Most disappointing movie franchise reboot? Pick Two

[WhereEaglesDare]

Lets get to the bottom of this.  What do you think was the biggest disappointment, didn't match the hype, and left you like you got raped for 7 bucks at the theater.

[Ed_McCarron]

Indy 4.  That really nuked the fridge.

[Ninten-doh]

I'm going off your chart and picking Planet of the Apes with Marky Mark.  Boy did that suck.

[wp34]

I'm going off your chart and picking Planet of the Apes with Marky Mark.  Boy did that suck.

+1

I'm okay with most of the ones on the list.  I've not seen T4 though.

[DaveMMR]

I tried to pick Star Wars twice.  Superman and Rocky movies were getting ridiculous by the end of the original series, so the reboots didn't have far to fall.   I think Indy 4 gets a bad rap; I personally didn't think it was terrible.  The other ones I either haven't seen or wasn't big on anyhow.

[RayB]

Isn't a "reboot" supposed to be starting over the same story? Most of what you listed in your poll are sequels, not reboots.

[WhereEaglesDare]

Isn't a "reboot" supposed to be starting over the same story? Most of what you listed in your poll are sequels, not reboots.

Maybe Reboot isnt exactly the right word, but it was suppose to restart the franchise.  Terminator Salvation and Indy 4 were both suppose to be the first of new trilogies.  If successful that would reboot the franchise.  Die Hard, Rocky, and Rambo were just attempts to squeeze more money out of the franchise..

[WhereEaglesDare]

I'm going off your chart and picking Planet of the Apes with Marky Mark.  Boy did that suck.

+1

I'm okay with most of the ones on the list.  I've not seen T4 though.

Added PotA

[SNAAKE]

why is star trek and batman on the list?? they are far from "disappointing"


id say superman returns and indiana jones.

[Howard_Casto]

Isn't a "reboot" supposed to be starting over the same story? Most of what you listed in your poll are sequels, not reboots.

Maybe Reboot isnt exactly the right word, but it was suppose to restart the franchise.  Terminator Salvation and Indy 4 were both suppose to be the first of new trilogies.  If successful that would reboot the franchise.  Die Hard, Rocky, and Rambo were just attempts to squeeze more money out of the franchise..

Well no, not really.  for half of the films on your list, the sequels were supposed to END the franchise with some sort of dignity.  The stallone films in particular, and in that respect many of the films on your list aren't bad at all nor are they "reboots".

Yet another apples/oranges poll.  Fix it and I'll vote.   

[AtomSmasher]

Isn't a "reboot" supposed to be starting over the same story? Most of what you listed in your poll are sequels, not reboots.

Maybe Reboot isnt exactly the right word, but it was suppose to restart the franchise.  Terminator Salvation and Indy 4 were both suppose to be the first of new trilogies.  If successful that would reboot the franchise.  Die Hard, Rocky, and Rambo were just attempts to squeeze more money out of the franchise..

Well no, not really.  for half of the films on your list, the sequels were supposed to END the franchise with some sort of dignity.  The stallone films in particular, and in that respect many of the films on your list aren't bad at all nor are they "reboots".

Yet another apples/oranges poll.  Fix it and I'll vote.    

Agreed.  Some other recent reboots that should of been on the list are Nightmare on Elm Street, Halloween, Godzilla, and The Incredible Hulk.  I'm not sure why your list is almost entirely populated with sequels when there are plenty of actual reboots that can go on the list.  

Wait another year or two and you'll get even more great (horrible) reboots like Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure, Red Dawn, Short Circuit, The Crow, and Spiderman (yes, all of those are currently in the works).

[Bootay]

I thought most of them were fine.

Superman Returns was kind of lame, the Star Wars prequels could have been better but they got watchable as they went along. Rambo and Rocky were not as bad as expected. Indy 4 was fine up until you find out what the main plot is, then it is kind of stupid, but I could still think of a lot worse. Godzilla and Nightmare on Elm Street are two that AtomSmasher pointed out that I hated.

