Evan Almighty Getting Stomped

[Udaman]

The reviews are out, and they are awful. Average grade a C-. People saying that it has no jokes - that it isn't funny at all. Hmmm. This is not good for my prediction of it being in the top 5 grossing films this summer.....

[billybreen]

I love me some Carell, but the trailers give me no desire at all to see this movie. It looks horrible.

[alteran]

I agree with Billy having seen the trailer-- if that the best minute of the movie they can come up with-- Steve Carell's beard turning into Noah's-- ouch. What were they thinking?

[TillyGalore]

I'm really disappointed to read the above. As soon as some here sees it, will you please post a review? I'm hoping to see the movie this weekend, but if people who see it don't think it's worth it I'll look for something else to see.

Thanks!

[Clipsfan]

I also put it in my top 5, in an office pool. I then watched a trailer and decided to kiss my money goodbye.

[JasonEvans]

I also put it in my top 5, in an office pool. I then watched a trailer and decided to kiss my money goodbye.

I told you to include Ratatouille, but you would not listen to me!!

-Jason "as an aside, the buzz on Transformers is really building, I may have been wrong about that one" Evans

[feldspar]

I was disappointed by the trailer, and then even more last night from the sneak peaks that were shown during The Office.

The fact is that the ingenuity of the "Almighty" series really was played out in the first 1/3 of the "Bruce" installation. What was cool about it was the initial concept of being like God and a human using God-like powers. Jim Carrey did an awesome job of playing this out and maximizing its potential. The second third of "Bruce" was about him learning how to harness those powers, which was also cool, but you'll recall that, while the first 2/3 of "Bruce" was a great comedy with a compelling story, the wheels fell of in the last 1/3 of the movie.

The problem with "Evan" is that....well, it's all been done before. And on top of that, the story "Evan going to Congress to 'make a difference'" isn't nearly as compelling as the storyline from "Bruce" - "Bruce getting fired and using his God-powers to get back at people and smite them." This new one is stale and predictable. It's not a coincidence that Jim Carrey decided to pass on it.

Additionally, and I know I'll get reamed for saying this, I think Steve Carrell has had his day in the sun. He's just not all that good. From what I saw of the trailer and the sneak peaks, his character a) seems NOTHING like Evan Baxter from the first movie - a pompous, snotty nosed TV anchor and b) seems A LOT like Michael from The Office. I don't think he's nearly as good an actor and comedian as Jim Carrey and I think that shows on the big screen.

[Clipsfan]

I told you to include Ratatouille, but you would not listen to me!!

-Jason "as an aside, the buzz on Transformers is really building, I may have been wrong about that one" Evans

You were most likely right, and I'm kicking myself over that stupid decision. Not that it really makes a difference overall. What I thought was amazing was I guessed that the largest opening weekend would be $137MM and I undershot by a considerable amount. Not only that, but many of my coworkers were in the 140-150 range.

[JasonEvans]

Richard Roeper's review of this film contains a great opening paragraph that I had not even thought of before this:


Oh, my God, this movie sucks. I'll say this much: Kudos to Jim Carrey for pulling off perhaps the most amazing disappearing-act hat trick in motion-picture history. With his non-appearance in Evan Almighty, the follow-up to the smash hit Bruce Almighty (2003), Carrey has now NOT appeared in three of the worst sequels of all time: Dumb and Dumberer, Son of the Mask and Evan Almighty.

Talk about dodging bullets.

-Jason "perhaps I need to rethink that offer to star in The Junior Truman Show" Evans

[billybreen]

I guess he learned his lesson from returning to the abysmal Ace Ventura sequel.

It should be said that at least 2 of those 3 movies were clearly created with the understanding that Carrey wasn't going to be involved. If he was involved in the sequel, it would not have been the same movie. It may still have sucked, but it's a stretch to say that he avoided all three of those since I doubt he was presented scripts for Dumberer or Son.

[alteran]

Additionally, and I know I'll get reamed for saying this, I think Steve Carrell has had his day in the sun. He's just not all that good. From what I saw of the trailer and the sneak peaks, his character a) seems NOTHING like Evan Baxter from the first movie - a pompous, snotty nosed TV anchor and b) seems A LOT like Michael from The Office. I don't think he's nearly as good an actor and comedian as Jim Carrey and I think that shows on the big screen.

I'll chalk up "Evan Almighty" to the sophomore jinx before I buy into it being a trend. You're absolutely right that he's no Jim Carrey-- but who is? There's plenty of people who are hilarious who can't keep up with Carrey.

That being said, Carrell has been mediocre at times (I thought he was almost unwatchable in "Anchorman") so I agree that it's clear that he needs a better fix on what he's brilliant at and what he should pass on.

[A-Tex Devil]

(I thought he was almost unwatchable in "Anchorman")

BLASPHEMY!

"LOUD NOISES!!!"

[pfrduke]

That being said, Carrell has been mediocre at times (I thought he was almost unwatchable in "Anchorman") so I agree that it's clear that he needs a better fix on what he's brilliant at and what he should pass on.

Someone's clearly a little bitter about not being invited to the pants party.

[billybreen]

Wait, Jim Carrey is funny? What is this, 1994?

