# Movies that surprised you - good or bad ways. (spoilers, I assume) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 31, 2014, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-surprised-you-good-or-bad-ways-spoilers-i-assume/694512 "2014-07-31T18:12:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2014, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-surprised-you-good-or-bad-ways-spoilers-i-assume/694512/1 "2014-07-31T18:12:36Z")
This summer, I have been trying to watch a lot of movies, many of which I know are famous and I had missed. Some have surprised me by how great they are, while others have surprised me how great they…weren’t. What have you seen recently that surprised you in a good or bad way? Note: Just because it is under bad, it doesn’t mean it was a bad movie. I just mean it surprised me in not being better or surprised me in a bad way. Good: Mad Max 2 - Wow, I was missing out not seeing this movie. The final 25 minute chase action sequence is one of the best I’ve ever seen and if I did not know this was from 1981, I would have insisted it was CGI enhanced. Amazing. Mad Max 3 - I’d heard a lot of negativity about this one. It was actually really good. Not as good as the second one, but I liked it quite a bit. This surprised me. I guess I was OK with the whole “kids” section of the movie. I do admit the opening 45 minutes in Bartertown was the highlight, though. Zero Theorem - Best Terry Gilliam movie since 12 Monkeys and I think his most personal movie. At least of the ones I have seen. Deep, funny, and odd. I was kind of expecting it to be a disappointment. It wasn’t. Bad: Brazil - I know, I had not seen Terry Gilliam’s masterpiece. This movie was only OK for me. I get what makes it neat, but not what makes it a great movie. It was pretty good, but a let down. I was ready to love it. Blue Velvet - Dennis Hopper was awesome in this movie and it is a highly memorable movie. However, I found it to be overly long and the opening 30 minutes or so is too long to get to the meat of the movie. He could have found the ear and ended up in the closet more quickly and it would have packed more punch. Having said all this, I liked it. I expected better, but I did like it. Mad Max - I had no idea it took until the final 30 minutes for him to become Mad Max. I knew nothing of the plot, but I have seen stills of him with a leather jacket looking angry. The first hour was mainly filler. It was still OK, just not great. Oldboy - USA version. I’d heard bad rumors, but wow, this was a total waste and was a terrible movie. I’ve seen the Korean version(which is awesome, by the way), so I knew it wouldn’t be as good as that, but this was flat out terrible. Never see it. It was a good example of how the same material by two different production teams can produce two results. Josh Brolin is innocent, though. He was fine…the movie just was badly made. How about you, folks? ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2014, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-surprised-you-good-or-bad-ways-spoilers-i-assume/694512/2 "2014-07-31T18:46:05Z")
Not this summer, but both _The Hidden_ (B movie about alien possession) and _Limitless_ (sf technothriller about unleashing the brain’s full potential) were much better than I expected. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2014, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-surprised-you-good-or-bad-ways-spoilers-i-assume/694512/3 "2014-07-31T19:33:27Z")
Big second for _The Hidden_. I said this once, somewhere in another thread: _Abraham Lincoln vs Zombies_. Bill Oberst Jr. is outstanding as AL, the zombie story is serviceable, but the way they dove-tail Lincoln’s factual history into it is mucho fun. Plus Abe on a zip-cord is worth the price of admission. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2014, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-surprised-you-good-or-bad-ways-spoilers-i-assume/694512/4 "2014-07-31T19:53:18Z")
**The Terminator** – as I’ve said before on this Board, I expected his to be a cheap sf flick about people in rubber masks driving around LA and shooting each other up, based on what I saw from the TV ads. Then I saw a bit of the opening, and had to go see it. I was surprised to find it literate, well-thought-out science fiction film with wonderful touches of dark humor. Even if I had heard of James Cameron before, he was an assistant on flicks like _Galaxy of Terror_ and director of _Piranha II_ – not exactly suggestions for how good this film would be. Great effects on a shoestring budget, too – Stan Winston’s lifesize “endoskeleton” models and Ernie Farino’s sparsely-used animated endoskeleton. **Robocop** – again, this looked like a silly idea (violent but silly). We’d seen robot biddy cop things before. I wasn’t prepared, again, for how well-informed and literate it was, and this one, too, had dark satire (although of a different type)Again, it knew its sf roots, as in its semi-quoting of C.M. Kornbluth’s _The Marching Morons_. The Hidden, though, was something I expected, although it was much better than I would have anticipated. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2014, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-surprised-you-good-or-bad-ways-spoilers-i-assume/694512/5 "2014-07-31T19:54:02Z")
Forgot to mention; **World War Z** bit the big one. Money can’t buy me love. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2014, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-surprised-you-good-or-bad-ways-spoilers-i-assume/694512/6 "2014-07-31T20:08:34Z")
_Beyond Thunderdrome_ was awesome and I’ll fight anyone who says otherwise. The first one was fine, I just prefer the actual postapocalyptic genre and _Mad Max_ could’ve taken place in a present-day more crime-ridden Australia and still been the same. Re: _Limitless_ - there’s a current thread about another movie which repeats that sane “10% of your brain” canard. IIRC it is said by a non-credible character so I’ll give it a pass. But I almost would’ve avoided it because of that. I could compare _Prometheus_ to a turd but that would be offensive to turds everywhere. Rotten Tomatoes: critics 73%, audiences 69% (as of now). I knew that it was well reviewed going in, but was quickly disappointed, and wonder if we saw the same movie. I don’t know when I stopped glancing at the clock and stopped wondering when it would get good and the characters would get less stupid. ---
**Author:** ![FordTaurusSHO94](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f07891/32.png) [@FordTaurusSHO94](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FordTaurusSHO94)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2014, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-surprised-you-good-or-bad-ways-spoilers-i-assume/694512/7 "2014-07-31T20:15:44Z")
I went into Batman Begins thinking it would be along the lines of the 4 movies before it. All I knew was that it was a mostly British cast and a Batmobile with Super Swampers. Sounded awful. I was blown away. I enjoyed it more than either sequel just because I was so surprised. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2014, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-surprised-you-good-or-bad-ways-spoilers-i-assume/694512/8 "2014-07-31T20:20:42Z")
Event Horizon - expected great SF. Got a gateway to hell. It was BAAAAAAAAAADDDDDDD. ---
**Author:** ![Calatin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/439d5e/32.png) [@Calatin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Calatin)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2014, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-surprised-you-good-or-bad-ways-spoilers-i-assume/694512/9 "2014-07-31T20:42:55Z")
I went into “Rushmore” fully expecting to love it. To this day, it’s the only movie that I’ve walked out of, midway through the screening. Then again, most of Wes Anderson’s work just falls flat with me. ---
**Author:** ![neofishboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/neofishboy/32/444_2.png) [@neofishboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neofishboy)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2014, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-surprised-you-good-or-bad-ways-spoilers-i-assume/694512/10 "2014-07-31T20:49:07Z")
Galaxy Quest. Avoided it in the theater because Tim Allen gives me a rash. Watched it later when a roommate rented it and it’s now one of my favorite movies. Groundhog Day. Saw it in the theater on a lazy afternoon mostly because I just felt like seeing a movie and I generally like Bill Murray. Expected it to be mildly entertaining … found it to be brilliant. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2014, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-surprised-you-good-or-bad-ways-spoilers-i-assume/694512/11 "2014-07-31T20:58:41Z")
My favorite answers to this kind of questions are the bandwagon movies, the ones whose bad reputation goes viral before most critics even get a chance to see them, and then when they do they don’t have the courage to admit it’s actually a good movie. Clumsily stated but perhaps you get my point. Some examples of movies that were never given a fair shot, and were kneecapped by critics who refused to think for themselves: (These movie vary in quality; some good, some great, but all of them much better than their critical reputations.) _**My Giant The Last Action Hero Showgirls Josie and the Pussycats I Spit on Your Grave Ishtar Made in Heaven Hudson Hawk Miami Blues**_ I’m sure there are others, so I may addend. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2014, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-surprised-you-good-or-bad-ways-spoilers-i-assume/694512/12 "2014-07-31T22:32:51Z")