[javeryh]

I think I'm the only person on the planet who really liked the new Star Wars movies.  Sure, a lot of the dialogue was laughable, the guy that played Anakin was horrific and Jar Jar Binks was an unfortunate misstep but overall I thought they were pretty good.  The lightsaber fights alone were worth the price of admission.  They had some truly memorable new characters (Darth Maul, Qui-Gon, General Grevious, etc.) and we got to see Yoda fight like a badass.  I don't know... they really couldn't ever live up to expectations but I think people are unfairly critical.

That said, my biggest disappointments on the list are Superman Returns (AWFUL) and the Planet of the Apes.  I haven't seen Indy 4 or Rambo 4 yet.  I liked the others though.

[Bootay]

I didn't mind the Planet of the Apes remake, sure the ending was kind of lame but all in all I thought it was better than most remakes. Then again, I haven't seen it since it was a new movie so my opinion might change if I watch it again now. And what a coincidence, I just so happen to have it. I think I will watch it soon.

As for Javeryh's comments on Star Wars, I agree for the most part. The first of had a lot of annoying moments and the only redeeming quality is the lightsaber battles, the 2nd one was much better, and the 3rd was the best yet although I felt the ending was a little rushed. But the lightsaber battles in all three are worth the price of admission.

[Mikezilla]

I think I'm the only person on the planet who really liked the new Star Wars movies.  Sure, a lot of the dialogue was laughable, the guy that played Anakin was horrific and Jar Jar Binks was an unfortunate misstep but overall I thought they were pretty good.  The lightsaber fights alone were worth the price of admission.  They had some truly memorable new characters (Darth Maul, Qui-Gon, General Grevious, etc.) and we got to see Yoda fight like a badass.  I don't know... they really couldn't ever live up to expectations but I think people are unfairly critical.

That said, my biggest disappointments on the list are Superman Returns (AWFUL) and the Planet of the Apes.  I haven't seen Indy 4 or Rambo 4 yet.  I liked the others though.

Yeah, you might be.  I suppose I just expected more out of George Lucas regarding these movies. you also have to keep in mind though, he directed all these, and even though he is great at creating a story, he cant direct for ---steaming pile of meadow muffin---. Out of the old Star Wars, the best ones werent even directed by him. The lightsaber fights were ok, the yoda part is why Im writing here. Im not a fan of CG really, Im more of a practical effects guy. The light saber duel with Yoda looked like a green pillow was being thrown around by 2 guys off set. He is a Jedi Master, he doesnt need a damn lightsaber, and if he DID have one, he needs to do some crazy ---steaming pile of meadow muffin--- with it, not bounce around like a gummi bear. I dunno, being a big star wars fan, I just thought that was a let down.

Indy 4 though, by FAR takes the cake on this topic if you ask me. There were so many scenes to name. Here I thought the beginning was cool, then bam. Nuked fridge, went down hill from there. The swinging in the trees like an ape? The monkey having the same haircut? The snake being used as a rope to pull Indy out of the quicksand? The bugs forming a ladder out of them selves to get to the chick? I could go on for days. They should have just let Indy ride off into the sunset like he did at the end of the third one...

[Mikezilla]

Oh and I think Bryan Singer casted the perfect fit for Superman, I just think the movie needed more action, and Superman isnt supposed to be all somber and emo. Singer said he wanted to do that because he is gay, and he felt like an outsider, and thats what he wanted to convey in Superman. Blah. Keep that ---steaming pile of meadow muffin--- at home and direct the movie. Superman is the beacon of hope, and is the ultimate hero. The president of warner is trying to make the new Superman be like The Dark Knight, having "dark tones". Trying to get more money...Its annoying. The action scene with the plane was awesome though, if you didnt get chills when it showed him fly in as a blip on the radar before he saved the plane, then youre not a Superman fan. 

[wp34]

I think I'm the only person on the planet who really liked the new Star Wars movies.  Sure, a lot of the dialogue was laughable, the guy that played Anakin was horrific and Jar Jar Binks was an unfortunate misstep but overall I thought they were pretty good.  The lightsaber fights alone were worth the price of admission.  They had some truly memorable new characters (Darth Maul, Qui-Gon, General Grevious, etc.) and we got to see Yoda fight like a badass.  I don't know... they really couldn't ever live up to expectations but I think people are unfairly critical.

