Mortal Engines (2018) is a movie that came and went that I feel like nobody went and saw. I happened to see the movie in its original theatrical run, and although the movie was quite messy at times I have to say I actually enjoyed it, like quite a lot. I thought the designs of the cities on wheels were really imaginative and cool to watch on a big screen and same goes with the centipede/caterpillar vehicle that the main characters find themselves on later in the movie. I was really bummed the movie flopped as I felt like this could’ve been an awesome movie to have a franchise built off of it. The spectacle was huge and to me it felt like it earned it. Also I will admit, I’m kindof a sucker for the steampunk style and seeing a big budgeted film around that style did make me more primed to like the film than maybe most people. Anyway, how did you like the movie to those who have seen it? Do you think it’s an underrated gem or a piece of crap that was judged fairly upon its release?
Comments
thesnapening t1_j9o86uk wrote
I LOVE mortal engines. Say it at the cinema and fell in love with the world.
When I saw it i posted on here about how it would be perfect for a open world, survival, city builder video game.
planetjeff86 t1_j9o8dys wrote
Mah gud, you are on to something here.
DarkNinjaPenguin t1_j9obhtj wrote
I loved the books and we were waiting for a film for decades, but this just didn't do it justice. The set pieces were great and the art style was on the right track, they just changed too much of the plot for it to be enjoyable for someone who read the books beforehand (they also made it nigh-impossible to follow up with the sequels, but that's another matter).
The only truly enjoyable part was the first 5-10 minutes of London chasing the tiny Bavarian town.
iLoveBums6969 t1_j9oyy3e wrote
It would be amazing to see the actual plot of the books adapted, I feel the moving cities thing really could look amazing if it was done by people that actually gave a shit
And Hester needs to look actually fucked up, not the Ready Player One/Tyrion Lannister thing where they were described as disfigured in the books but look basically fine on camera.
[deleted] t1_j9p7f5o wrote
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iLoveBums6969 t1_j9p7wvf wrote
What does that even mean?! You may as well say the film really made you feel like Batman
Stupidstuff1001 t1_j9olcaw wrote
Wasn’t that the movie where they hired a good looking actress and added a little makeup and everyone in the movie acted like this good looking person was hideous?
TizonaBlu t1_j9p7mv8 wrote
>Mortal Engines
Yes, I believe they added a scar, and rather than a beautiful woman with a scar, we're supposed to see her as hideous.
What's interesting is that iirc, she's supposed to actually be hideous in the book. Much like how Tyrion is supposed to be really ugly in GoT.
CombatHarness t1_j9ofre9 wrote
City go brrr
Davedoenotmoe t1_j9odhqi wrote
Visually it was interesting, and there was definitely something original and different about it.. but the plot itself felt thin, dragged on, and maybe miscast? I dunno, didn't resonate with me and felt like 2 movies worth of story edited into 1 (and poorly edited).
JeanMorel t1_j9o8eip wrote
I think it's a fantastic film, a shame more people didn't go see it.
The_Elder_Jock t1_j9ob9lz wrote
Loved the books. Movie was ok.
TrueLegateDamar t1_j9ojf6o wrote
I might liked it more if I hadn't read the novel, so I couldn't stop nitpicking all the confusing changes. Like Hester Shaw was a different person, Shrike got more to do and the finale wasn't remotely similair, instead it was a blatant rip-off from Star Wars with the turrets and flying inside the London to attack it's weakpoint.
ohsinboi t1_j9omo9p wrote
Very cool concept and designs and I was so hyped for its theater release. The movie felt joyless though. That kind of setting should have been so fun, but it was just "this character meets this character, then they do a thing and meet these other characters. The end."
Squall1990 t1_j9ormgc wrote
I actually loved it, sad there won't be any follow up movies, I've just always loved steampunk themed movies, games and animes and this one reminded me so much of one of all time favorite games growing up
pawood689 t1_j9oe3cz wrote
Definitely a cool premise and world building I’d have liked to see expanded
DigiMagic t1_j9oeyxc wrote
The robot guy subplot made no sense at all - everyone said that he's a cold, unfeeling machine; yet he's the most emotional character of them all, all the time angry and yelling and screaming. Many good ideas there and nicely designed, but overall, eh, it didn't pull me in, everything felt too scripted.
official_bagel t1_j9p31pp wrote
Interesting setting and world building but a pretty forgettable film. Saw it when it was in theaters and outside of the first city chase, I can't recall a single thing that happened.
b4-9in t1_j9o8np4 wrote
It’s a fun movie that requires a lot of “Suspension of Belief”, just buy into the premise and you’ll have a good time. Start nitpicking the science behind it, you won’t like it.
