We need to talk. If last century was the golden age of cinema, this century is looking like the age of the reboot. Lacking in original ideas directors are turning en masse to the tried and true vessels of success. For us that looks like a lot of poor remakes and loosely tied spin offs. Here’s 5 excellent films remade for no good reason at all, except for a lack of creativity. You can watch the remake sure, but just know the original is always best.
#1 The Italian Job
Mark Wahlberg has a genre unto himself. The blokey hero storms, infiltrates and generally guns down everything in his path for around 120 mins. Inserting Wahlberg and a handful of other staple action movie actors into the film took away the magic from the Michael Caine version. It’s an entertaining film no doubt but the original has inimitable charm.
#2 Blade Runner
The Ridley Scott classic that set the tone for a lifetime of ethical debates and artificial intelligence debates, Blade Runner is iconic. From the impeccable filming style and the wonderful 80’s take on futurism, it’s hard to see how the reboot will compete. It’s only a trailer so far and Ryan Gosling is on board, but we’re still sceptics.
#3 Pyscho
We’re not sure when putting Vince Vaughn into the role of Norman Bates seemed like the right idea. If his turn as casino boss in True Detective is any solace, his acting chops rest solely in comedy. A horror movie so classic that mere tone ushers shudders to everyone around. The remake left not only Bates Motel a bloodbath, but butchered the cult favourite too.
#4 Annie
We’re all for diversity. And the fresh take on Annie was a welcome one, all singing and all dancing. But the pain point for this film is Cameron Diaz. Miss Hannigan was never a likeable character, she’s not the reason we revere the musical come film. But Diaz’s take on Hannigan is ever grating and reminiscent of her turn in Bad Teacher.
#5 The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
The original foreign film based on the books is so deeply seeded you feel embedded in the world itself. Yes it’s in a foreign language but that only adds to the mystery. Like a book where the sealed section is bound tightly together. Rooney Mara and Daniel Craig don’t do a bad job either, in fact it’s quite charming. But it’s another example of big studios taking a successful film and churning it out in their classical Hollywood style.
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