That said, my biggest disappointments on the list are Superman Returns (AWFUL) and the Planet of the Apes.  I haven't seen Indy 4 or Rambo 4 yet.  I liked the others though.

I liked them as well.  Certainly not as good as they could have been.  I still watch them if they are on TV although I have to admit Phantom is getting tougher to watch.  E2 is fine on DVD if you just hit the chapter-skip whenever Anakin and Padme are alone onscreen.  It has almost become a cliche to bash them.

[Rick]

You left out "The Punisher".  (Not the Dolph Lundgren movie - that one does not exist.)  I mean the one with Ray Stevenson.  You know, that one.  The one that DIDN'T have Tom Jane in it.  The one that sucked.

[Bootay]

You left out "The Punisher".  (Not the Dolph Lundgren movie - that one does not exist.)  I mean the one with Ray Stevenson.  You know, that one.  The one that DIDN'T have Tom Jane in it.  The one that sucked.

I personally thought all of the Punisher movies sucked, but the last one at least had the spirit of The Punisher, in the fact that it was very violent unlike the previous ones. The Thomas Jane one was awful...especially the part where he strategically placed an explosive under each car in the parking lot so when he detonated them it formed The Punisher skull...WTF was that all about?

[Benevolance]

Rollerball! The first movie was a dystopian character play. The reboot was a sports movie.

I also enjoyed the Star Wars reboots, but I'm a Trekkie and don't have a whole lot invested in the SW saga. There were some terrific action sequences (Duel of the Fates, Obi Wan vs Boba Fett), and for every part that featured lame acting by Hayden Christiansen or Jar Jar Binks, there was some good stuff by Ewan McGregor, Ian McDiarmid or Liam Niesen.

[Rick]

I personally thought all of the Punisher movies sucked, but the last one at least had the spirit of The Punisher, in the fact that it was very violent unlike the previous ones. The Thomas Jane one was awful...especially the part where he strategically placed an explosive under each car in the parking lot so when he detonated them it formed The Punisher skull...WTF was that all about?

How DARE you, sir!  Insult the good name of Tom Jane, will you?  Fisticuffs at high noon!

 

Seriously, the movies weren't for everyone.  I, personally, didn't like the 'new' origin story of The Punisher in the second movie, but thought they pulled it out pretty well.  I enjoyed the inserted Garth Ennis storyline, even though they massaged it a little bit.  I watched the 'extra features' on the DVD, and the budget was severely hacked (thanks a lot, Avi Arad) and they were only given a small percentage of what other comic book movies were given.  Even with that, they had a fantastic director in Jonathan Hensleigh and in the musical score by Carlo Siliotto.

Before filming began, Hensleigh was not given the budget he wanted or needed from the studio. Hensleigh knew that most action pictures get a budget of around $64 million. He was only given a $15 million shooting budget for the film,[1] and only 52 days to shoot the film, which is half the time allocated for most action pictures. Most of Hensleigh's original script had to be edited and re-written many times due to budget issues. According to the DVD commentary, the first scene in the film would have been a battle set in Kuwait during the Gulf War, but they were unable to film this scene as a result of the budget cuts.

Personally, I enjoyed the story overall - albeit, being a huge Punisher fan (I have 95% of the comics) I would have liked a different backstory.  I thought the weakest character was played by John Travolta.  Everybody else played a strong part, especially the scene with Kevin Nash as The Russian.  (It was great - nice and over the top, and true to the comic.)  Travolta - who HAS been known to be a GOOD actor in some roles - was just... ...weak.

[Bootay]

I would agree that the part with Kevin Nash as the Russian was good. Probably the only really good highlight of that movie. And yes Travolta was awful in that movie as well.

PinballJim: LOL @ the puppets and trashcans comment.

