Worst2First: The Five Losers, Four Winners, and One Mixed Bag of Films in Summer 2022

Worst2First:
The Five Losers, Four Winners,
and One Mixed Bag of Films in Summer 2022

Two years out of the pandemic and cinemas have been open in full force after being shut down for most of 2020 and 2021, and along with it came the return of the summer blockbuster, albeit in a limited form compared to years past. While the cinemas still have a long way to return to normal, this summer brought out the best - and the worst - in films that graced the big screen. I'll be focusing on five losers, four winners, and one mixed bag of films that hit the big screen in the summer of 2022.

**THERE WILL BE NO SPOILERS**

THE FIVE LOSERS OF SUMMER 2022

#5

Jurassic World: Dominion

There was a lot of hype surrounding "Jurassic World: Dominion" for a few reasons: one of which was the return of the "legacy" characters played by Sam Neill, Laura Dern, and Jeff Goldblum who would work alongside characters played by Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard - a Jurassic event made in heaven. Then it was advertised as the last of the "Jurassic" era, which means we'll probably more than likely not get another "Jurassic Park/World" in our lifetimes (although never count out anything when it comes to Hollywood, sequels, and profit). So why is "Dominion" on the losers' list? Before it was released, it received negative reviews from critics (where it currently sits at an abysmal 29% on Rotten Tomatoes...although the audience score is 77%) which turned off audiences from attending in larger droves - although a weekend gross of over $145 million is no small change. Still, it was expected to be the big bang, the grand finale, and the epic conclusion to a franchise that started back in 1993, and it went out with more a whimper than a wallop, considering the total gross is $961 million, compared to "World" ($1.66 billion) and "Fallen Kingdom" (1.30 billion).

#4

Nope

For all intents and purposes, "Nope" wasn't a big flop for Oscar-winner Jordan Peele, raking in currently over $113 million worldwide, something to be proud of for it being not another intellectual property sequel or superhero tale. So, like with "Dominion," why is it on the losers' list? Because expectations were sky-high for the alien horror film, considering Peele's two other outings were both critically and audience acclaimed. "Get Out" garnered several Oscar nominations and earned Peele the award for Original Screenplay, and went on to gross over $175 million, while "Us" didn't get any Oscar nods but also performed well, earning over $175 million. So while "Nope" isn't a total failure, it's a surefire misstep for the horror director.

#3

DC League of Super-Pets

When you combine a superhero film with childrens' animation for the summer season, you're all but guaranteed at least a $100 million dollar blockbuster, but that wasn't meant to be this summer. "DC League of Super-Pets" reunited longtime collaborators Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart as pets of DC's most famous superheros, but not even those name recognition nor the superhero motif could save this humdrum outing from going down the gutter, currently earning a measly $84 million, despite it's decent reviews (73% critics and 87% audience ratings on Rotten Tomatoes).

#2

Lightyear

Disney and Pixar have had a rough go in recent years, debuting three of their more critically acclaimed films ("Soul," "Luca," and "Turning Red") straight to Disney+ and foregoing the cinematic experience, but planned to make a big return with "Lightyear," the prequel story of Buzz Lightyear from the "Toy Story" franchise. The film seemed doomed from the start with bringing Chris Evans in to voice Buzz over Tim Allen,and it only got worse as the reviews came in, and controversy swarmed the production, most notably a blink-and-you'll-miss-it same-sex kiss that sent the Conservative Christians into a tizzy. Still, the story itself didn't make a lot of sense, and this Buzz was a lot different than the one we've come to know and love throughout the decades - and with a lesser animation style, "Lightyear" was destined to crash and burn.

#1

Firestarter

Stephen King's films have seen a resurgence in popularity lately, with the likes of "It," "It: Chapter Two" and "Doctor Sleep," but when it was revealed that his next book-to-film adaptation was going to be a remake of a 1984 film that didn't set hearts aflame to begin with, people were rightly skeptical. Not only were they right, but they underestimated how bad the film would really be. Sitting at a laughable 10% critics and 47% audience ratings on Rotten Tomatoes, "Firestarter" was a huge mess of a film filled with a bland story, even blander performances, and lackluster effects that only mustered up $14 million worldwide.

