Top 5 Guilty Pleasures in Film

As a reviewer of films, I like to think I’ve become more specific and refined in my criticism of the medium over the last three years on this blog. For this countdown (Which I hope to turn into a series every twenty five posts) I thought I’d take a step back; there are many films out there which were received poorly by both critics and audiences yet when you look back on personal experience of when you first watched the film, there is still a kind of mindless enjoyment to be found. The following five films all have numerous problems, but I’m still able to look past them and view them for what they are; simple entertainment.

5. The Matrix Reloaded and Revolutions (2003)

A vast majority of audiences disregard the Matrix sequels as vastly inferior to the original 1999 film and even though they both throw out both philosophical ambiguity and plot coherency in favour of pure action, they can still stand as enjoyable films to me. The action sequences (particularly the burly brawl in Reloaded and final battle in Revolutions) are still dazzling to watch, maintaining that flair that the series is known for. The overall presentation and look of the sequels are also spectacular, particularly as we see the machines and the utter destruction they cause to Zion towards the end of Revolutions. Above all else though, Reloaded and Revolutions succeed at adding to and eventually completing the story established in the original 1999 film.

4. Jurassic Park III (2001)

Jurassic Park III is constantly referred to as the weakest of the saga and the naysayers are certainly correct. The motivations for going to Isla Sorna are completely screwed up from the offset and the characters are some of the most annoying I’ve ever seen in a film (especially the grating William H. Macy and Tea Leoni). Despite all this though, the dinosaur action scenes still deliver; I’ve always enjoyed the raptor chase and the struggle with the Pteranodons in the bird cage. Perhaps the most controversial thing I can say is that I don’t mind the Spinosaurus taking out the T-Rex at the end of the first act; if anything it was a pretty intense battle, two titans of the prehistoric era going head to head. It’s also the shortest film in the series, meaning we don’t have to put up with the bad acting for too long.

3. 2012 (2009)

Yes it’s mind-numbingly stupid and the characters are incredibly stereotypical, but as pure entertainment this disaster film delivers. It’s as if Roland Emmerich decided to roll every disaster movie ever made into one gargantuan package and in this sense it really works. Running off the basic premise of the Mayans predicting the end of the world; we’re treated to meteor storms, huge earthquakes, structural collapses and raging floods all in the same film. In terms of sheer silly spectacle, 2012 is unsurpassed; it crams the whole suite of disaster tropes into one film and through some solid special effects it manages to make the race to safety surprisingly engaging if you’re willing to go along with its many wild scenarios.

2. Godzilla (1998)

The American version of Godzilla had a sizeable amount of hype attached to it and when it finally arrived there was plenty of disappointment to go around. The critics really didn’t like it and the fans were unhappy with the monster design but I just don’t feel the same way about Godzilla 1998; I first saw the film when I was about six and I really enjoyed the scene where “Zilla” first arrives in New York. It’s hopelessly derivative of other films and the acting from the human characters is pretty atrocious but that’s not really what you look for in a movie like this. It gives you some explosive action sequences and a pretty manic chase at the end, delivering that basic popcorn entertainment. Most of all though, it’s not an absolute tease like the 2014 version was; it understands that Godzilla is supposed to be the central focus whenever he’s on screen, rather than constantly cutting away to the boring humans.

1. Wild Hogs (2007)

Wild Hogs is a movie that is despised by a vast majority of critics who called it idiotic, unfunny and tired. Shockingly enough, I still get some enjoyment out of it. I saw it with family and we were laughing our heads off all the way through. If you look at it critically, there’s plenty to complain about; the film is awash with stereotypes, many of the jokes quickly wear out their welcome and the film as a whole is pretty dumb. Yet as far as harmless family comedy goes, it’s still one of the most quotable films out there. Even now whenever I see a band of hoggers heading down the motorway my little brother is always reminded of the film. That’s how funny and memorable it was for us when we first saw it; it’s the ultimate guilty pleasure for me as it stands in near complete opposition to the film’s overall consensus.