As a gamer who has spent countless hours immersed in the virtual world of movies and their narratives, I find myself constantly drawn to the enigmatic allure of films that defy expectations. Such is the case with Damien Chazelle’s latest offering, Babylon. After the critical and commercial success of La La Land and First Man, I was eagerly anticipating this big-budget spectacle starring Brad Pitt and Margot Robbie. However, its underwhelming performance at the box office left me feeling somewhat perplexed, much like a gamer trying to decipher a complex puzzle.
Following the success of two highly praised films by director Damien Chazelle in the 2010s, there was widespread expectation that a lavish production featuring stars Brad Pitt and Margot Robbie would be both a box office and critical triumph. However, this prediction proved far from accurate with the release of 2022’s Babylon. The film garnered mixed opinions from critics and viewers alike and suffered greatly at the box office, earning just $64 million globally against an estimated budget of $80 million. Despite this underperformance, recent comments from Margot Robbie about the movie hint at potential reasons for optimism, and I believe she may be onto something.
Margot Robbie has a knack for shattering box office records, particularly following the release of last summer’s movie “Barbie”. Yet, regarding her performance in “Babylon”, she can’t fathom why audiences didn’t resonate with it more. In her own terms:
I love it. I don’t get it either. I know I am biased because I am very close to the project and I obviously believe in it, but I still can’t figure out why people really hated it. I often wonder if in 20 years people are going to be like, ‘Wait, Babylon didn’t do well at the time?’ Like when you hear that Shawshank Redemption was a failure at the time and you’re like, ‘How is that possible?’
In a recent episode of Talking Pictures Podcast, Robbie expressed her thoughts about the movie. Initially, the host hadn’t seen the film upon its release, but later found himself puzzled by the criticism it received. Robbie concurred, acknowledging her own bias, yet positing that the movie might garner appreciation and recognition in the coming decade or so.
During our conversation, she brought up “The Shawshank Redemption,” a film that initially struggled at the box office but eventually rose to become one of cinema’s greatest hits.
Occasionally, it’s not the film itself that makes it successful, but rather the promotion, the competition in theaters, and sometimes timing. Interestingly, Stephen King, who wrote the novella “The Shawshank Redemption” and is a fan of “Babylon”, believed that it would become a cult classic a few months after its release, praising it as “completely brilliant, excessive, over-the-top, funny, thought-provoking.
Apart from boasting an outstanding ensemble of actors, the film “Babylon” offers a compelling narrative that delves into the shift from silent films to talkies in the latter half of the 1920s within Hollywood. Initially, I held off on watching it because of its lengthy runtime of 3 hours and 9 minutes, but since viewing it, I find myself frequently reflecting upon it. The cinematic exploration of filmmaking has profoundly impacted my viewpoint on the industry, despite some peculiar decisions made during production.
Not only is Margot Robbie’s role in Babylon considered one of her finest performances by many, but there’s a growing consensus that she truly shines in this movie. In fact, since its release on streaming platforms, countless viewers have been singing praises for her performance, and the film has garnered a dedicated fanbase who are deeply passionate about it.
Hey there! If, like me, you somehow missed out on streaming Babylon, here’s a heads up: You can now catch it by subscribing to Amazon Prime and streaming it at your convenience.
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2024-11-28 03:37