Apple TV+has often been seen a place movies go to live out a quiet life, and earlier in the year it was reported that the streamer’s profits were not quite as high as they should be considering the talent employed in their original movies. However, as is the way of the way of the world, one of their biggest and most ensuring hits is also one of their most critically panned, but it is still sitting at the top of the streamer’s chart three months after it was released.
Guy Ritchie’s rip-offIndiana-Jones-meets-National-Treasure(or Allan Quatermain/King Solomon’s Minesfor those who want to go back even further) adventure starringJohn Krasinskiand Natalie Portman is not only finding the secret to being forever young, but forever #1 on the movie chart. While Ritchie is best known for his rough, tough gangster movies that are as bloody and brutal as they are star-studded, he has not been afraid to step into other genres including musicals (Disney’s live-action Aladdin) and sleuthing with Robert Downey Jr.’s take on Sherlock Holmes.
As the helmer ofFountain of Youth, he tried his hand at a globetrotting adventure heist movie thattook the most generic elements of those who came before, and slapped them together in a way that made them a less desirable treasure for many viewers and critics. That has not stopped the movie being a hit on Apple TV+ twice though, with this latest stint now going for a month. After topping the chart on its original release in May, the film has now been at the top of the chart for most of July and August, ahead of other hits such asWolfs, GhostedandThe Family Plan, which have all been in the chart for over a year.
Guy Ritchie Should Stick to What He Does Best
Guy Ritchie is someone who doesn’t rest for very long between projects. In the last two years has released a massive string of hits and misses, includingMobLand, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, The Gentlemen, The Covenant, andOperation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre.
Fountain of Youthmay have allowed the director to try out something new, but his best projects of the last couple of years have proved that his strengths lie in something a little darker.The Gentlemenwas a massive success on Netflix, leading to a very quick renewal for Season 2, andMoblandhas been doing the same on Paramount+. While his movies have been a little more mixed in both their reception and financial success, there are very few people who do action crime drama better.
Fountain of Youth’scontinued success may seem like it is a move that people will really enjoy, but that is not exactly the case. Its 33% Tomatometer and 39% Popcornmeter scores on Rotten Tomatoes suggest that despite a large number of people seeing the movie, a minority actually found much to like in it. The biggest complaints about the movie all stem from it feeling very much like a movie that has been done before, and done better. The film’s $180 million budget may have been money well spent considering its continued success on streaming, but whether there is any chance of a sequel is doubtful. That doesn’t mean that Ritchie fans are about to be deprived of their favorite director, asIn the Grey, Wife & Dog, aYoung SherlockTV series, and second seasons ofThe GentlemenandMoblandare just a few of his projects to look forward to.
Fountain of Youth
