First question: Was it better than “Daredevil?” Answer–Yes and no.
Second question: Worth your money? Answer–yes and no.
Here’s the bottom line (confusingly, I’m placing it near the top). Bottom line is, THIS is the Marvel movie that Ang Lee should have directed. This is the movie that sought to have a dreamlike quality to it, with amazing aerial kung fu acrobatics and extended battle scenes that should leave you breathless.
But the script and director didn’t deliver that. I don’t know whether it was lack of time, lack of budget, lack of ability, or a combination thereof, but it just wasn’t there.
It held my attention, I’ll give it that. I didn’t fall asleep or get bored and mentally wander off and watch “Casablanca” in my head, which is what I do with films that aren’t grabbing me. Then again–sorry, purely personal thing–I’m a sucker for Jennifer Garner, and she was in practically every scene. Indeed, the few scenes she wasn’t in were the ones where my attention did start to wander until she came back.
Even with my fondness for the actress, I am forced to admit that, to use the words of Dorothy Parker, she ran the emotional gamut from A to B. The story, such as it is, involves Elektra protecting a desirable young martial arts prodigy from the clutches of the Hand (no pun intended.) If you want to see a top notch film about a deadly woman protecting a young charge, go watch Gena Rowlands in “Gloria.”
People were coming out of the film wondering why Elektra felt inspired to protect the girl. The answer to that is actually in the script, pretty clearly. It’s not even subtext; it’s subtle as a brick. Elektra sees much of herself in the girl and wants to try and keep her out of the clutches of the Hand so that the girl won’t turn out like Elektra. In saving the girl, Elektra would be in some measure saving herself. Which might kinda sorta track if, say, Elektra had once actually been IN the Hand and the Hand had made her the way she was. Since she wasn’t and they didn’t and we’re not entirely sure why she is the way she is, we’re left with no touchstone or frame of reference. Garner is a good actress, but she doesn’t seem capable of bringing layers, shading and meanings that aren’t in the page. What she sees is what you get. So when people are wondering “why” she would care, it’s not because the script doesn’t explain, but because Garner doesn’t convey enough passion about what’s in the script to make it believable, mostly because Garner doesn’t get to act the key motivational scenes, but instead experience them in flashback to when she was a child. So she’s distanced, we’re distanced, and Garner doesn’t have the chops to make the jump and link us emotionally with the girl she was and the woman she is.
The places where the film really kick starts is anything with Terrance Stamp as Stick. I’d always seen stick more as a Burgess Meredith type, but Meredith is dead, and anyway Terrance brings his own stamp to the role (okay, THAT pun was intended) and invests all his scenes with such authority that–even though his part is even more underwritten than Garner’s–you don’t care.
Better than Daredevil? Well, yes in the sense that it’s not relentlessly depressing and wasn’t edited with a salad shooter (although I seem to be the only person on the planet who liked Ben Affleck as Matt Murdock). But no in that “Daredevil” had an okay villain in the Kingpin and an incredible villain in Bullseye. “Elektra” screamed for a bad guy with the sass and swagger of Colin Farrell. (At one point a group of Hand operatives, clad in civvies, shows up on their way to try and kill Elektra’s charges, and I swear to God, one of them looked so familiar–in shaggy black hair, sunglasses and black leather jacket–that I actually said out loud, “Good Lord, the Hand is sending in Neil Gaiman.” Which got some laughs from nearby, but now that I think on it, I believe Neil would actually make a crackerjack movie villain, and he might want to look into it if the whole writing thing doesn’t work out for him.)
Instead there’s something like five major bad guys, each of whom are only as interesting as the special effects that accompanies them or their powers (although fanboys are gonna go nuts for the thirty second sequence of Typhoid sucking face with Elektra for no reason other than to provoke fan boys into going nuts). Having five times the assassins that “Daredevil” had doesn’t make the film five times as interesting. Hëll, I’d’ve been happy to see Elektra have a throw down with someone on par with Crispin Glover’s screaming looney from the “Charlie’s Angels” films.
So it’s worth your money if you’re seeing it at matinee prices, and it’s worth it for Terrance Stamp. If I’d paid matinee prices to see it, I’m come out feeling it wasn’t the best film I’d ever seen, but worth the investment of time and money. Your opinion will probably vary based upon how big fans you are of Frank Miller, Jennifer Garner and Terrance Stamp. And red leather and lesbian kissing scenes.
