The Counsellor
2013 was another great year for movies, however, there were some films that were disappointing and left us feeling a little flat.
We take a look at some of the movies that really did leave us feeling a little deflated when we left the cinema last year.
- The Counsellor
The Counsellor was one of the more anticipated films of the autumn, as Ridley Scott returned to the director's chair.
Now only was it great to see Scott back, but he also brought together a terrific cast; Michael Fassbender, Penelope Cruz, Cameron Diaz, Javier Bardem and Brad Pitt were all on board.
Sadly, the movie is not packed with the suspense and the thrills that were expected. On top of that, the script is disjointed and feels incredibly clumsy.
This great cast has really gone to waste, and it is such a shame to see a talented line-up not live up to their potential.
- Man of Steel
I have to admit that I am not a massive Superman fan, but I was interesting to see what director Zack Snyder did with Man of Steel.
Henry Cavill took over the role of Clark Kent, while Amy Adams, Russell Crowe, Michael Shannon and Diane Lane are all also on board.
There is no doubt that many of the action moments and set pieces look fantastic. However, this is a movie that really did leave me feeling cold as the story and characters fail to connect with the audience.
Man of Steel is a solid movie but it really did lack the wow factor that we have seen from this genre of film in recent years. Batman vs Superman is in the pipeline, fingers crossed it will be an improvement.
- Gangster Squad
Gangster Squad was one of the early films of 2013 that looked like it had real promise - the cast list alone was enough to get you into the cinema; Ryan Gosling, Sean Penn, Emma Stone, and Josh Brolin were all on board.
The movie really does look stylish, but it sadly suffers for lacklustre writing; this movie is just so dull.
The characters are really underdeveloped, and so you never really connect or care for them. This talented cast do the best with what they have, but they really aren't given a lot to get their teeth into.
Gangster Squad is based on a terrific true story, a story that has been done a great disservice. This is one of those films where they really have gone for style over substance.
- Kick Ass 2
Kick Ass was one of the best movies of 2010, as Mark Millar and Jon Romita Jr's graphic novel was brought to the big screen.
Sadly, when the second movie was released last year, everything that was great about the first was gone.
You almost get the feeling that they have made the film for the sake of making it, as it just falls completely flat.
The humour and punchy dialogue of the first film is just gone, instead there is just an occasional splattering of humour, and we are left with a story that is just nasty.
This was one of the worst experiences I had in the cinema last year, so disappointed to see this movie fall so short of its predecessor.
- Insidious: Chapter 2
Insidious 2 was another sequel where you have to wonder what the point of making it was. Insidious was a great film, and they really should have left it at that.
James Wan was back in the director's chair, while Patrick Wilson and Rose Byrne were back.
The movie picked up where the first left off, and while Josh Lambert has saved his son, he is not the same man. You just feel like they are re-treading over the same ground, and there was nothing new or original thrown into this sequel.
Insidious 2 is lacking scares and tension and really does fall incredibly flat. Unfortunately, a third film is believed to be in the pipeline.
- The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones
The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones is the first of Cassandra Clare's novels to be adapted for the big screen, and follows in the footsteps of Twilight & The Hunger Games.
The book series is terrific, and while I thought that this film was treated a little harshly, it doesn't quite have the same punch as the novel.
There is a lot of backstory to get through in this first film, and it does get a little bogged down with it; however, it is something that has to be told or the story won't make sense.
The central relationship between Clary and Jace is an interesting and complicated one, but it is perhaps not as tense as in the book.
Other films that didn't quite live up to what we had hoped included Red 2, The Lone Ranger and Trance.