Many movies are hyped up by audiences worldwide, and some are deservedly so due to their entertainment. But that’s not the case with every film people talk about, as some fall into the hype without deserving it. While they might be good, they’re not as great as some people claim.
The Notebook
The Notebook is a movie that doesn’t fall into the typical romance genre, as a deeper love shines through this one. However, much of that is down to the work of Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling rather than the story itself. The performances carry this, and their chemistry led to much hype, but it isn’t as great as people proclaim it to be.
Forrest Gump
Forrest Gump features one of Tom Hanks’ most iconic performances, and considering how quotable the film is, it’s no surprise that people hyped it up. It’s certainly entertaining, but the film goes on a little longer than needed, even though it’s a regular drama and not something that warrants it.
Grease
Grease is often hailed as one of the greatest movie musicals of all time, with performances from John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John still being talked about to this day. But that doesn’t mean it’s as good as people claim. The story is a fundamental high-school romance, lacking the level of detail and emotion that other films, such as La La Land, can provide.
Asteroid City
Asteroid City caught the attention of many people due to the cast it boasted. Bringing together tons of A-list stars with unique visuals and a bright set, this seemed like it would be an instant win. It led to many people hyping it up, but ultimately, the end result could be better, with this movie being relatively dull and uninspiring.
Spider-Man: No Way Home
Spider-Man: No Way Home benefited massively from the hype of bringing three versions of the famous hero together alongside villains from various past movies. But while there were many fantastic cameo appearances and throwbacks, the plot was messy. Marvel also struggled with the time travel element, as the repercussions of each decision were seemingly not thought through.
The Dark Knight Rises
The Dark Knight Trilogy is often considered to be the greatest Batman film of all time. The Dark Knight Rises was the one to wrap it all up, but it’s not as strong as some people have hyped it to be. From the confusing ending that doesn’t give a clear finish after three movies to the fact that the plot is all over the place, it can be a frustrating movie to watch.
The Menu
The Menu got a lot of attention due to the shock factor that many of the scenes provide, but there are many better examples of ‘Eat the Rich’ movies than this one. The Menu relies heavily on violence and drastic measures, while things end up being resolved with more of a whimper than what comes before.
Paranormal Activity
Found footage movies became incredibly popular in the horror genre around this time, and Paranormal Activity was a big reason for that. The idea that this could’ve been a real story was supposed to be the main hook, but despite the marketing surrounding it, this one lacks the scare factor.
Everything Everywhere All at Once
Everything Everywhere All at Once was massively hyped upon its release, and the fact that it did so well during awards season helped to take it to the next level. However, many people felt that it was too silly, and some of the humor did not connect with certain audiences.
Gravity
Gravity is a visually stunning movie that pushed the boundaries of what was possible at the time. Everything looks impeccable, and that’s one of the reasons so many people ended up watching it. But when it comes to the story, there are a lot of plot holes, which prevent this from being a great movie.
Fantasia
At the time, Fantasia was hyped for its bold choices and impressive animation. The decision to tell many short stories set to different pieces of classical music was bold but ultimately didn’t lead to an exciting film. While certain aspects are entertaining, it can feel dull when watched as a complete package, particularly for younger audiences.
Titanic
Titanic is a long movie, and the ending is known beforehand. The chosen method of adding some drama was a forced romance between two people from different class systems, but the story itself has enough emotional stakes due to the tragedy. It’s a perfectly fine movie with several scenes that feel too corny but not as great as the hype might suggest.
Tropic Thunder
With a stellar cast, it’s no surprise that this movie got a lot of hype. It is supposedly a satire on the Hollywood industry. However, the problem is that many of the choices made are extremely offensive. While they’re positioned as jokes, they still prove to be hurtful to some, which is why this isn’t worth the hype it was given.
The Greatest Showman
The Greatest Showman has some fantastic songs, which helped it become as popular as it did with the tunes growing in popularity. But when it comes to the overall story, it’s far from being as strong as other musicals that didn’t perform as well.
Toy Story 4
The Toy Story franchise is one of the strongest in cinematic history, with the original trilogy taking place to a high standard. But the fourth installment took things a little too far regarding the believability of how the toys act around humans or the fact that a spork could end up being brought to life. The final scene that saw Woody split from the group was underwhelming and didn’t feel in keeping with the bond he’d made with them over the years. It felt like Pixar was trying to follow up on the emotions that the third movie provided, with this being a desperate way to achieve that.
The World’s End
While it isn’t officially linked to Shaun of the Dead or Hot Fuzz, those three movies are branded as the Cornetto Trilogy. But The World’s End is far from the same level of quality as the two that came before it. The characters attempting to relive their youth don’t quite connect, and the poor ending doesn’t help the story.
Avatar
Avatar became the highest-grossing film of all time, and whenever a movie gets close to breaking records, the hype train increases. This is one of the reasons why Avatar ended up performing so well. The main reason for its hype was the breathtaking special effects, but once you forget about that and focus purely on the movie, it’s nowhere near as strong as it was made out to be, especially for its run length.
The Blair Witch Project
Many movies attempt to be innovative and try something new to grip fans, and The Blair Witch Project ticks that box. But in the end, there needs to be more character development, as the focus is on how it’s filmed. The shakiness of the camera can also frustrate many, and there’s also a lack of a clear ending.
