MovieChat Forums > Atonement (2008) Discussion > Why such negative reviews for this film?...

Why such negative reviews for this film??

posted 9 years ago by mpboylanjr-54038
9 replies | jump to latest

I cannot understand for the life of me so many user reviews in the 1s to 4s ??
I am not a reader of the book and sure I saw this film years ago for the first time but how can anybody justify writing a review of this film and say it is basically one of the worst films they have ever seen?
It was a really good film deserving at the very worst a 5 IMHO. The story is great and from talking with the fans of the books I've heard it was almost spot on as it goes with books to film movies.
I would love to hear from someone who gave it a 1 or a 2 rating and see what justifies a film of this quality and acting along with Oscar and Golden Globe nominations and wins to give it such a miserable score. Please help me understand this thinking???
I don't beleive in forcing my tastes and types of films that I like onto other people or saying people are "dumb" for not liking a particular film I like and vice versa (as many on IMDb love to do) . On this one I beleive it was an 8 and there wasn't anything particularly wrong with any part of production. Sure you can knit pick little things such as the parts a Dunkirk which were so small they aren't worth mentioning on the grander scale of things. Like I stated I'm not a reader of the book and what I've heard from a few people it was very close to the book . If I'm wrong please let me know and also why people thought it was deserving as one of the worst films ever made ???

THERES NO ROOM IN MY CIRCUS TENT FOR YOU !!!!

[–] jlent 9 years ago

Yes it's very close to the book, with a couple of unfortunate, though not ruinous, differences.

I think part of the reason is that it is an unremittingly sad story. No comfort or hope for anyone, about anything.

People can take sad endings, hopeless ones are another matter and some would rather stay above it all by saying they hated it than to admit being crushed by it.

[–] ljackson-53207 9 years ago

I did not officially rate this movie on this site, but for sure less than a 5 for me. I found it too slow. The beginning didn't grab me until the library scene. Then nothing until the reveal of the true rapist. Then nothing until the book content reveal. I couldn't emotionally vest myself in any character. I wanted to like this but it didn't happen for me....

[–] leishayoung 7 years ago

I had a similar reaction to it. I actually found the first half of the film to be quite pretentious, which soured me from the start. I didn't feel a lot of chemistry between Knightly and McAvoy and found both performances to be quite wooden, and I felt nothing for the other characters either.

The second half of the film is better, but I had no real emotional connection to the characters at that point so the drama didn't really affect me so much.

I kind of felt that the film was largely miscast.

[–] doubl3 9 years ago

I can't understand the opposite. How critics give it such high scores beats me. I gave it a 6 and was on the borderline of 6/7, so I am not bashing it, but it's still just ok, due to a few parts being pretty boring. Every time I started to think I'd rate it a 7, suddenly the movie went back to not being so good. It just kept having bits and pieces that felt like good acting, good atmosphere, etc..., but could never maintain it for long, and just felt no different than a lot of movies, really. But yeah people are odd who would rate it a 5 or below. If we could rate with decimals, I'd give it something like a 6.7 probably. But I don't round up or down automatically, it's just case by case.

[–] Bec92 9 years ago

It's an amazing film probably rated low by keyboard warriors who prefer movies with explosions and guns.

[–] doubl3 9 years ago

Actually it's the opposite. Keyboard warriors think if a movie doesn't have action it's automatically good. Not all movies with action are bad and not all without them are good. I like plenty movies without action. In fact, until recently, I purposely watched NO action movies at all.

[–] Bec92 9 years ago

I think you have misinterpreted what I meant, but that’s fine.

You like what you like, I like what I like, and the world keeps spinning.

[–] Bec92 9 years ago

I think you have misinterpreted what I meant, but that’s fine.

You like what you like, I like what I like, and the world keeps spinning.

[–] kearney-b 7 years ago

I was uncomfortable that Saoirse Ronan only 12 when this movie was made. It centered around misunderstandings of adult sexuality. She walks into the library during heavy *beep* episode, and reads a note that has slang for sex . Usually Directors use a older actress who looks young since if this is rated R she couldn't be allowed admittance at the theatres.