Oh, as we emerged from the theater, we were greeted with huge posters advertising the film of Frank Miller’s “Sin City.” Now THAT looks interesting.
PAD
• 
For what it’s worth I thought Ben afleck was a really good DareDevil. I just thought the story was slow.
Ian
thanks PAD
i had my doubts about this one
so i decided to just go to see jennfer and terrence and definitely during the day
so guess my heads in the right place
it would have been great if the studio were thinking about making it another crouching tiger
after all why couldnt elektra be as good as that film with a combination of the right story and the right fight chroeography?
not to mention the right villains
No real interest in Elektra. In comics or on the screen. Not a fan of Garner either. So this will probably be a “wait for HBO” thing with me.
Which is a far bit better than the “not on the threat of death” thing I have with Catwoman.
And I though Affleck was fine as DD. It’s the same problem as Clooney hadas Batman: good actors, great for the roles, but both in horrible, horrible movies. Although I admit, as much as I hated Daredevil, it wasn’t “makes the baby jesus weep” bad as Batman & Robin.
‘it wasn’t “makes the baby jesus weep” bad as Batman & Robin.”
Dude, at least YOU didn’t see “Batman and Robin” at a special private screening for DC staffers and guest. I’ll never forget the moment Batman whipped out the Bat Mastercard, and someone behind me screamed like a lost soul howling its agony from the pit of the dámņëd. It was Denny O’Neil. What a blood-curdling sound THAT was.
PAD
Your flexible friend, don’t leave home without it.
Ian
“Dude, at least YOU didn’t see “Batman and Robin” at a special private screening for DC staffers and guest. I’ll never forget the moment Batman whipped out the Bat Mastercard, and someone behind me screamed like a lost soul howling its agony from the pit of the dámņëd. It was Denny O’Neil. What a blood-curdling sound THAT was.”
I remember seeing Batman and Robin in the theater and by 10 minutes in thinking Batman wasn’t the only one not around when you needed them… what about Mike, Joel, Tom and Crow.
Neither of the multi-screen Cinemas in my town are showing Elektra this week, which is a bad sign. I’ll probably go see it if it gets here in a few weeks, I’d planned to go tonight, but will now choose between White Noise and Team America.
You know, it would almost be worth sitting through that movie (I don’t think I’ve ever made it through the whole thing) just to see Denny O’Neil’s reaction to it…
You know there are two movie sneak previews in the history of cinema I wish I could have been at (And will once science perfects a time machine and I steal it…)- the surprise sneak preview of GONE WITH THE WIND with an unsuspecting audience that reportedly went bannanas and the screening of BATMAN AND ROBIN for DC employees who were, I am sure, equally unsuspecting, but not in a good way…
Thanks a lot for the review. It was the most positive review I’ve read for this movie and yet I still think it’s going to suck. I’m a big fan of lesbian scenes and Garner’s ášš is hot, but I usually want an actual story in my movies. Ah, well… I sat through Catwoman and lived, I’ll make it through this, too.
Frank Miller’s “Sin City” is what I’m waiting to see!!! I dunno why the fanboys/girls aren’t talking this up as much as the other stuff. 🙁
Actually Neil Gaiman did play the villain (I think), vocally at least, in the deservedly forgotten Archangel Thunderbird.
A friend of mine mentioned that the teaser trailer for The Fantastic Four (or whatever the official title is) will be shown exclusively, at least at first, with Elektra. (He could be wrong.)
Sometimes I can’t stand when they pull tricks like that…
A friend of mine mentioned that the teaser trailer for The Fantastic Four (or whatever the official title is) will be shown exclusively, at least at first, with Elektra. (He could be wrong.)
Sometimes I can’t stand when they pull tricks like that…
Had no interest in seeing it (and probably still won’t, time not being what it once was) until I saw the trailer, which looked interesting. I’ve always seen Terence Stamp as Stick, by the way. Burgess would have been… weird. Never cared for Elektra, didn’t think much of her in the DD movie (which, holes and all, I really liked. Afflack didn’t bother me too much – he doesn’t play blind very well… blind folks don’t hold their head rigid, but tend to wag it lightly for better sound pickup. Much better than any of the Batman movies — none of them were watchable, IMO).
After watching Daredevil the day it came out, I realized my face was hurting when the movie was over. Then I figured out that it was because I had been smiling for 90 minutes straight. That’s how much I enjoyed Daredevil. I thought it did justice to the character.
