Craig

Since this is the first year that more than one person has handled film reviews it was decided that a consensus should be reached on the best and worst films of the year. A long discussion was had with beer in the mix and we reached an agreement. If you want to know the films I personally considered to be the worst of the year then you can read that here.

Graeme

After one or two beers (actually four), Craig and I had an open and frank conversation about what films should constitute the official “Kneel Before Blog” party line on films for the year. It was agreed that certain criteria would be required to make it a sensible list, so only films we both saw could make either list. If you are looking for a much more opinionated rant from each of us, out own personal lists are up already and my worst can be found here.

5: Jason Bourne

Craig

I’ve been impressed with prior installments in this series but this one was completely unnecessary as far as I’m concerned.

Matt Damon is as good as ever but Tommy Lee Jones phones it in as a villain, Alicia Vikander is completely wasted and the plot is a dull mess. It’s a shame that this wasn’t better as I do think there is still potential to deliver a really good Bourne experience.

Graeme

A film that both Craig and I agree just isn’t as good as it should be. There are much worse films out this year, but none of them carried the expectations of fans like this one did.

Craig was much more scathing than I was in his belief that this movie had no real point in exisiting, but I think the move away from small scale set-pieces, and Greengrass’ obsession with shakey-cam are the factors that mean that Jason Bourne merits its place on this list.

4: X-Men: Apocalypse

Craig

After two strong outings the third in the sort-of reboot X-Men film franchise is overstuffed and unfocused.

There was potential in telling the early days of Cyclops and Jean Grey as well as bringing more of Evan Peters’ Quicksilver but all of the good gets lost in an over the top villain story that doesn’t go anywhere interesting. Oscar Isaac has very little to work with so his considerable acting talent doesn’t have the opportunity to shine through. Hopefully this is just a blip in the franchise.

Graeme

Even more-so than Jason Bourne, this production wasted a world-class cast. McAvoy and Fassbender do a decent enough job, but Issac is wasted in a role more reminiscent of a 90’s Power-Rangers baddie, and Lawrence phones it in for a paycheck, which is extremely out of character for her. There are a couple of decent set-pieces, but the interesting world that X-men: First Class setup is being dragged back to the schlocky world of previous entries in the franchise at an increasingly alarming rate.

3: The Divergent Series: Allegiant

Craig

I actually didn’t hate this one as much as Graeme did and would say it’s the best in the series so far. That isn’t saying much though as Divergent and Insurgent were borderline unwatchable.

This was surprisingly watchable in places. I don’t imagine that will appear as an accolade on the blu ray box but it’s about as positive as I can be. Jeff Daniels is always good value and there is some interesting points made about genetic modification being a bad thing but on the whole it’s all paper thin. It also commits the cardinal sin of wasting Shailene Woodley by shoving her in the background. Still, she is capable in the action scenes and rises so far above this questionable material. It’s not a good film and that’s why it’s on here.

Graeme

Filmic Beige. Just a dreadful franchise spluttering it’s death-throws, and there really is nothing good I can say about it. I know Craig feels it’s the strongest of the three, but I disagree, as at least the during the previous installments there was some spark of hope in the cast’s eyes, instead of the look of those that are all dead inside.

2:Keeping Up With the Joneses

Craig

Another one I didn’t hate but also didn’t love. I don’t watch many comedies and this one didn’t really encourage me to seek out any more of them.

Some of the jokes do land but most of them don’t and the action sequences are very poorly executed. It tries to be a comedy and an action movie but fails at both of them in really fundamental ways. The actors are also wasted with the exception of Jon Hamm who doesn’t quite engage with the material but does the best with what he has. Even though I didn’t hate it I won’t ever watch it again.

Graeme

There is nothing big, and nothing clever about this movie. The cast are all talented actors, and in some cases gifted comedians, with excellent comedic timing, but the script, story, and direction doesn’t allow any of these attributes surface. Painfully unfunny, dull set-pieces, and nothing worth you wasting your time over. As much as this brings me no pleasure in saying it, please avoid this film.

1:Suicide Squad

Craig

I’ve spent more time than is healthy talking about this film with my original review and a podcast but it’s something that sticks with you.

This was something that should have been a lot of fun but the end result is a complete mess. Will Smith and Margot Robbie both deliver good performances but the rest of the cast are dull and forgettable. The story is a complete mess with overlong introductions for some characters and next to no time spent on others. Who had the horrible idea that the Suicide Squad should be saving the world? It doesn’t fit the concept at all and plays out in ludicrous ways in the film itself. In some ways it’s interesting to look at this and see everything it does wrong but in others it’s more appealing to just go nowhere near it.

Some mention needs to be made of Jared Leto’s Joker as he is by far the worst version of the character we have ever seen. I like the idea of making him a gangster again but his performance is dreadful and I’m just not sure what the script wants to do with him. His inclusion in this film is almost entirely pointless as well other than his role in Harley Quinn’s origin. It’s a sloppy narrative in general and he’s only one reason for it.

I don’t think all hope is lost for the DC Cinematic Universe as I enjoyed Man of Steel and Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice so I still think there’s a chance for Wonder Woman and Justice League to impress in 2017. If not then at least the TV universe will deliver some entertainment value from many of these characters.

Graeme

Although this was not on my list of the worst films of the year, it was a toss-up between this and Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice. BvS won on my list because it was just so joyless, and managed to lower expectations so much, that Suicide Squad seemed a decent enough jaunt in comparison, even if it was a mess. To be fair, you have to give credit to Margot Robbie and Will Smith, as at least they were charismatic enough to be watchable, and even enjoyable, and amazingly Jai Courtney is pretty good too, but that’s about it for the positives.

I really would like to have seem the film that David Ayer had originally planned, and the one he originally edited together, rather than this edited by committee collection of trailers. The lack of depth in this movie is quite breath-taking. The characters that are expendable are given no back-story, so you don’t care about them at all. This also telegraphs the plot on occasion, as you know who’s at risk and who’s not. The Joker is dreadful, and not even given enough time for you to change your mind, and the decision to bring magic into the DCU was a huge mistake as far as I’m concerned. To put that into perspective, the MCU waited a long time before its introduction, and when it did so with Doctor Strange, they gave it rules and limits, whereas here there is no explanation or limits. This means that by waving your hands in the DCU any problem or plot problems can be deal with and ignored.

Before any of you think I am a DC hater, I really am not. I love the DC Television shows, the cartoons, and previous Batman features, I just feel that in trying to play catch-up with Marvel they’ve ruined their own films. They’ve rushed, meddled with directors, imposed a dour tone, and ended up with films that are basically just plain bad.

To sum up, after those beers with Craig, a few laughs, and a few disagreements, we did come to a consensus. Within the criteria we agreed to, Suicide Squad is Kneel Before Blog’s Worst Film of 2016.