this post was submitted on 30 Apr 2026
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[–] limonfiesta@lemmy.world 46 points 2 days ago (1 children)

It bankrolled by, and filmed in, Saudi Arabia.

Good riddance.

[–] exasperation@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Yeah, and it's absolutely hilarious the way this movie was intended to be their big tentpole movie to announce that there's a new big budget studio in town.

Everything that has anything to do with the Neom project has been just a waste of money, and further sets back the Saudi Royal Family's goals of remaining rich and influential even after their oil stops flowing.

[–] calliope@piefed.blahaj.zone 22 points 2 days ago

I thought this was interesting, at the end

Also, a large chunk of the $150 million budget was literally putting infrastructure in place to manage a production of this size. "On-set insiders say Saudi production hub Neom Media was effectively laying the infrastructure for an entire industry on the budget of 'Desert Warrior,'" the report noted.

[–] FinjaminPoach@lemmy.world 9 points 2 days ago (2 children)

Wtf is his agents problem? Keeps on getting out in the shittiest films with no marketing.

How many of these have you guys even heard of?

Especially disliked by me was this one, which was uneventful and went nowhere

I liked 8 mile and the adjustment bureau, though, and there's the MCU.

[–] IWW4@lemmy.zip 3 points 1 day ago

I remember hearing about the majority of those.

With that said I have never heard of this Desert Warrior movie and the only reason I know about Elevation is that on a rainy night my wife was hosting a women’s night so I had to de ass the area and went to the a theater to see any movie and Elevation was showing.

It was fine and clearly trying to set up a franchise.

[–] snooggums@piefed.world 2 points 1 day ago

I have seen like 20% of those and overall he is a great part of an ensemble cast or supporting character, but the ones where he is a lead have been mediocre movies that he certainly didn't elevate. Elevation would have been a terrible movie no matter who played the role, but he didn't make it fun despite the ridiculous premise like a lot of other lead actors are able to do.

I don't think he is bad, just not fit to be a lead and he picks a lot of lead roles in mediocre projects without getting a few great ones to stand out.

[–] Ilandar@lemmy.today 13 points 2 days ago (2 children)

Why do people hate this guy so much? It seems like a very large portion of the internet absolutely loves it when projects he is in are review bombed or perform poorly at the box office. Even the phrasing of the title here makes it sound as if it's his film, like he's the producer and wholly responsible for its failure. Isn't he just starring in it?

[–] Railcar8095@lemmy.world 5 points 2 days ago (2 children)

I don't hate him, but gives me flashbacks of Altered Carbon S02. The season was ass in general, but his Kovacs was a big part. Probably not hot fault, he did what was asked to do.

[–] Ilandar@lemmy.today 3 points 1 day ago (1 children)

It's interesting you bring that up, because it's the example that really put this on the radar for me. He gave a generic action guy kinda performance and people reacted like he was the worst actor of his generation and had single-handedly killed the show.

[–] Railcar8095@lemmy.world 5 points 1 day ago

The season was a massive letdown vs the first one, and he was much worse lead than the original. Maybe he's excessively blamed for the overall result

[–] IWW4@lemmy.zip 0 points 1 day ago (1 children)

S1 of that show was ass as well.

[–] Railcar8095@lemmy.world 1 points 1 day ago (2 children)

In general or from somebody who read the books? I did like it, but those who read it before didn't seem to.

[–] akwd169@sh.itjust.works 1 points 1 day ago

I read the book after so maybe i'm biased, but I really loved s1, it was very visually and aesthetically pleasing and the universe felt great.

Even after reading the book, I still rewatched s1 and feel the same way about it, felt like not quite the same story but still the same universe

Aside from some minor dissapointment that they clearly chose to disregard the novels plot in s1 so s2 would have to be completely different from the book

I would've loved to see Suzie's SlipIns

But thats usually the way these book adaptations go

[–] IWW4@lemmy.zip 3 points 1 day ago

I am not speaking for any larger group.

