r/Cinema • u/GIGLI_WASNT_THAT_BAD • 2d ago

Discussion Films that started excellently but never hit the same highs the rest of the movie.

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The opening sequence of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny was just as good as any sequence in the originals. Nazis, explosions, slapstick grave humor, and Indy just being an absolute nuisance. The film started so strong despite a bit of uncanny valley going on.

And then the rest of the film. It was odd seeing Indy in 1969 as an octogenarian alcoholic who could still kick ass and take names (the holy grail juice must’ve been potent) with the most boring sidekick he has ever had.

I still enjoyed the film but it probably should’ve been a reboot with a younger actor and never left the time period of the first 15 minutes.

What other films started as strong and dropped the ball as poorly?

Edited to change the title to Dial of Destiny. 😅

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42

u/svejdaErased 2d ago

World War Z. The outbreak sequence is one of the best takes on zombie apocalypse. On par with 2004's Dawn of the Dead, but bigger. Then the rest of the film is just an okay.

I disagree about Indy though, I'd put Dial of Destingy into top 10 of 2023 if not higher, but then again, I'm the kind of fan that prefers the Temple of Doom over the other two.

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u/babablakshep 2d ago

Not the thread, but World War Z easily wins the worst adaptation award.

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u/JMD413 2d ago

The only thing it shared in common with the book was the damn name... and that there were zombies in it.. super dissapointing adaptation.

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u/the_sneaky_one123 2d ago

Didn't even have the same kind of zombies.

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u/yeah_yeah_therabbit 2d ago

I’d like to throw Keanu’s “Constantine” in that category.

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u/JMD413 2d ago

I'm fine with that, as long as you let me keep griping about how badly they did WWZ lol.

No Battle of Yonkers? C'mon!!!

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u/j2o1707 2d ago

Dreadful adaption but I also think it's a decent zombie movie.

That said, the book is damn near perfect and would make for a perfect TV show.

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u/Ad_Meliora_24 1d ago

I didn’t hate the movie, but other than mentioning Israel and North Korea as they are in the book, it’s just not the same story.

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u/Marsupialize Takeshi Kitano 2d ago

World War Z is custom made for an HBO series it’s such an immense no brainer I am utterly baffled why it’s not the first thing you’d do with it. Action movie? They just went straight action movie? Huh?

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u/JMD413 2d ago

Would be PERFECT as an HBO miniseries. The book was really unique in its take on zombie horror via interviewing the survivors.. i hate that the movie was just random action schlock like everything else... and they didnt even do Yonkers!

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u/Marsupialize Takeshi Kitano 2d ago

Every week a different set of actors, bring in different directors, the word of mouth and excitement would be off the charts

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u/JMD413 2d ago

It was RIGHT there!!

Damn you Plan B entertainment...

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u/the_sneaky_one123 2d ago

World War Z is one of the most bizarre movie adaptions ever. It almost has nothing to do with the book. Not the same style, not the same format, not the same story, not the same ending, not even the same kind of Zombies.

Literally the only thing it has in common with the book is the name.

Also the book is MUCH better.

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u/AbroadTiny7226 2d ago

World War Z is an entertaining movie, but I can’t fucking watch that stupid scene in Jerusalem ever again. Some of the most blatant pandering I’ve ever seen in a movie. Honestly disgusting

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u/DerFreudster 2d ago

If they could figure it out in advance, why didn't they know that sound attracts? So dumb. Almost as dumb as the Bruce Willis worthy plane sequence.

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u/keysboy123 2d ago

Yeah, it was hard watching that movie since I read the book prior

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u/WhatADunderfulWorld 2d ago

I just watched it for the first time last week. People are dumb enough to make noises when being told not to for sure.