[unexpected]

I saw the movie friday night, and I went in with really low expectations, and I was pleasantly surprised.

The movie was a nice, heartwarming, aw shucks movie that had a lot of funny moments- not just the ones in the trailer.

The real star of the movie is not Steve Carrell, but Wanda Sykes as Evan's assistant. She is hilarious, and she has all the best jokes.

The plot was stupid and moved too fast. The characters never really get a chance to develop and their development is conflicted, which makes it really one-dimensional. You can almost see Carrell trying really hard to get something out of the script, but the humor isn't really his style. Most of the jokes were trying too hard to be slapsticky, and Carrell is really good at the nuances of humor. This movie is almost tailor made for Jim Carrey, now that I think about it.

Jonah Hill, who I found funny in Accepted and Knocked Up is also in this movie, and they don't give him anything to work with. This movie had so much potential but ends up being dragged down by a terrible script.

All in all, this movie is a good rental. I don't regret seeing this movie, but I'm going to forget about in two weeks too. I'm going to give it a B-.

[Gattigap]

I
Additionally, and I know I'll get reamed for saying this, I think Steve Carrell has had his day in the sun. He's just not all that good. From what I saw of the trailer and the sneak peaks, his character a) seems NOTHING like Evan Baxter from the first movie - a pompous, snotty nosed TV anchor and b) seems A LOT like Michael from The Office. I don't think he's nearly as good an actor and comedian as Jim Carrey and I think that shows on the big screen.


Wow. For it to have cratered the man's career, that must've been one abysmally bad movie trailer.

[Duvall]

The second third of "Bruce" was about him learning how to harness those powers, which was also cool, but you'll recall that, while the first 2/3 of "Bruce" was a great comedy with a compelling story, the wheels fell of in the last 1/3 of the movie.


I do not recall this. What I recall is the first 2/3 of "Bruce" being painfully terrible, and the last 1/3 being unwatched.

The real problem with "Evan Almighty" is that it's too far-fetched. Giant warrior robots that turn into car and planes? Fine. A superintelligent rat becomes the finest chef in Paris? Okay. But the idea that there is a plot of empty land in Northern Virginia large enough to build an ark that hasn't already been turned into McMansions or condos is just going too far. I can only suspend my disbelief so much.

[billybreen]

I do not recall this. What I recall is the first 2/3 of "Bruce" being painfully terrible, and the last 1/3 being unwatched.

The real problem with "Evan Almighty" is that it's too far-fetched. Giant warrior robots that turn into car and planes? Fine. A superintelligent rat becomes the finest chef in Paris? Okay. But the idea that there is a plot of empty land in Northern Virginia large enough to build an ark that hasn't already been turned into McMansions or condos is just going too far. I can only suspend my disbelief so much.

Wow, that's my favorite post in quite some time.

[DevilAlumna]

But the idea that there is a plot of empty land in Northern Virginia large enough to build an ark that hasn't already been turned into McMansions or condos is just going too far. I can only suspend my disbelief so much.

I was thinking the same thing yesterday, when they showed the trailer for this film, prior to the feature, "Knocked Up." (Which I loved, btw.) They'd have to go all the way out past Winchester!

Well, unless Teddy Roosevelt Island is technically part of Virginia. That'd be a great place to build an ark -- easy water access.

[snowdenscold]

Wow, that's my favorite post in quite some time.

As one who lives in Northern Virginia, I second that!

[TillyGalore]

I went in with really low expectations too. Mind you I didn't see Bruce Almighty, haven't been a Jim Carrey fan for quite some time.

There aren't a lot of great lines, but the message IS great. I was reminded that I am not in charge, that God has plans for me that don't necessarily coincide with what I have planned for myself (do have examples from the past 15-20 years of my life to back that up), and that we can change the world via Acts of Random Kindness (ARK). Also we shouldn't give up on each other and family is important.

I can understand why the critics panned it - the message may seem too religious or too hokey.

[dukestheheat]

udaman,

dude, are you a movie buff? gotta be, and frankly i decided not to see a recent flick b/c of your recommendation, so thanks for the ups on the movies.

here's a tip: go see Surf's Up! I laughed my head off at least.

dth.

[JasonEvans]

Nothing like lowered expectations to make a mediocre movie passable ;)

I sorta liked Evan Almighty. I found most of the humor to be potty/slapstick stuff that was really obvious. The film did a terrible job of taking advantage of Steve Carell's talents and really could have starred just about anyone and not been all that different. That's a pity. The plot was also obvious and slow at times. It is almost like the movie was made for a 10-year-old audience.

But, I found it watchable and I chuckled a few times. My kids adored it. My sons are 10 and 7 and they were howling every time a bird pooped on someone's head or when Carell got knocked in the groin by some animal. It was right on their level and they really liked it.

If you have kids who like this kind of humor, you could see it in theaters. Otherwise, its a rental.

-Jason "it will NEVER make back the $200 million it cost to make" Evans

[Clipsfan]

My kids adored it. My sons are 10 and 7 and they were howling every time a bird pooped on someone's head or when Carell got knocked in the groin by some animal. It was right on their level and they really liked it.

Not exactly the hallmark of a great movie (nor exactly the sort of stuff you'll see quoted on the advertisements).