And it also bugged me that all of the technology seemed so much stronger in the prequels than in the original series. Did new breaks in technology cease after the Empire took over or something? Another thing I didn't like was how they tried to connect everything and every character. Or showed them as kids. Anakin building C3PO was stupid and unnecessary, the pussification of Boba Fett by showing him as a kid and giving him a backstory was sacrilege. The fact that stormtroopers are actually clones of Boba Fett's dad is stupid. I would have enjoyed the clone story much more if it were some unknown character. I could go on and on, but they are still entertaining movies if you ignore all the stupid crap. And yes I also hated it when they announced that Leia was Luke's sister in Return of the Jedi. It was fine and groundbreaking when they did it with Luke and Vader being related back in the day, but to try and pull it off again in ROTJ was just lame in my opinion.

[Rick]

And it also bugged me that all of the technology seemed so much stronger in the prequels than in the original series. Did new breaks in technology cease after the Empire took over or something? Another thing I didn't like was how they tried to connect everything and every character. Or showed them as kids. Anakin building C3PO was stupid and unnecessary, the pussification of Boba Fett by showing him as a kid and giving him a backstory was sacrilege. The fact that stormtroopers are actually clones of Boba Fett's dad is stupid. I would have enjoyed the clone story much more if it were some unknown character. I could go on and on, but they are still entertaining movies if you ignore all the stupid crap. And yes I also hated it when they announced that Leia was Luke's sister in Return of the Jedi. It was fine and groundbreaking when they did it with Luke and Vader being related back in the day, but to try and pull it off again in ROTJ was just lame in my opinion.

You missed a glaring one.  Holy hell, when did R2D2 FORGET HOW TO FLY?!  Might have been helpful in 4-6, don't you think?

[Benevolance]

Everyone knows Blizzard nerfed the R2 models after release patch v1.337.

[javeryh]

You missed a glaring one.  Holy hell, when did R2D2 FORGET HOW TO FLY?!  Might have been helpful in 4-6, don't you think?

Didn't they wipe the memories of R2 and C3PO at the end of Ep3 because C3PO doesn't recognize Tatooine in Ep4 (where he was built!)  That was pretty bad.

[Mikezilla]

Everyone knows Blizzard nerfed the R2 models after release patch v1.337.

This flew over my head. Please explain.

[RayB]

bahhh! Lucas altered the storyline the entire way. I recently watched Ep IV again (unfortunately it was the version with added CGI in it,   ) Anyways... when Luke meets Obiwan and he talks about Vader and Annakin, he is clearly talking about two people. Only later did Lucas decide to make it one and the same person.

PS: THe more I think about it, the more I think "reboot" is vague and in "the industry" probably means either/both definitions (hereby contradicting my previous post). Otherwise they'd call it a remake? (But then some remakes are reboots. heheheh)

[WhereEaglesDare]

Poll Updated

[dre-w]

What??  Terminator Salvation..?  ..I thought it was worth seeing twice in theaters and bought the bluray.  Yeh I laughed at cg Arnold but that was worth seeing again.  Couldn't stand Christian Bale in Dark Knight b/c of the raspy voice but I thought he made an excellent John Connor.  Btw, I thought the Dark Knight got way more praise than it deserved..  it was good but I couldn't see myself watching it again or buying it.  I'll give it this though, it was the best "crime drama" I have ever seen, but not the best comic book movie like everyone says.

[Vanguard]

You missed a glaring one.  Holy hell, when did R2D2 FORGET HOW TO FLY?!  Might have been helpful in 4-6, don't you think?

That part was built by Apple.   When the battery to the flying controller died, it couldn't be replaced.

[Vigo]

I am gonna have to chime in on that awful train-wreck known as the star wars prequels. The "plot" was always surrounding people and things you just didn't care about, these movies should have been 'The Lord of the Rings' epic. Instead, we get a movie about Naboo, a planet that seems 10 miles in circumference, only has two cities (one of them is in the ocean), and a snarky 9 year old who acts like he is part of the "Burger King Kidz Club". If being a strong in the force gives you the ability to make awesome stuff, why wasn't luke's farm filled with hand made droids and pod racers.