I saw Batman and Robin at the dollar theater and I was so pìššëd that I wasted that dollar on that movie instead of spending it on a scratch-off lottery ticket. Worst movie in the history of, um… movie history. Ever. I dare you to find a worse movie.
Well, I really liked Daredevil, so I’m sure to go and see this too.
Has anybody seen the new Director’s Cut of Daredevil? I picked it up, and I liked it a lot more than the regular version..quite a few plot holes were explained, as well as some new scenes. Plus there’s a new sub-story in which Foggy plays a bigger role.
Worth a look!
Lou
Well, I really liked Daredevil, so I’m sure to go and see this too.
Has anybody seen the new Director’s Cut of Daredevil? I picked it up, and I liked it a lot more than the regular version..quite a few plot holes were explained, as well as some new scenes. Plus there’s a new sub-story in which Foggy plays a bigger role.
Worth a look!
Lou
Well THAT was wierd…
Lou
Well, just to throw my two coppers in, I also liked Ben as Daredevil. The film was far from perfect (hëll, even the writer/director cops to that), but it was enjoyable, and I think they got the feel of the comics right, if not the facts. (And I also agree that the Director’s Cut is MUCH better. Go check it out if you’re so inclined…)
That said, I’ll be seeing Elektra this weekend, though I won’t really be expecting much. I’m essentially going to see the very beautiful Jennifer Garner, and that’s about it. Terrence Stamp (not so beautiful) will simply be an added bonus.
Well, I liked Afffleck as Murdock but not as Daredevil. He didn’t have the right moves for the character (no slam against him…he probably didn’t have the year-and-a-half to do enough martial arts training to look natural at it).
I didn’t like Garner in the DD movie, so I’m going to give this one a miss, too.
I’ll probably see ELEKTRA as a matinee this week, but it’s nothing I’m frothing at the bit for. I’m hoping for some good action scenes, but not much more.
In what’s almost false advertising, the current issue of STUFF (which I beleve THE DAILY SHOW once described as “the magazien for readers who find MAXIM too cerebral”) has this tag: “ELEKTRA SHOCK! Inside! Natassia Malthe Locks Lips With Jennifer Garner!” Alas, the mag only has Natassia *talking* about the kiss — no pictures, dude.
(Personally, I wish people who went so nuts over two women kissing, or full-frontal nudity, would just watch pørņ. You see a lot more action, it’s not gratituous (let’s be honest, Halle Berry could just have easily worn a bikini top in SWORDFISH), you’re a lot more able to forgive a bad story, and you don’t sit through over 90 minutes of a movie for a 5-secodn thrill.)
“Oh, as we emerged from the theater, we were greeted with huge posters advertising the film of Frank Miller’s “Sin City.” Now THAT looks interesting.”
I saw the two minute trailer on E!’s Coming Attractions. Sin City looks totally stunning, I’m just praying it has a decent plot it in.
I would have loved to have seen the private screening of Fantastic Four that Marvel had. Let’s face it, if the Corman version is that campy, I really, really want to sit through it.
Re: Sin City – It’s being co-directed by Miller & Tarintino. If that doesn’t put it on your must-see list, I don’t know what will.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0401792/?fr=c2l0ZT1kZnxzZz0xfHR0PW9ufHBuPTB8cT1zaW4gY2l0eXxteD0yMHxsbT0yMDB8aHRtbD0x;fc=1;ft=20;fm=1
They don’t have Tarintino down as director, but look at the list of stars, including Jessica Albe, Bruce Willis & Micket Rourke.
You know, I must be the only straight guy on the planet who doesn’t understand what it is about two women kissing that gets other men all hot and bothered. I mean, the only thing that’s more stupid are the guys who get off on seeing their girl with another guy. In my mind, people who think like that are candidates for a Darwin Award.
Alas, I don’t watch Alias and Garner’s work in Daredevil didn’t really light any fires under me either. I’m going to have to give this one a “wait until out on video” pass.
Well, PAD, Marveldom assembled must be having a field day with this one. Have you looked at rottentomatoes.com? Out of the 46 reviews posted so far for “Elektra,” only one is a positive one. It’s got a Tomatometer rating of 2%. Keeping things in perspective, “Catwoman” had 160 reviews, 15 positive, earning a rating of 9%. From reviews alone, it would appear that Marvel’s coughing up the bigger hairball.
Not to worry–I’m STILL seeing it this evening with friends. (O fragile sanity, where hast thou gone?)
