about it.
I just wanted the game to be good and it's not only good but great! I'm happy.
The real question here............is it better than Heavenly Sword?
The real question is: Is it as bad as street fighter the movie? As long as its better I'll watch it.
Minions got pretty middling reviews and it still grossed over a billion dollars. Reviewers don't make or break a movie lol
I never trust critic reviews especially after all the praise a telegraph writer gave Yakuza Apocalypse, on paper it had everything I enjoy from bizarre films but it really didn't work in my opinion. But at the end of the day that's all these are, opinions.
I must admit I have little to no interest in watching the movie. I enjoy the games but they are interactive and 'fun' but I couldn't sit and watch 90mins of 'cut scenes'. Part of what makes Ratchet and Clank so good is the game-play. I know they have good humour but this is secondary to the fun of the game-play, actually shooting the enemies with crazy weapons and collecting all the parts myself.
I saw the trailer for it when I watched Jungle Book earlier in the week, I thought it looked okay and im watching it tomorrow morning, it was followed by trailers of Top Cat and Angry Birds, both looked utterly dire. Jungle Book seems to have had great reviews despite the fact that Idris Elba has only ever been good in Luther and is one of the most overrated actors around, his performance is more or less adequate but hardly inspiring for a main character, Christopher Walkens performance is utterly underwhelming.
Thank you for calling the Torygraph a rag.
Damn they delayed the game for 6+ months to launch it with this crap?!
@Bad-MuthaAdebisi woah now! Elba was awesome in Pacific Rim as captain shoutabit
@adf86 @MadAussieBloke yes, movie critics are the most useless of critics imo, there are some very good ones no doubt that probably write very good and insightful in depth reviews of film that require it. For this film, no, theyre not needed. Try movie lens or rotten tomatoes
@Johnnycide lol he was terrible, hes always so wooden
@Link41x More or less, while BVS wasn't a failure, it was way below the expectations. So critics while not the main thing, really matters.
That's quite ironic as I give the Daily Telegraph a 1/5.
@Neolit I did not, it's not bad, but when you think what could and should be is just sad. That said I really want to see Civil War and Suicide Squad.
@Bad-MuthaAdebisi
Idris Elba is so one dimensional, he is approaching self parody levels. He got out acted by Lenny Henry in the comic relief special.
I wasn't expecting much from it anyway, especially based on a trailer I saw. Just doesn't look much cop.
I normally don't trust film critics (there have been plenty if instances of critical dissonance), but it does suck seeing pretty scathing reception for this. I could be that guy and say that it's not meant for them, but I can imagine why it wouldn't be good. Some of the trademark humor and action probably wouldn't work and make it come across as a juvenile kid flick.
I guess we'll see for sure when everyone else gets to see it.
That telegraph quote is actually hilarious. I lol'd.
I watch it. Just for a laugh.
I hope it does well in the box office. I really want a sly cooper film. That would be great.
@Bad-MuthaAdebisi only good in Luther? Dude have you not seen The Wire? Go wash your mouth out! (He's pretty much crap in everything else, including Luther, in my opinion haha)
@kyleforrester87 not watched it, tried, bored me senseless
@Bad-MuthaAdebisi I had to watch the first episode 3 times to get into it. It gets a lot of praise - I'd say it deserves most of it. It's pretty awesome. But yeah, he's good in it. I live less than 5 minutes from McNulty in real life too
Guys don't worry. I just got a Twitter ad promoting the movie.
Meh, wasn't gonna watch it anyways. Love the game though!
@Kyroki @goonow A Sly Cooper movie is in production, there's a trailer and everything. It just keeps getting stuck in limbo and hasn't gone anywhere in awhile :/
@mrobinson91 Yes, from the beginning something was off . Great gameplay weird and forced dialogue, supporting voice cast. Not funny, but im liking the game.
Is it the same writer from past Ratchet's.
@kyleforrester87 Almost everyone was amazing in The Wire.
well anything not from Disney/Marvel is not good nowadays in Hollywood...
Who's dissing Stinger Bell?! I loved The Wire, I think it's still the best tv series to date and didn't go downhill like GoT has recently.
Meh, if you like the games you'll know whether you'll like it or not and kids themselves will no doubt love it and craze mum and dad to see it after playing the game, or visa versa.
Watched it Was oke i guess, but it's nowhere as funny or good as finding nemo for example or shrek
@KAPADO yeah, once you know the characters there is literally never a boring scene and it doesn't resort to constant cheap cliff hangers and uncharacterstic bizarre plot twists to keep you engaged.
It is always funny to hear them some nice things about a movie and still give it a 0 or 1 lol. I just can't take American critics serious.
I'm far more interested in seeing how much money it makes, as I still have absolutely no idea how many people actually wanted a R&C film in the first place.
I saw the movie last night. As a R&C fan, I really enjoyed it! I could understand why some people who aren't familiar with the series might not care for it though. It's by no means a great plot, but the characters are great, the voice acting is crazy good, and the animation is top notch.
I think it would have done better if Dr. Nefarious was the lead villain. He's just such a great bad guy! The jokes were decent and did cause me to laugh out loud a few times. Most jokes were clearly catered to the younger audiences but there were a couple jokes that I found really funny that my girlfriend didn't get.
All in all, it's a great movie to watch with your kids. If I were giving it a score, I would say 7/10 for the genre. If you aren't familiar with the series, it might be more of a 5 or 6.
@Bad-MuthaAdebisi wooden? I think you mean reserved. And he's great! He was awesome in Pacific Rim and Zootopia, and he's really good in Beasts of No Nation.
Also, while I haven't watched the movie yet, from the trailers, I love Bageera and Sher Khan. Their voices are good and command a lot of character. I couldn't stand Baloo's and King Louie though, so I'm probably going to skip the movie.
There's nothing worth watching right now. (T-T )
@Utena-mobile thought he was awful in pacific rim, he was also tiresome in bastille day. Kingsley and Murray I enjoyed, Elba and Walken not so much. The only noteworthy film ive seen in the last two weeks is Miles Ahead the Miles Davis movie. You probably got that ages ago in the US.
@Draythedestroyer @sub12
No. The REAL question, and the question that trumps all questions is...
Will It Blend?
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