The third movie skips over all the clone wars, and trys to slap the series into completion within the last half hour. "Suddenly Anakin is Evil, suddenly the Jedi all get killed without having a clue about what was happening to them, suddenly Yoda decides to live in a swamp and sends Obi Wan to live in the desert. Oh, and for good plot slapping measure, R2 and C3PO just magically get everything that happened to them wiped from their memory for the hell of it.

Also, they can't even follow the few loose plot guidelines in the previous movies:
* If Leia's mom died at birth, how did Leia Remember her mother vaguly?
* If, according to yoda, size does not matter when using the force, why did it take him all his effort strength to move that stupid pillar, allowing count dookie to escape? For yoda, it should have been no harder than lifting a biscuit with the force.
* Wasn't the force a spiritual thing, an old religion as they called it, WTF is a midiclorian count all about then? Is the force Scientology or something? Is Tom Cruse a Jedi? 
* I thought Obi Wan fought the clone wars alongside Leia's adopted dad, senator organa. I didn't see him do a lick of fighting with Obi Wan. That ---tallywhacker--- must have been lying about his war stories for years to Leia.
* If ability to use the force is genetic, why can't Jedi marry? Isn't that a request for extinction?

  I can go on and on about this, but I better stop myself.

[TOK]

I can go on and on about this, but I better stop myself.

This is done with a lot of crazy humor, but this guy does a great job dissecting the issues with the new Trilogy. I didn't count the number of major problems he pointed out, but it's probably in the hundreds.

http://redlettermedia.com/plinkett.html

[WhereEaglesDare]

I can go on and on about this, but I better stop myself.

This is done with a lot of crazy humor, but this guy does a great job dissecting the issues with the new Trilogy. I didn't count the number of major problems he pointed out, but it's probably in the hundreds.

http://redlettermedia.com/plinkett.html

Yeak Plinkett's 70 min long review of Episode One is more epic than the movie was.

[Rick]

Yeh I laughed at cg Arnold but that was worth seeing again.

It was only CGI from the neck up.  From the neck down, it was all Roland Kickinger.

[Vigo]

I can go on and on about this, but I better stop myself.

This is done with a lot of crazy humor, but this guy does a great job dissecting the issues with the new Trilogy. I didn't count the number of major problems he pointed out, but it's probably in the hundreds.

http://redlettermedia.com/plinkett.html

Yeak Plinkett's 70 min long review of Episode One is more epic than the movie was.

I've heard about this before, I'll be sure to check it out when I have 70 minutes to spare. Thanks! 

[Vigo]

Here is my $0.02 on the other movies that I have seen from the list:

Indiana Jones 4 - probably the biggest move dissapointment, they took a legendard franchise about a man fighting endless hoards of Nazis, and turned it into Chia Leboof flying around with his motorcycle, swinging from vines and summoning jungle monkeys to stop a couple cars worth of communists.

Terminator 4 - I was disenchanted at T3, which I didn't understand how that terminator was any bit more scary than the T-1000. Oh wait, it can steer trucks with it's computer mind. 

Die Hard 4 - The movie was by far over the top, but I was Ok with it. They got Bruce Willis' character right, and while they did the dopey sidekick thing, he actually played off Bruce Willis pretty well.

Rocky 6 - An improvement from the last few Rocky movies, It kinda got back to what the movies were originally about, the drama and not the fighting. I respected the movie for that, but like the originals, I could probably only watch the movie once every 7 years.

New Star Trek - I really loved the movie, not going to lie. I hated the whole teeny bopper feel of "ooh! Spock's dating uhura." If it's not Kirk and a space babe, I don't want to see it. 

Batman Begins - This movie and it's sequel were very good, but I feel they tried too hard to step the badass scale up. I also felt a little sour that all my friends were suddenly hating on the Tim Burton Batman movies.

Superman Returns - Ugh. What color kryptonite turns superman into a whiny ---tallywhacker---? This movie really defecates on the 75 year old american icon. Having him have an illegitimate son and run away from the entire planet only to return when he is needed the most - when Lex Luthor obtains 'land growing crystals' ooh! That's superman alright.