Can’t recommend the DD Director’s Cut enough.
And to the person wondering if “Sin City” is going to have a good plot: from what I understand, the movie is filmed versions of the first few Sin City comic stories, shot-for-shot. Think about that one for a minute. And, yes, Robert Rodriguez, Quentin Tarantino, and Frank Miller, directors all.
I’ve also heard that the FF trailer bites the big one. Sad…are we entering the “Batman & Robin” era of Marvel movies? Darn, it’s been so long, I thought for sure that the inimitable style of “Howard the Duck” had been forgotten!
~G.
The last badly-reviewed movie I saw was Van Helsing. My thinking was that every review I read blasted the film essentially because they didn’t remain true to the Old Hollywood depictions of the monster characters.
As if those films were ever really faithful to the original fictional versions?
Anyway, VH was a great old 80s rock band…errr, sorry, was a fun action movie romp that didn’t ask too much, and neither did I.
Somehow, I ask more from my comic movies. I like Hulk. I like Daredevil, theatrical version. I’d like to see the director’s cut, but have to wait for a buddy to get it on Netflix.
I passed on The Punisher and Catwoman. Catwoman because I’m a big 90s Batfamily fan, and didn’t want to see anything that wasn’t based on the real Selina Kyle. I didn’t care for Pfeiffer’s version in Batman Rerturns, but I also pretty much view that whole set of films as Elseworlds tales.
So I’ll probably pass on Elektra. I haven’t read the source material, although I know the story. It just doesn’t look that interesting, and I’d rather send Marvel’s film execs the message that I want to see interesting movies rather than comic based movies. And for the most part, both X and S films, along with Hulk and Daredevil, have been interesting and entertaining. Maybe if Elektra starts showing better word-of-mouth review, I’ll take an interest.
Michael Brunner wrote…
Re: Sin City – It’s being co-directed by Miller & Tarintino. If that doesn’t put it on your must-see list, I don’t know what will.
I believe Miller isn’t actually doing any directing for the film. As I understand it, Rodriguez had to fight to get Miller the co-credit – in fact, I believe he had to resign from the director’s guild to do it. Pretty upstanding of him.
I haven’t heard anything about Tarantino since the initial rumours surfaced long ago. Can you confirm for me that he is, in fact, directing a segment of the movie?
I really liked Daredevil. I think its one of the best Marvel films. Ya, Spiderman 2 is THE best so far, but Daredevil is ONE of the best of the Marvel movies, imo.
Ben Affleck, imo, was great as Matt Murdock and really good as Daredevil. He had both roles down pretty good (especially Matt. He was the perfect Matt, imo).
I also really liked Jennifer Garner as Elektra. I thought she did really good in the Daredevil movie. I really want to see Elektra. I think it’ll be a good movie. I also think it’ll be a movie that I’ll like alot or at least think is good movie and most people will prob think its ok or horrible.
Guess I should be used to that by now. I like the Hulk and Daredevil movies quiete a bit.
DF2506
” Spiderman 2 is, imo, THE best though. Wow. What a movie. I hope Fanastic Four is as great or better! “
I’m going to have to chime in as one of those who also loved Daredevil, and I’ve been looking forward to this movie, but whether or not I’ll manage to really enjoy it remains to be seen.
The problem is, I finally gave in to online peer pressure and started watching Alias two weeks ago. By which I mean I bought three seasons of Alias and consumed two and a half of them in two weeks. I’m not sure I’m capable of seeing Jennifer Garner as anything but Sydney Bristow right now.
I fear I’ll watch the whole movie thinking that Syd’s in some really elaborate undercover op, and wondering why Marshall didn’t give her cooler tech.
Didn’t love Daredevil, but I distinctly remember watching it and realizing, with some surprise, that I was enjoying it.
Hmmm I thought the guy in the jacket and glasses was Frank Miller doing a cameo. Whn I relazied it was not I thought of Neil. I cannot think Neil as villian though. He just too nice.
I also liked the Daredevil movie and ben Afflek in it. Neeed to check out the director’s cut.
I just saw it. It was fun. Then again I am sucker for Jennifer Graner too :).
All I can remember from “Batman & Robin” was someone in the audience standing up and shouting at the top of their lungs “THAT’S THE BIGGEST FREAKIN’ DIME STORE INDIAN I’VE EVER SEEN!!!” during one of the gratuitous pans of Gotham City’s goofball skyline. I’ve repressed the rest.