THE FOUR WINNERS OF SUMMER 2022

#4

Elvis

One of the biggest mysteries was whether or not older people would return to the cinema following the heights of the pandemic, but the movie theaters didn't need to worry much, especially with the arrival of "Elvis," the pseudo-biopic film centering around the King of Rock 'n' Roll. Austin Butler has already garnered critical acclaim and rumors of an Oscar nomination for his performance as Elvis Presley, and the film is filled with director Baz Luhrmann's trademark style that makes it something unique in the overly cluttered world of musician biopics. While I personally had my issues with the film, it made a whopping $251 million dollars worldwide which is almost unheard of for a dramatic film being released in the heat of summer blockbuster season.

#3

Minions: The Rise of Gru

Summertime is often filled with children's animated films, and typically they all do gangbusters as the parents want to drop their little ones at the theater for some rest and relaxation, or to enjoy the films themselves. Yet this summer - despite releasing "Lightyear," "DC League of Super-Pets," and "Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank" to theaters, only one managed to be a huge success. "Minions: The Rise of Gru" proved the staying power of not just Steve Carell's Gru, but those lovable banana-loving Minions, as their second outing for their own spinoff series earned over $759 million dollars worldwide, and proves the staying power that the Minions have over audiences all across the globe.

#2

Everything Everywhere All at Once

"Everything Everywhere All at Once," the A24 produced multi-dimensional action/horror/comedy/drama/sci-fi epic featuring Michelle Yeoh as a woman who must save the multiverse from an existential threat that also delves deep into the family dynamics was released on March 25, so why is this included in the summer hits section? Because it's still in theaters, 162 days later, and just recently has it left the top ten grossing films per week. The staying power is undeniable, as is the nearly $100 million dollar global haul it's amassed, making it A24's most profitable film in its illustrious history, and there's still awards season - where it's likely to garner several nominations - to come.

#1

Top Gun: Maverick

Thirty-five years later, and audiences still feel the need for speed. "Top Gun" was released in 1986, and propelled Tom Cruise to superstar status, with rumors of a sequel being ushered about ever since. Yet it wasn't until 2022 before the rumors became fact, and on paper there was everything going against it, most notably being a long-gestating sequel from a film decades old, and the worries that people wouldn't care to see the newest exploits of Cruise's Maverick. Not even the loftiest expectations could reach what the film delivered, however, as the film still remains in the weekly top ten of the highest grossing movies of the week since its release at the end of May, but it's become Tom Cruise's most profitable film in his long career, earning over $1.35 billion dollars worldwide. A strong script, practical effects, a killer musical score, and live-action flying propelled the film and rightfully made it not just summer's biggest blockbuster, but currently the highest grossing film of 2022.

THE MIXED BAG OF SUMMER 2022

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
Thor: Love & Thunder

Ever since "Avengers: Endgame," the Marvel Cinematic Universe has changed drastically, with the arrival of new superheroes like Shang-Chi and the Eternals, and critics and audiences alike have begun to show Marvel fatigue, despite some stellar movies ("Spider-Man: No Way Home"). Marvel returned to their original heroes with sequels to "Doctor Strange" and "Thor," and while both were successes ("Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness" earned $954 million worldwide, while "Love & Thunder" has grossed $699 million worldwide currently), you can tell that audiences are getting a bit tired of the long-running universe. Both films received poor critics reviews, and moviegoers weren't very excited about the terrible CGI shown in both films that detracted from the stories being told. Time will tell if the MCU still has staying power - and "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" will be its ultimate litmus test - but this summer it seemed that while people still flooded the cinemas to see their favorite superheroes, they did so with more a shrug than a scream of excitement.