Watched “Atlas” on Sunday and again yesterday with my SiL. I think Jennifer Lopez did a great job in the principle role of a woman wracked by guilt she didn’t deserve, but who found a form of redemption in defeating the AI she, as a child, was deceived into empowering. I found the movie’s interpretation as to how AI would objectively view humanity very interesting, and it actually dovetails nicely with my own. In the emotionless, analytical “mind” of AI, helping humanity might be viewed very differently from what we might hope for.
Many reviews stated that the movie was “better than they expected” which, to me, indicates that the so-called experts trashed it coming out of the gate.
My wife and I watched it over the weekend. I had heard negative buzz about it, so I went into it with low expectations and did think “better than I expected”. At the very least it functions as a serviceable sci-fi actioner.
I haven’t seen it yet but a 17% critics’ rating on RT wasn’t exactly encouraging. The audience rating was higher but 52% is still pretty poor.
Well, I’ve discovered over time that, much like assholes, a critic has yet another one just like everyone else. Sometimes I think they are right on, and sometimes I don’t agree with them at all. I knew I was going to watch it because I really enjoy Jennifer Lopez in those, “strong, lone woman”, roles.
As my dad used to say, “One man’s meat is another man’s poison.”
I watched it recently. Would not watch it again, but I enjoyed the movie nonetheless.
ETA: one cute/funny line was about smartphones. “Hey, remember when everyone had smartphones?”
Yes, I did, too! That’s technology, though. Today’s,“smart phone”, is tomorrow’s, “I ain’t so bright phone”. LOL
I started watching the Canadian sitcom ‘Corner Gas’ which started in 2004 I believe, and one episode B-plot involved a guy who was jealous that another guy in the small town had a newer, smaller cellphone than his, so he had to go get an even smaller one. Ah, the early aughts; I remember those days, when a Motorola Razr seemed like Star Trek tech…
I remember friends coming home from a trip to Japan, and marveling at how small the Japanese cell phones were.
Overall I was satisfied with it. The Mrs. may have said “I want that part of my life back”.
I think it suffered from a certain amount of engineered drama. You’re trapped on a planet, surrounded by overpowered enemy soldiers, have no resources other than an AI Exosuit, and you’re still playing the “my tragic backstory won’t let me fully use the AI” card?
I suppose the redemption arc requires this reticence, but it doesn’t feel natural.
Spoiler for those who may watch at some point.
There’s also the “bringing you here was my plan all along” when the you in question was almost killed about a dozen times before the villain plan reveal. Like when you shot down the space ship she was in, and a bunch of people standing next to her were sucked out of the ship and fell to their deaths, or when she was attacked over and over again with deadly weapons on the way to the base. Stop it.
Well, sure, what SciFi movie or even ordinary action movie isn’t filled with that kind of stuff? I think it comes with the territory. “Independence Day” was, for SciFi/action, very well received, yet you basically had an office worker and one Air Force pilot defeating an entire race of creatures thousands of years more advanced than ourselves.