Why Mortal Engines Stalled

These are good things to know, especially if you’re interested in venturing into the realm of Science Fiction as an author, filmmaker, or even avid fan.

I’m a sucker for Sci Fi spectacle; movies like Mortal Engines, Valerian, Chronicles of Riddick, and even Star Wars I-III.  I also gravitate towards zero-gravity on any scale; from Pandorum, Event Horizon, and Life, to Supernova, and Jason X.  Yes, if it happens in space and involves something out of the ordinary, I’m on board.

So what?  You might say.  Well, before I even saw Mortal Engines, I took it kind of personally when it got panned and bombed at the box office.  Then I saw it and my perplexion magnified.

I loved it.  A true science fiction extravaganza of epic proportions.  Visions never before seen on the big screen.  Based on the novel of the same name by Philip Reeve, book one of the Mortal Engines Quartet.  The story seemed to have enough fresh ideas for a solid franchise.  Plus Hugo Weaving and Stephen Lang as Shrike never hurts.

What went wrong?  It’s not Marvel, or Transformers, or Star Wars.  Cinematic xenophobia strangles the movie-going public.  And we’re left with Marvel, and Transformers, and Star Wars.  New meat like Mortal Engines, and Valerian, and Ender’s Game gets devoured by the corporate beast.

I’m not a hater.  Avengers: Endgame’s opening day is already on my calendar (April 26, 2019, April 25 if you count the Thursday night showings).  No matter how shitty the Transformers movies are, I still love seeing giant robots beat the crap out of each other.  Pacific Rim is one of my favorite movies.  And Star Wars, is Star Wars.  I was 9 when Episode IV came out.  I got bullied because I came to school with Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker sticking out of my pants…pockets.  These movies are safe.

Fuck safe.  Kudos to auteurs like Neill Blomkamp, Luc Besson, the Wachowskis, Terry Gilliam, Joss Whedon, Danny Boyle, Guillermo del Toro, and Alex Garland.  Much love for James Cameron, Ridley Scott, George Miller, and Paul Verhoeven.  And let’s give Peter Jackson a little fucking credit for taking a chance with Mortal Engines.  You only have to go as far as my last post to see where he came from.  No sheep!

Until next time, don’t bother me.  I gotta deal with a solicitor.