With Mortdecai (2015), we are confronted with a more intricate movie than meets “the eye” (bwahaha / broom ting / see below).
Critics by and large wrote that the movie was “dull” but in essence, that suggests they are dull themselves. It is quite important to realize that we risk to become “victimized” by “critics” as their reviews seem to determine the success or failure of movies more than the movies themselves. Since a considerable time, my own movie experience differed from movie critics’ experiences in so many ways, that it is a given they do anything but actually critiquing actual movies. Most likely, they are paid off or they have bets or investments going. No way these critiques are for real. One example is Under The Skin (2014), a movie that is both boring and utterly pointless in any way conceivable – and yet, some person on Roger Ebert raves about it, and they give it four stars. Crikey!
Even Roger Ebert‘s Peter Sobcynski rated Mortdecai with 1 star and undeniably wrote: “Based on the 1973 novel “Don’t Point That Thing at Me,” allegedly the first in a series of books featuring the Mortdecai character, “Mortdecai” is a film whose entire comedic foundation is based on two elements–funny-looking mustaches and Johnny Depp’s ability to do a mildly passable impression of Terry-Thomas.” Among other things, Mister Sobcynski probably missed (also) the movie.
I would start by pointing out the obvious – there is more to this movie.
For one, we see Jock (the servant character) dishing out blow not only with a wrapped injured left hand, he also sports a “special” left eye which is a feature you (as the movie watcher) will have to pick up by yourself. Guess who also has a problem with his left eye and left hand? Wikus, the main character of the movie District 9 (2009). Are aristrocratic assumptions and subsequent violent set-offs against others something that can epigenetically change people? How right was Thorstein Veblen then?
Images (C) Copyright Lionsgate and Tristar Pictures
This socially critical movie also contains a number of priceless one-liners that do exceed cheap humor or slapstick. Such as Mortdecai proclaiming “No, I do not need help with my bags. I have a fucking manservant”. This goes a lot further in deconstructing, amongst other, the American dish washer to millionaire myths than even Roger Eberts’ writers want to admit. So really, this movie thoroughly tested the ability of movie critics. I would say they, mostly, failed.