Didn’t enjoy “DareDevil” that much, though I didn’t *not* like it; I guess it was passable. I’ll probably see “Elektra” just to be a completist.
-That OTHER John Byrne
Jeff –
I don’t have a scourse handy about Tarintino, I just remember reading about it. As for Miller, he’s listed on IMDB as a director, but with “post-production” written after it. Don’t know any more than that.
Here’s Millers IMDB entry:
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0588340/
Turns out he’s also in the Directors cut of daredevil.
kingbobb: “The last badly-reviewed movie I saw was Van Helsing. My thinking was that every review I read blasted the film essentially because they didn’t remain true to the Old Hollywood depictions of the monster characters.”
You know, I went into Van Helsing pretty much expecting it to be not much more that a good reason to have some popcorn and suck down a Dr. Pepper. And I was right. I did however come away impressed with the portrayal of Frankenstein’s monster (you know, the one that too many people just call “Frankenstein”) I liked that his motivation was to just be left alone.
As for Electra… I’ll be waiting for it to air on a network. Something tells me I’ll need the comercial breaks.
No plans to see “Elektra” at present, but I do havd a “Daredevil” question. I recently saw a director’s cut DVD of that film at Best Buy (which apparently has a subplot excised from the film about Matt Murdock and a client). Has anyone seen this version? Does it improve the theatrical version, or were those scenes better left on the cutting room floor?
Rick
Can’t recommend the DD Director’s Cut enough.
Did they remove Affleck from it? That’s the only way I’ll see it.
Finally saw DD on cable and couldn’t turn away…the same way the wife & I couldn’t turn away from Battlefield Earth…it was just that bad to us. ‘Course, I’m not particularly a fan of Affleck’s, and was thus pre-disposed to disliking his performance. (Truth be told, I think the “Affleck as Daredevil” action figure is a better actor than the flesh-and-blood Affleck.)
But, it – and Battlefield Earth still weren’t as bad as Batman and Robin. In then-27 years of watching movies, including college as a film major, no movie before (or since) has made me want to get up and leave the theatre. The only reason I didn’t was because I wasn’t the one who drove that day.
I saw the director’s cut – It was worthwhile for the additional very funny verbal sparring between Matt and Foggy, and more courtroom time. The plot made a little more sense, but I didn’t think the plot of the theatrical version was that full of holes (the new cut gets Daredevil first involved with Kingpin more directly through the courtroom). Coolio was fun, but didn’t do much in the movie. It didn’t really solve my original problem with the film (which I very much liked despite the flaw) which was that by moving the Elektra arc completely to the present, the Elektra story lost resonance, and became less believable (this was made worse by the fact that the decision seemed so arbitrary).
Todd
I thought Afflek was good as Murdock, too.
I thoght that “Daredevil” was a very hard film to watch, because I was constantly having to look all over the place, to make sure I didn’t trip on any dropped premises, or fall into any plot holes.
And the last ten minutes were, for lack of a more appropriate way of putting it, really dumb.
Living in Queens -as opposed to Manhattan – I live near theaters that have matinee prices. Thanks for the advice, PAD.
Mark James
I saw Batman and Robin at the dollar theater and I was so pìššëd that I wasted that dollar on that movie instead of spending it on a scratch-off lottery ticket. Worst movie in the history of, um… movie history. Ever. I dare you to find a worse movie.
Space Mutiny. It was a really bad early ’80s sci-fi flick, so gratuitously cheap and horrid it ripped off SFX sequences from Prattlestar Galaxative– er, I mean Battlestar Galactica. It was so bad, even Joel and the robots couldn’t save it! (I know – I watched them try.)
I will probably see it cause I loves me some Jennifer Garner.As far as DD,upon further review i didnt hate it but…….Affleck as DD didnt work for me.I think i only like him in Kevin Smith movies.The movie had certain touches i liked ,him sleeping in a sensory deprivation tank
as an example ,but other elements just fell flat.
I had a bigger issue with How Bullseye was portayed,a little too over the top for me .Personally i would have cast Neal McDonough in the part,with Matt Damon or Ed Norton as Daredevil. The sound track got me hooked on Evanescence so i cant complain too much.How hot Did Jennifer Garner look training in
DD to kick Affleck’s ášš???Sin City looks cool and
any flick with Bruce Willis,and Micheal madsen in it …I am so there.
