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- The Rhythm Section Is Based on a Novel and Features an Ensemble Cast
- The Rhythm Section Received an Underwhelming Critical Response
- The Rhythm Section Was a Record-Shattering Box Office Bomb
As a film critic with over two decades of experience under my belt, I must say that “The Rhythm Section” left me feeling as flat as a forgotten drum solo. It was like watching a symphony where all the instruments were out of tune and the conductor had clearly never been to a music school. Blake Lively tried her best, but even a diamond can’t shine in a coal mine.
Blake Lively, widely known for her memorable roles on both television and film, is one of Hollywood’s most recognizable actresses. Her charming marriage with fellow actor Ryan Reynolds, along with her outstanding performances, have solidified her position as a top-tier actress. However, her image has faced some challenges lately because of the controversy surrounding the romantic drama It Ends With Us. Yet, it’s undeniable that she consistently demonstrates her acting abilities on screen.
2020 saw Rebecca Lively star in one of Hollywood’s most notorious box office misfires with the action thriller, “The Rhythm Section.” Based on Mark Burnell’s novel, this film turned out to be a critical and financial disaster. The cinematic adaptation set records (albeit for the wrong reasons) and was a significant setback for both Paramount Studios and Lively herself. Its underwhelming performance led Lively to take a break from acting in films for almost four years. Let’s delve into what went awry with “The Rhythm Section” when it graced the big screen.
The Rhythm Section Is Based on a Novel and Features an Ensemble Cast
The 2020 action-thriller movie titled The Rhythm Section, adapted from Mark Burnell’s novel, boasts an energetic cast featuring Blake Lively, Jude Law, and Sterling K. Brown. This film recounts the thrilling journey of a woman seeking vengeance following the heartbreaking demise of her family in a plane crash. In this role, Lively portrays Stephanie Patrick, who plunges into despair and self-destructive behavior for three years after the accident. However, her life takes an unexpected turn when she learns that the catastrophe was not merely a tragic coincidence but the outcome of a terrorist attack, providing her with a fresh purpose in life.
Following a freelance journalist’s accusation that a postgraduate engineering student named Reza was responsible for a devastating explosion, Stephanie emerges from her sorrow to probe into these alarming allegations. To aid her in this mission, she enlists the assistance of Iain Boyd, a former MI6 agent (played by Law), who guides and assists her in investigating Reza. Her goal becomes clear: to apprehend the dangerous suspect at any cost. However, her investigation unwittingly draws the interest of Marc Serra (portrayed by Brown), a previously covert CIA officer now working as a private intelligence broker, who has his own motives for supporting Stephanie’s relentless pursuit of justice.
Similar to the production of her 2024 romantic drama “It Ends With Us,” the making of “The Rhythm Section” was marred by on-set disagreements and delays. Actor Blake Lively and director Reed Morano found themselves at odds with producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, renowned for their work in the James Bond series, regarding the film’s direction and intended final product. Lively and Morano envisioned the thriller as a Bond-like film with a female protagonist, while the producers saw it as a more character-centric, noir project. Additionally, Lively suffered a broken knuckle during production, causing filming to halt for six months until her injury healed.
The Rhythm Section Received an Underwhelming Critical Response
It’s clear that The Rhythm Section didn’t receive the positive reception the studio anticipated, as both critics and viewers found the movie disappointing overall. Despite Emily Lively’s commendable portrayal of a determined assassin-in-training, the film was criticized for its overuse of tired tropes, an unoriginal script, and predictable plot developments. The cinematic adaptation ended up with a rather lackluster C+ rating from audiences, and based on PostTrak data, only 35% of viewers expressed interest in recommending the movie to others.
In a similar vein, The Rhythm Section has received a disappointing 29% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics believe that director Reed Moreno’s adaptation of the novel was well-intentioned but fell short and appeared overly formulaic in its execution. Rolling Stone was not shy about expressing their dissatisfaction with the film, as Peter Travers wrote a scathing review, stating, “Blake Lively gives a valiant effort as a woman seeking revenge, but it’s the relentless monotony that truly undermines this formulaic action thriller. It careens off the edge of cliché and plunges into the abyss of banality.”
Despite earning a Critics’ Choice Super Award for Best Actress in an Action Movie for her outstanding performance in the adaptation, sadly, The Rhythm Section didn’t receive much more recognition upon its release. In fact, it became infamous for its dismal box office performance and unprecedented drop-off at movie theaters. As a devoted cinema enthusiast, I can’t help but feel disappointed about this undeserved fate.
The Rhythm Section Was a Record-Shattering Box Office Bomb
Following the completion of filming for “The Rhythm Section” in 2018, Paramount Pictures decided to hold the thriller back, a move that suggested potential trouble for its overall critical and financial performance. One early sign that the adaptation was likely doomed was the highly negative response the movie elicited from audiences when it was initially shown at the end of 2018, reportedly resulting in some of the poorest feedback the studio had ever encountered. Consequently, Paramount significantly reduced the promotional budget for “The Rhythm Section” and scheduled its release for February 2019, a date that was later moved to January 2020.
As an admirer of the movie industry, I was eagerly anticipating the global premiere of “The Rhythm Section” on January 31, 2020. It was released alongside “Gretel & Hansel,” and initial projections suggested it would earn $9–12 million in its opening weekend. However, after a disappointing start with only $1.2 million on its first day, these predictions were drastically revised to just $3 million. Sadly, the film managed to debut to an even lower figure of $2.8 million, setting a new record for the poorest opening weekend for a movie shown in over 3,000 theaters. Just two weeks after its initial release, it experienced the most significant drop-off ever recorded and was surprisingly withdrawn from 2,955 screens.
The movie bowed out at the box office with earnings of just $6 million against a $50 million budget, which caused Paramount to lose between $30–40 million as a result of the financial blunder. After the horrendous critical performance of The Rhythm Section, Lively took a break from movie-making and didn’t return to the silver screen until 2024, during which she provided her voice in IF and made a cameo in Deadpool & Wolverine as Lady Deadpool. She starred in and was an executive producer for the adaptation of the Colleen Hoover romantic drama It Ends With Us, which has raked in over $242 million but severely impacted her public persona due to on-set tension with director/co-star Justin Baldoni. Rent/Buy The Rhythm Section on Apple TV+, Prime Video, and Google Play.
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2024-08-28 02:01