Planet of the Apes w Marky Mark - It's an abomination of the original Heston film, but a step up from the original sequals. My expectations were raised only because it was directed by Tim Burton. The day that first saw the film is the day that I learned a big budget doesn't necessarily help make a filmmaker's movie.

[Rick]

New Star Trek - I really loved the movie, not going to lie. I hated the whole teeny bopper feel of "ooh! Spock's dating uhura." If it's not Kirk and a space babe, I don't want to see it. 

Oh, don't forget Rachel Nichols, who played the Orion Slave Girl!  Sure Zoe Saldana is hot, but still.  Once you go green... ...you know what I mean. (/me nods knowingly)

Batman Begins - This movie and it's sequel were very good, but I feel they tried too hard to step the badass scale up. I also felt a little sour that all my friends were suddenly hating on the Tim Burton Batman movies.

You mean Gruntman?  I liked the portrayal, all except for the voice.  For my money, the first Batman movie, with Michael Keaton, is still the best.  (I saw that in the theatre - it rocked.)

Superman Returns - Ugh. What color kryptonite turns superman into a whiny ---tallywhacker---? This movie really defecates on the 75 year old american icon. Having him have an illegitimate son and run away from the entire planet only to return when he is needed the most - when Lex Luthor obtains 'land growing crystals' ooh! That's superman alright.

I hated, hated, hated Superman Returns, and had such high hopes.  In the preview, where Kevin Spacey yelled, "WRONG!!!", I never thought he was talking about the plot.  Oh, and what's with the damn blue contact lensed Supes, eh?  Can we NOT find an actor with blue eyes, or even still, digitally fix them in every damn scene he's in?  We're not stupid - I can spot a brown eyed person wearing blue contacts a mile away.  Every time he was close up, I died a little more inside.  And yeah, "Son of Superman"?  PUUUUUUHHHHLLLLLLEEEEAAASSEEEE.  Who didn't see that a mile away?  Hate, hate, hate, hate that movie.  I'd watch "Superman IV: The Quest For Peace" fifty more times before I'd sit through that lengthy piece of crap again.

[Bootay]

@Rick: I forgot about the R2 flying bit.  

@Vigo: Wow...you really did a good job of ripping apart Star Wars and I agree 100%. They are still entertaining movies though, especially Episodes 4, 5 & 6 obviously.

As for the other movies I didn't really hate any of them except for the newly added Godzilla, Nightmare on Elm Street, and Friday The 13th.

I enjoyed Batman Begins but also hated that everyone started ripping on the Burton ones after. The problem was Batman Forever and Batman & Robin gave the Burton ones a bad name. The first one with Keaton and Nickelson is classic and played out perfectly like a comic book. The second one had flaws but was still decent.

[Bootay]

Oh yea...I forgot about Superman Returns. I also hated that movie with a passion.
Only redeeming quality (and it has been mentioned already) was the plane scene. The rest can go to hell. It was a let down. They should have never tried to make it a sequel of the original series and just rebooted the series. Actually they should have never made that movie period. I agree with Rick. I would watch Superman 3 & 4 before this movie again.

[Mikezilla]

I hated, hated, hated Superman Returns, and had such high hopes.  In the preview, where Kevin Spacey yelled, "WRONG!!!", I never thought he was talking about the plot.  Oh, and what's with the damn blue contact lensed Supes, eh?  Can we NOT find an actor with blue eyes, or even still, digitally fix them in every damn scene he's in?  We're not stupid - I can spot a brown eyed person wearing blue contacts a mile away.  Every time he was close up, I died a little more inside.  And yeah, "Son of Superman"?  PUUUUUUHHHHLLLLLLEEEEAAASSEEEE.  Who didn't see that a mile away?  Hate, hate, hate, hate that movie.  I'd watch "Superman IV: The Quest For Peace" fifty more times before I'd sit through that lengthy piece of crap again.

No you wouldnt. Cmon.  You know what I hated most about Superman Returns?!

His boots.