Slartibartfast102 t1_j9olr5r wrote
Suspension of disbelief*
If you suspend belief, you are not believing. If you suspend disbelief, you are now able to believe.
b4-9in t1_j9opfk4 wrote
Yeah… that.. 😁
Yokazu t1_j9oa7d7 wrote
I liked the movie... was hoping for a part 2 but not sure that's gonna happen.
tmssmt t1_j9odldy wrote
Very forgettable.
Insane the trailers saying it was from so and so from lord of the rings and was like dope, this looks tight.
Then I totally forgot about it and it randomly popped up on my streaming site a while later and I finally checked it out.
I usually have a pretty good memory even for things I don't care about, but I can barely remember anything from this movie. I don't even really remember the central plot struggle.
So I'd say this movie was a 4-5/10 for me. It wasn't glaringly bad which would put it lower. I didn't hate it while it was on. But at the same time there was no takeaway from it. Nothing from that movie stayed with me after.
LaylaOrleans t1_j9ohnrr wrote
I read the books after seeing the movie, and they also fizzle out. The first one is really solid, great world-building, characters are a little derivative but fine, it’s YA. But then the subsequent ones (4 in total) get hopelessly tropey.
AthKaElGal t1_j9ovm6a wrote
There's a good story hiding in there. Sadly, they chose to do the shitty YA post apoc one. the robot sub plot was more interesting.
mikeri99 t1_j9oxods wrote
It was visually great, and I really liked the first half. I felt that it missed something in the second half, and I think it was the screen time of Shrike. I wish the story was more about the relationship with him than the actual war.
Phalex t1_j9pgh4j wrote
I think I saw it. That should tell you everything you need to know.
statistics4life t1_j9ptm8c wrote
I thought I was going to see big cities fight each other. Instead I vaguely remember some assault on a giant unmoving wall and a weird murder plot within the London machine. Thumbs down.
killervirgo t1_j9rpy4e wrote
I saw it in the theater and was impressed by the CGI and world building but felt the story was a bit lacking -- especially the forced love story.
DavefromKS t1_j9s2y94 wrote
The premise sounded interesting but the execution on screen made it look goofy. Like cringeworthy goofy.
MH3ndr1ks t1_j9soryv wrote
I completely forgot about that movie. Seen it on release, remember having fun with it.
adspems t1_j9ofnji wrote
As with most of these movies, I'd rather see what came before than the post-apocalyptic events. Reading into it, there was some kind of large scale wars between cities in the past. Instead, we watch a few people run around in a barren wasteland.
BusinessPurge t1_j9opypq wrote
It was Valerian with better actors whom had even less box office appeal. At least Dane had a SpiderMan!
Volfie t1_j9py4mx wrote
Once I heard the premise--giant megacities on wheels, attacking each other--I thought that was the dumbest idea I'd ever heard.
jojomott t1_j9qgoms wrote
Boring
jerrylovesalice2014 t1_j9r371o wrote
Yeah it was terrible.
Life_Celebration_827 t1_j9r7dql wrote
GARBAGE
mickeyflinn t1_j9olor2 wrote
> Do you think it’s an underrated gem or a piece of crap that was judged fairly upon its release?
It was and is a steaming pile of hot garbage and I struggled to finish it. It was judged fairly.
> Mortal Engines (2018) is a movie that came and went that I feel like nobody went and saw.
That would be because no one did go see it.
[deleted] t1_j9ommxz wrote
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mickeyflinn t1_j9on6zz wrote
> The craftsman behind Mortal Engines should be heralded for the visual effects in this film
The effects looked like some crap from the mid 90s...
Testing18573 t1_j9o8tzs wrote
I saw it. That’s the cities on wheels one right? Found it forgettable. I hear book lovers said it missed some of the key points.