I have never read the book.

[–] yakko@feddit.uk 3 points 2 days ago (4 children)

I liked him quite well in Twisted Metal. Do you think racists hold a grudge about him being given captain America's shield?

[–] FatVegan@leminal.space 3 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Same. I only watched the first season and was surprised how entertaining it was and how good he was in it. I don't even dislike him, he's always a bit of a nothimg burger to me. I didn't realize people don't like the guy, but i'm also not into disney movies.

[–] yakko@feddit.uk 1 points 1 day ago

Season 2 felt a lot more like fun and games versus season 1 doing a lot of structural "this is how we make the video game happen" groundwork laying. Would recommend if you liked the first one.

[–] neukenindekeuken@sh.itjust.works 3 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I think there's objective criticisms of his lead performances. They haven't been nearly as strong as his supporting roles.

Simply put: his style of acting plays better when he has a captain america-like figure to play off of.

[–] yakko@feddit.uk 1 points 2 days ago

I see a bit of myself in him, just a goofy dude who innately lacks gravitas. You wouldn't put him in a Tarantino film, but he does well in the right story.

[–] Breezy@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago

Naw eminem shit on him during a rap battle and everyone seems to think they should too.

[–] Ilandar@lemmy.today 1 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

I'm not sure as I don't follow Marvel films, but I did always wonder if racism played a part in his criticism for Altered Carbon. Joel Kinnaman is basically the stereotypical Aryan alpha male actor (in appearance only, of course), so for him to be replaced by shorter black guy is exactly the type of casting choice that would trigger racists. And the second season wasn't as good as the first, but the hate for Mackie was so bizarrely out of line with the okay performance he gave.

[–] yakko@feddit.uk 2 points 1 day ago

I'm willing to bet the Venn diagram of Disney/Marvel adults and racist bastards has a lot more cleavage than most people realise.

[–] reddig33@lemmy.world 17 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Hadn’t even heard of it. Sounds kind of like the “Sahara” playbook — big budget, big stars, big desert, big flop.

[–] 0ops@piefed.zip 13 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I actually just rewatched Sahara the other day. I still like it. It's got some plot holes but it's also got a great soundtrack and some cool cinematography

[–] Zahille7@lemmy.world 5 points 2 days ago

All I remember from that movie is the skiff thing they made from a helicopter wreckage and the quote from said scene :where are we going?" "I don't know, but we're making good time!"; and I think there was a fight on top of a tower in the middle of a solar farm array at the end.

[–] TachyonTele@piefed.social 14 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Mackie thought he was hot shit after the first couple marvel movies he was in. That didn't last long though.

[–] tacosanonymous@mander.xyz 13 points 2 days ago (2 children)

I thought he was terrible in season 2 of Altered Carbon. So much so that it's probably tainted anything else I’ve seen him in.

[–] zaphod@sopuli.xyz 5 points 2 days ago

Season two was just bad in general.

[–] aeronmelon@lemmy.world 3 points 2 days ago

Please bring back Joel Kinnaman.

[–] Adderbox76@lemmy.ca 5 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I have no idea why, but something about his face has always bothered me. To the point where I can't even focus on his performances.

Its almost like the proportions are all wrong. Like an upside down triangle or something.

And I know that's unfair; dude is probably a good guy. Haven't heard of an scandals or anything. I just have an irrational hatred of his face.

[–] snooggums@piefed.world 2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

He is lacking the square jawed structure that normally goes with being a baddest in a lead role, which should be a refreshing change but isn't.

[–] Adderbox76@lemmy.ca 1 points 1 day ago

Yeah. Chin definitely has a lot to do with it. And the skinny goatee he usually wears with it. Makes him look like Jafar from the animated Alladin. With the fuller moustache and beard from the photo above, It's already less jarring to me.

[–] Drusas@fedia.io 0 points 2 days ago

Never heard of it or him.