Man, Guy Ritchie’s career just keeps getting worse and worse (or better and better if you’re an Ain’tItCool writer or someone from that ilk).
What started out promising: a thrilling and kinetic voice in comedic crime dramas has devolved into a poster boy for bad-looking blockbusters. First Ritchie hit bust with, “RocknRolla” — one too many times dipping into the same crime caper well — then he signed up for “Sherlock Holmes” which really just looks like a Disney theme-ride in cinematic form (curse your stench Joel Silver), but now he’s got his next project on lock: an adaptation of the D.C. project “Lobo.”
Uhh, who? Yes, we know who he is. He’s an interstellar mercenary and bounty hunter/ anti-hero character in the vein of Wolverine, Deadshot, Punisher, et al. Kids and man children love him because he’s so gritty, tough and “bad-ass.” He’s also fairly C-list outside comic books. Why not just do a whole feature-film about “Deadpool” while you’re at it? Oh wait… nevermind.
Look, Guy. We know we bad-mouthed “RocknRolla” and even the not-so-successful, “Revolver,” but Joel Silver — the oily culprit behind this one, go figure — is not your friend and bad for business. Did you not see the last two “Matrix” films?
Find your original voice, go back and hone it, fine tune it. Please? Making matters even worse is Akiva Goldsman — the hack behind the script for “Batman & Robin” and most recently the genius behind the too-soon, not-even-let-a-second-pass reboot of “The Fantastic Four” — is also one of the producers here. Apparently the “irreverent, gruff tone” of Ritchie’s past films will be on display with the special effects. Yeah, it’s called, “Hellboy” and they’re grossly overrated too.
Guy, this is something Gore Verbinski, Michael Bay and or George Miller should direct. This is not the career trajectory you’re supposed to be on if you actually want to be remembered for a cinematic legacy. But hey, if you’re simply out to make a buck or find some extra scratch for that child support, by all means, have it your way. Also? It’s WB again and a PG-13 film. I.e., let’s get as many asses in seats as possible. May a “Terminator Salvation” fate befall you. [DealMemo]
What? Guy Ritchie has always sucked. He's a Hack with a capital H.
Guy Ritchie sold out quick after the disaster that was Swept Away, it's almost kinda sad. That movie was so awful it redefined the very word, since then Guy Ritchie's been picking at stars trying to find another hit.
He needs Mathew Vaughn back in his career
Matthew Vaughn is far more talented and should be left alone by the Ritchie.
Seriously, why the agita over Guy Ritchie directing a crappy sounding comic book movie? Who cares?
And what's with slagging on George Miller?
I agree with Flosh. It's not like Lobo is a revered character. Who cares? Lobo deserves Ritchie and vice versa.
I'd rather he made a career out of alien, genre-twisting exercises like Revolver than something like Holmes. Sure, Revolver was a totally incomprehensible Performance wannabe but it had promise behind it for an intriguing new career.
Another British director lost to Hollywood etc etc etc.
@Daneil!: exactly.
Given the Wes Anderson post earlier, this one has me wondering Guy Ritchie and Wes Anderson have the same career trajectory. Maybe they need to swap slates; a Wes Anderson-helmed Sherlock Holmes is intriguing and a Guy Ritchie doing, uh, whatever is after The Ostensibly Fantastic Mr. Fox.
George Miller is like Verbinski or Bay? Someone needs to see an unequivocal masterpiece called Babe: Pig in the City (the sequel to a film that should have won Best Picture instead of Zelig: Populist Edition; hell, the sequel should of nominated instead of Weinstein Brother Ego-Stroking in the 16th Century), which is precursor to the grown-up family fair of Up and Where the Wild Things Are.
Ritchie should really stick to what's he good at: plot-twisty Brit gangster flicks. I actually really liked ROCKNROLLA… it did have an absolutely kick-ass soundtrack and didn't pretend to be anything more than it was – an entertaining gangster flick. I'd rather see Ritchie crank out some more of those than LOBO, which should be R rated an done by the guys who did the CRANK films…. or maybe the dude who did SHOOT 'EM UP.
I look at Rock N Rolla which i thought was fairly derivative and paint by numbers for Ritchie and then i look at Sherlock Holmes, a potential Sgt. Rock and this Lobo project and i want a sniper to off Joel Silver and I want Ritchie to at least going back to creating original scripts, sub-par or not.