Key Takeaways:
– Jennifer Lopez’s ‘Atlas’ fails to live up to expectations.
– The storyline of ‘Atlas’ is cliched with weak character development.
– Despite some intriguing teaser trailers, the film disappoints
Jennifer Lopez, who has held a steadfast presence in the film industry, marks her second Netflix feature within a year with ‘Atlas’. However, this AI-centric thriller, helmed by ‘San Andreas’ director Brad Peyton, sadly misses the mark on every count.
The Unexpected Shortfalls of ‘Atlas’
Conceptually, ‘Atlas’ was Netflix’s attempt to carve a niche in the summer tentpole picture scene. Yet, the resultant product is far from impressive. It’s a clichéd science fiction spectacle, with underwhelming visuals and a cookie-cutter plot.
The film follows the journey of Atlas Shepherd, a data analyst with profound distrust for Artificial Intelligence. When her mission to capture a rogue robot goes wrong, her only hope becomes the very thing she detests – AI.
Parallels with past sci-fi classics like ‘Terminator 2: Judgment Day’ and ‘The Iron Giant’ are obvious. However, this doesn’t excuse the atrocious lack of character development. Accomplished actors like Sterling K. Brown remain underutilized, appearing for barely ten minutes each.
Massive Underutilization of Talent
The film’s antagonist, an AI named Harlan, is performed by ‘Shang-Chi’ star Simu Liu. Despite his proven acting prowess, Liu is confined to a skeletal role with minimum dialogue, leading to a colossal waste of talent.
The high point of the film, a mega battle sequence between Harlan and Atlas, is woefully underwhelming, appearing eerily similar to Liu’s scenes in ‘Shang-Chi’, thus raising questions on originality.
A Lost Cause in the Realm of Special Effects
‘A-list’ director Brad Peyton has a history of handling intricate VFX projects. His past endeavours like ‘Rampage’ and ‘Journey 2’ are proof. But ‘Atlas’ doesn’t live up to his reputation. Difficulties in creating a realistic on-screen environment were apparent.
Technical shortcomings plagued the overall viewing experience. The portrayal of the mech suits, pivotal in the storyline, was far from convincing. It fell short when compared to similar suits observed in James Cameron’s ‘Avatar’.
Scripting Flaws and Underwhelming Performances
The screenplay, penned by Leo Sardarian with subsequent rewrites by Aron Eli Coleite, was lack-lustre. The dialogue felt forced, often failing to evoke emotional resonance among viewers.
Jennifer Lopez at the helm of the film fails to elevate the weak storyline. Save for a couple of agreeable scenes, Lopez’s portrayal of Atlas ended up as another disappointing element in the film.
The Final Verdict
After the successful ‘Hustlers’, ‘Atlas’ marks a dip in both the critical reception and overall performance of Lopez. Despite the pre-release hype, the film emerges as a lacklustre attempt by Netflix to create a compelling AI thriller.
If an emotionally stimulating narrative and effective character development are the yardsticks of success for a film, ‘Atlas’ sadly falls short. Steeped in cliches, with sub-par dialogs and ineffective VFX, the film sloppily splashes about in the science fiction genre, never managing to find its footing.
With this failure, the expectation for any future AI-centric thrillers from Netflix will certainly be reconsidered. Given the platform’s previous success in the genre, it is one fumble they may not be able to afford.
