Well, the summer movie season is officially over, and while box office earnings are way up, it seems like the quality of the films have actually gone way down. But for every few badly-written movies (like X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Transformers 2, and G.I. Joe–though some will say it’s not that bad), there was a diamond in the rough like District 9. So why were so many movies so bad in the summer of ‘09, even if they did make a lot of money? Hint: The Writers Strike!
Before the summer began, I wrote an article about how the 2007 Writers Strike might affect the summer 2009 movies. I speculated that back in 2007, studios were nervous about how long the writers strike could last, leaving them with a possible lack of films for the fall/winter 2008 and all-important summer 2009 season (early May to late August 2009). To make sure they had big films lined up for Summer ‘09, the studios pushed to have their big-budget scripts quick-finished before the Writers Guild of America’s (WGA) contracts were up in November 2007 and the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) in summer of 2008.
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So what happened? Movies like Wolverine, Transformers 2, GI Joe, Angels and Demons, Terminator Salvation, and others got thrashed by critics (and our own, brave reviewers here at Screen Rant), for their lackluster scripts that showed every sign of being half-cooked. Now, some of you might thing bad scripts and summer blockbusters go hand-in-hand – but let’s be honest, when was the last time there were so many stinkers that came out in one summer? Sure, many of these films made a lot of money, but how much of that profit hinges on moviegoers looking for affordable entertainment and “stay-cations” in this bad economy?
It’s very well known that most of the summer ‘09 films were rushed into production. Angels and Demons was delayed a year due to the Strike, but that didn’t seem to help make the final product that much better; Michael Bay has said in interviews that he worked out the overall story of Transformers 2, all the way down to the action AND comedic bits. However, when the WGA strike ended, writers Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman were joined by fellow writer Ehren Krueger to try and get the script for TF2 hammered out in a matter of three or four months to meet the production start deadline. At that rushed pace, the script was bound to suffer.
Several Big-budget franchise installments failed to live up to the hype.
Here’s a quick recap of some of the more disappointing movies this summer:
- Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
- Terminator: Salvation
- Angels and Demons
- X-Men Origins: Wolverine
- Year One
- Public Enemies (this one is open to debate–it seems kind of split on how people and critics liked it–Vic liked it)
(Continue to pg. 2 to see which movies of Summer ‘09 were actually good!)
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57 Comments
@boborci
Email headed your way.
Vic
This really was the year of bad distribution.
“Moon” showing on 11 screens, “Hurt Locker” and “Fanboys” both playing in only limited markets.
Besides the horrible short sided distribution I felt that “Moon”, “District 9″, and “Hurt Locker” were all remarkable films. They made up for the Terminator Salvations and Land of the Losts.
That is an excellent point 790! I still can’t find a venue showing “Moon,” which has bugged me since its review.
@ boborci
Bob, we love you. Sorry for any bad info and we’ll be sure to sort it out, PROMPTLY.
Hey Mr. Orci don’t be a stranger post more often!
The Old Man “Moon” is a dvd purchase.
Its one of the best sci-fi films of the last 10 years. (ImO)
@bob
Well consider my face the color of egg! If anyone was to know the right information I suppose it would be you. I sure am I glad I didn’t fill my retort with vulgar language and references to your mother. Technically I did but that comment never made it past the first draft
So for everyone at home counting, this is the 2nd time in my life that I’ve managed to unwittingly make an ass of myself in front of someone involved with the Star Trek universe. The 1st involves William Shatner, an airport in Atlanta and very poorly done impression with equally poor timing.
Yeah yor right 790. To see it now It’s to the DVD store for me…
@wickamo
Well, let’s just say it’s a bad summer compared to the others? Because if you thought those movies are great movies, then you must have flown out of your seat in excitement over last summer’s movies. So let’s just say the writers of this site are saying “How come this summer’s movies didn’t make you fly out of your seat?”
I think out of all of the movies this year, Star Trek is my favorite, with Up being number 2. I haven’t seen Moon, waiting for the rental, but I’ve seen Hurt Locker, District 9, haven’t seen GI Joe, saw Wolverine, Terminator 4… Yah, Star Trek is definitely the best movie so far for me…
Yeah, this summer was kind of a let down for me too. Star Trek and Up were the best things out of it. I really, really hope next year is better, but somehow I can’t find myself interested in many films. Actually I think I just want to see Iron Man 2 (of course), Toy Story 3, Inception and MAYBE Robin Hood, but I need a trailer for that one to judge. Oh, yes and then The Expendables too since it’s now a summer release.