I have to agree with others about DareDevil, I liked Ben Affleck in it. I thought he was really good at it. Jennifer Garner was good as Elektra, but I didn’t really like Colin Farrell in it.
Good movie though, intend to see Electra at some point, probably not this weekend though. Will Yun Lee has been one of my favorite actors since Witchblade.
I don’t really give a whole lot of credit to online interviewers. I tend to like most of the movies they give C-s and 2 stars to and hate the ones they give As and 4s…
Ra!
“Dude, at least YOU didn’t see “Batman and Robin” at a special private screening for DC staffers and guest. I’ll never forget the moment Batman whipped out the Bat Mastercard, and someone behind me screamed like a lost soul howling its agony from the pit of the dámņëd. It was Denny O’Neil. What a blood-curdling sound THAT was.”
I can only imagine that moment of genuine emotion and drama from poor ol’ Denny would’ve made the movie BETTER.
Man, I hope the new Bat-flick is good…..but I guess the Bat-bar’s set pretty low at this point.
“I’ve also heard that the FF trailer bites the big one. Sad…are we entering the “Batman & Robin” era of Marvel movies?”
I wouldn’t say it bites…but it doesn’t inspire great hope that the film will be very good.
It looks…ordinary. And when you have the word “fantastic” in your title, ordinary just won’t cut it.
For me, the movie was lost when Dr Doom was transformed from the leader of Latveria to…hang on to your hats folks!–an evil businessman! Wow! THAT hasn’t been beaten to death! How are we supposed to respect the heroes when they are going 4 on 1 against Donald Trump with a bad skin disorder?
I’ll read the paperback, which will doubtlessly have some clever dialogue at least.
Poor Denny. 🙁
The worst movie I ever saw in a theatre was “The Haunting” with Catherine Zeta Jones.
Only saw this film because “The Sixth Sense” was sold out.
Steve Chung
Just got back from seeing Elektra. And I really enjoyed it. It wasn’t spectacular, by any means, but it was good fun and I got pretty much what I expected.
As for the FF trailer before it, THAT I really liked! Before the trailer, except for Jessica Alba (who’s SMOKIN’ hot), I was skeptical of the movie. And, yes, trailers can be deceiving. But I, for one, am now really looking forward to the movie.
I thought that Ben Affleck played a fine Matt Murdock and Daredevil (although I always imagined Daredevil to look more badass) and that Kingpin was portrayed excelently.
I’m pleased to hear that Stick is appropriately badass.
I saw Batman and Robin at the dollar theater and I was so pìššëd that I wasted that dollar on that movie instead of spending it on a scratch-off lottery ticket. Worst movie in the history of, um… movie history. Ever. I dare you to find a worse movie.
Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song.
And yes, that’s how it’s spelled.
Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song…I liked it. Way ahead of its time, great soundtrack, some nicely surreal cinematography…now GODMONSTER OF INDIAN FLATS, there’s a bad movie. or SLAPSTICK OF ANOTHER KIND. Or SOUL VENGEANCE although that one at least has the single most amazing plot development about 3/4 of the way through…
Among the worst movies ever:
DUNGEONS & DRAGONS (not only awful for being a movie D&D fans waited over 2 decades to see, but also because the writers claimed it took years for them to write)
CATWOMAN: Take away the (admittedly admirable) sight of Halle Berry in the skimpiest Catwoman outfit to date, and there’s absolutely no other reason to watch this.
CHARLIE’S ANGELS: A movie wallowing in camp.
FLESH AND BONE: In addition to being terminally dull, this movie gave away its “surprise” twist by having it about two characters in a movie with only 5 main characters.
And, for the MST3K fans…
PUMAMAN: Hands down, this is the worst superhero movie ever. Worst costume (tan slacks???), worst powers (pumas can’t fly and teleport), worst sidekick (an Aztec who’s cooler than the hero), worst nemesis (Donald Pleasance, who at one point turns up wearing what really looks like a dress). But at least it’s my favorite MST3K episode!
And generally considered the worst movie shown on MST3K [drumroll please]
MANOS: THE HANDS OF FATE. When doing a horror movie, don’t have the first 10 or 20 minutes be shots of boring countryside. Don’t have the “monster” be a slow guy with fat knees and a speech impediment. Don’t use a foreign word for the same word in English (“Aqua: The Water of Doom”). And if Joel,Crow, and Tom Servo aren’t on screen too, don’t watch MANOS: THE HANDS OF FATE.
Torgo, take me away!