_Galaxy Quest_ surprised me too. I really love it. The Leonardo di Caprio/Clare Danes version of _Romeo and Juliet_. I usually prefer the plays as period pieces set and costumed for the time in which they were set. But this “contemporary” version was splendid. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2014, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-surprised-you-good-or-bad-ways-spoilers-i-assume/694512/13 "2014-07-31T22:50:16Z")
Speed Racer, it was funny the races were cool as hell and the entire world was well made and worked in a way i did not think it possibly could. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2014, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-surprised-you-good-or-bad-ways-spoilers-i-assume/694512/14 "2014-07-31T22:50:17Z")
> [@Calatin](#): > > I went into “Rushmore” fully expecting to love it. To this day, it’s the only movie that I’ve walked out of, midway through the screening. I watched The Grand Budapest Hotel this summer and kind of liked it. I started up Rushmore and found nothing good about it. So much so, I’d forgotten it until you just mentioned it. > [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > Forgot to mention; **World War Z** bit the big one. Money can’t buy me love. I was the opposite. I expected it to be terrible after its long development cycle and troubled production, but it ended up being awesome. Warm Bodies also surprised me as being great. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2014, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-surprised-you-good-or-bad-ways-spoilers-i-assume/694512/15 "2014-07-31T23:27:47Z")
> [@DigitalC](#): > > Speed Racer, it was funny the races were cool as hell and the entire world was well made and worked in a way i did not think it possibly could. Wow. I hated this movie like it shot my dog. Tastes truly do differ. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2014, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-surprised-you-good-or-bad-ways-spoilers-i-assume/694512/16 "2014-08-01T00:28:38Z")
_Inside Llewyn Davis_: My wife dragged this turd home and we watched it. That’s two hours I’ll never get back. Starts nowhere, goes nowhere, ends nowhere. Terrible, silly and plain stupid characters. Slow and dreary. And worst of all, in a movie about a musician, _crappy music!_ Avoid like The Clap. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2014, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-surprised-you-good-or-bad-ways-spoilers-i-assume/694512/17 "2014-08-01T00:46:31Z")
> [@zoid](#): > > Wow. I hated this movie like it shot my dog. > Tastes truly do differ. I agree. I expected to at least like it, but hated it. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2014, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-surprised-you-good-or-bad-ways-spoilers-i-assume/694512/18 "2014-08-01T01:06:11Z")
**Four Rooms** will always be my biggest disappointment. Four segments from different directors, two of which were from Robert Rodriguez and Tarantino? What a colossal bomb. Most recently **Taken** was delightfully better than I was expecting. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2014, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-surprised-you-good-or-bad-ways-spoilers-i-assume/694512/19 "2014-08-01T01:34:07Z")
> [@lissener](#): > > _**My Giant > The Last Action Hero > Ishtar**_ Agree on all three. I didn’t expect much from **My Giant** , but it turned out to be charming; I love metafiction, so **The Last Action Hero** was right up my alley; and **Ishtar** , while uneven, had several segments that are comedy gold. Years ago, I went to see **The Doberman Gang** – about a group of dogs who were trained to rob a bank – not expecting much, but discovering a fun little movie. More recently, I was surprised at how good **State and Main** was. As for bad, that has to be **Alien.** I went in expecting a thrilling SF adventure and found instead a bunch of halfwits in a haunted house. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2014, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-surprised-you-good-or-bad-ways-spoilers-i-assume/694512/20 "2014-08-01T01:36:57Z")
> [@Morbo](#): > > **Four Rooms** will always be my biggest disappointment. Four segments from different directors, two of which were from Robert Rodriguez and Tarantino? What a colossal bomb. Come on. Their two segments were pretty good, especially Robert Rodriguez’s. The first segment is terrible, but I also like the The Wrong Man somewhat. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-surprised-you-good-or-bad-ways-spoilers-i-assume/694512.md?page=2)