This summer failed to generate the excitemnt many summers in the past has…After May it was all downhill (because of the let down of Wolverine, Angels & Demons and Terminator)except for D9..never had the opportunity to see The Hurt Locker or Moon as they never played in my area.. I liked TF2 for what it was…a Michael Bay action movie..yes it’s not Kubrick doing 2001 or Scott’s Alien but I had a good time watching it..Were there things I could have gone without ..sure but I knew going in that there was going to be that sort of foolishness so I prepared myself for it..It had great action sequences and I got to see Optimus kick some @$$ in that forest scene and at the end..I was really waiting for that…To me that was worth the price of admission..
Haven’t scene Star Trek(GASP!!!)..we have three little boys and are new to this area so we don’t trust anyone enough to leave our children with so going to a movie is a luxury…
I feel like next year might be a boring year for me. Of course Iron Man 2 is at the top of my list, but that’s about it. Toy Story 3 and Iron Man 2… What else is there? Robin Hood? LOL, what a lame story and an overly idealistic premise for a “hero.” When is Tron coming out? Next year right? Oh yah, so it’s Iron Man 2, Toy Story 3, Tron, The Expendables, and is Clash of the Titans a 2010 release?
Some films scheduled for release next year:
Legion
Toy Story 2 re-release
Alice In Wonderland
Clash of the Titans (26-Mar-2010)
How To Train Your Dragon
Iron Man 2
A-Team
Toy Story 3
The Last Airbender
Inception
Jonah Hex
Robin Hood
Twilight : Eclipse
Prince of Persia
Shrek Forever AFter
Kick Ass
The Expendables
Narnia : THe Dawn Treader
Potter : Deathly Hallows Part 1
Shutter Island
A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010)
Sex and the City 2
Karate Kid
Robert Rodriguez’s Predators
Meet the Fockers Sequel (Little Fockers)
Dinner for Schmucks
Tron: Legacy (December)
Gulliver’s Travels
Now I am not sure about everybody else but that is a WEAK list…
Anybody know of anything else that might be interesting?
Yes Ken evrybody has to be an antihero nowadays..
If you include pictures of “Up” and “Star Trek” in your bad movie collage, you’re a tool, plain and simple.
Not really, but I don’t see how Robin Hood, someone who robs and kills people just because they have money, can be a “hero.” So what happens when he gives too much money to the poor and the poor becomes rich? He’ll then have to rob or kill them too?? Come on. It’s improbable for someone to successfully rob a large number of people based on bluff alone, he’ll HAVE to kill to maintain his reputation or else nobody will yield to his demands, which is why Robin Hood can only exist in the story books. And only someone young and/or naive would actually consider what he does noble.
Oh wait, I take that back, there are entire populations of idio… er… people who believe in that ridiculous concept…
GK333, congrats on the family,,,
Hang tight all the films you haven’t seen will be on dvd in a few weeks.
Your gonna dig “Hurt Locker” and if I know you right “Moon” is going to be one of your fav films,,,
@Matt, try reading the article, it helps sometimes…
I stayed as far away from the theater that I have in a long time. I saw Wolverine and Fast & Furious suck donkey c**k, I knew the summer was in trouble.
I stayed away from obvious dreck like GI Joe, Transformers 2 and all that.
I saw all of the “diamonds in the rough.” Most of them were actually good.
There are only at least FOUR movies that I had really enjoyed this summer:
*PUBLC ENEMIES
*TERMINATOR SALVATION
*INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS
*X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERING
The rest I had merely enjoyed, tolerated or disliked.
All in all, the summer of 2009 was not a great season for films.
AVATAR people. It will make up for this years crap so far, excluding Star Trek
@ 790
I look forward to those and will pic them up for sure!!
I respect the freedom of those watching (and critiquing/criticizing) the films to choose whether or not they like the films…as many have already stated, people have opinions and hold to them AND (quite often) share them.
To that end, I disagree that this was a bad summer for movies (profits aside). “Star Trek”, “District 9″, and “Up” were excellent films. “Harry Potter”, while full of changes from the source text, was still exciting and entertaining and had me anticipating me the coming 7A and 7B films…and I DID read and LOVE the whole series, as well as ancillary/extra materials (__Beadle__, etc.). “Transformers” was a fun vegetable film (I, being a visual person, enjoyed the Robots, themselves). “G.I. Joe” and “Terminator” were the “bad” movies good enough to see and like. Are they Oscar-worthy? OF COURSE NOT…Did I feel happy (and for certain, specific moments thoughtful…?) when I walked out of the theater after each of these two? YES.
On the other hand, I couldn’t figure out WHY people would want to see “Year One” and The Hangover” or the two “mall cop” movies (though, I think one of them was technically before the summer), but then, hey, that’s the essence of differing views.
As for “Inglourious Basterds” and “Moon”, I haven’t seen them yet, but I hope to go–or see them at home–at some point.
I fully expect opposing ideas and opinions to fly at me now…GOOD. Bring ‘em on…Just keep it civil
Tarantino’s the man. Take that stupid Rachel and your stupid bad acting in your stupid and terrible movie.
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