# Axis Sally on Netflix: why is this film so so bad? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** amazon-prime, movies\ **Created:** [September 24, 2021, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/axis-sally-on-netflix-why-is-this-film-so-so-bad/951230 "2021-09-24T00:52:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2021, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/axis-sally-on-netflix-why-is-this-film-so-so-bad/951230/1 "2021-09-24T00:52:27Z")
How did this film end up so bad? Its a genuinely interesting story and has Al goddamned Pacino on board. Its basically unwatchably awful. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/ZxstKkDxOJk/maxresdefault.jpg "American Traitor: The Trial of Axis Sally - Official Trailer (2021) Al Pacino, Meadow Williams") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZxstKkDxOJk) ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2021, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/axis-sally-on-netflix-why-is-this-film-so-so-bad/951230/2 "2021-09-24T01:12:02Z")
- - I realize it’s Amazon Prime not Netflix. It’s still really really bad though. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanubv.2/32/3260_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUBv.2)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2021, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/axis-sally-on-netflix-why-is-this-film-so-so-bad/951230/3 "2021-09-24T12:58:32Z")
I had never heard of the movie or the term (I guess it’s like the German version of Tokyo Rose?). It does sound interesting. What did you dislike about the film? ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2021, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/axis-sally-on-netflix-why-is-this-film-so-so-bad/951230/4 "2021-09-24T14:36:59Z")
I was skeptical of your post until I Rotten Tomatoed it. 14%. Woof. mmm ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2021, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/axis-sally-on-netflix-why-is-this-film-so-so-bad/951230/5 "2021-09-24T14:39:56Z")
Why would the minor story about Axis Sally’s capture be banner headlines? Why would she be arrested by two combat infantrymen? TL;DR: five minutes in, gave it up as stupid history. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2021, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/axis-sally-on-netflix-why-is-this-film-so-so-bad/951230/6 "2021-09-24T15:44:14Z")
Axis Sally was not a minor figure in the European war, and it took several months and a lot of detective work to find her in West Berlin after the war. She was eventually convicted of treason against the US (the first woman to have that distinction) for her propaganda broadcasts designed to lower the morale of US troops. That sounds like it could have made a decent story, I have no idea why the movie was so bad, not having watched it. ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2021, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/axis-sally-on-netflix-why-is-this-film-so-so-bad/951230/7 "2021-09-24T17:02:43Z")
> [@WOOKINPANUBv.2](#): > > I had never heard of the movie or the term (I guess it’s like the German version of Tokyo Rose?). It does sound interesting. What did you dislike about the film? The acting, the script and the plot mainly 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2021, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/axis-sally-on-netflix-why-is-this-film-so-so-bad/951230/8 "2021-09-24T17:11:32Z")
At this point in Al Pacino’s career, him being in it pretty much ensures it will be unwatchably bad. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2021, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/axis-sally-on-netflix-why-is-this-film-so-so-bad/951230/9 "2021-09-24T18:30:46Z")
Looking over his filmography it’s pretty clear he’s not particularly discriminating when it comes to which projects he accepts. Seems like if he has the time, he’ll do it. Work is work, I suppose. ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2021, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/axis-sally-on-netflix-why-is-this-film-so-so-bad/951230/10 "2021-09-24T21:25:28Z")
Yes…and he makes said project worse by his presence. He simultaneously overpowers every other actor and chews scenery while also looking like a guy mailing it in with a tired schtick. It’s pure unadulterated cringe. ---
**Author:** ![TRC4941](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trc4941/32/6792_2.png) [@TRC4941](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TRC4941)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2021, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/axis-sally-on-netflix-why-is-this-film-so-so-bad/951230/11 "2021-09-27T14:26:14Z")
By the looks of the picture that was posted of him, he might just be eligible for the “ya just plain can’t look at” thread.