Why It's OK If You Can't See Avengers: Endgame Opening Night

Why It's OK If You Can't See Avengers: Endgame Opening Night

Tickets to Avengers: Endgame's opening weekend are selling in record numbers, and those who are trying to get a ticket to the big night at this stage in the game will have to pay quite a hefty price. Some may not even be that lucky and will be forced to sit at home Thursday night in sadness while their friends and family scuttle off to the cinema to watch the three hour and two minute-long conclusion to the MCU's Phase 3.

It's a sad feeling, although those who weren't able to snag a ticket to their local theater shouldn't be discouraged in the slightest. Believe it or not, missing out on a debut showing of a highly anticipated film isn't the end of the world. In fact, there's an argument to be made that skipping out on opening night and midnight showings may be a better option, especially when compared to other available options.

Bottom line, it's ok if you can't see Avengers: Endgame on Thursday, and I've got a bunch of reasons why I'm not upset about missing out in the slightest.

First, let's start with the fact that no movie, even one as highly anticipated as Avengers: Endgame, is worth the finders fee folks are charging online. Online resale value has some asking hundreds of dollars for their tickets, and others swinging for the fences with their asking price in the thousands. Others are less extreme and want a more reasonable $50, which may be a price some with the cash may be willing to spend.

Let's make one thing clear: paying a premium to see Avengers: Endgame on opening weekend may not be the best decision. For starters, theaters are in the business of making money, and if tickets continue to sell at the rate they are going, odds are more screenings will be made available for more people to attend. It seems theaters aren't just going to throw up their hands and say no to more money.

Plus, the thought of paying anything more than general admission for an opening night showing of a blockbuster movie is atrocious given past experiences. It's taken nearly 30 years and dozens of screenings to come to this realization, but midnight and first-day screenings are among the worst screenings one can attend.

Sure, it's easy to get caught up in the fun. Everyone is excited they're among the first to see a movie, there might be people there dressed as characters in the film and everyone is riding high on the emotion that their long wait is finally over. It's an intoxicating feeling, but it comes with its downsides. As others may attest to, when it comes to midnight screenings, the common courtesy of average filmgoing tends to go out the window.

The biggest common occurrence is applause. Audiences will break out in applause for the opening credits, any major character's first appearance and whatever else may come along the way. While that's fine for a live performance, characters in films don't hold for applause before delivering the next line. While the person next to you is clapping hands together like a keyed-up circus seal, you might be missing a meaningful line that can't be heard until the next time you see it.

Laughter is another big one, and another thing that occurs often and in excessive amounts at big-ticket Marvel releases. It's understandable since Marvel films can be humorous, and by no means am I trying to shame folks for laughing during the movie. People are free to enjoy the movie they paid for however they like, but for those who want to hear dialogue, extended audience laugh breaks are another thing that gets in the way of that.

There's also heckling, which may not occur in every first-day screening I've attended, but it definitely seems to happen quite a lot. Again, it makes sense, especially when the folks most excited and passionate about the Marvel universe will be amongst the few willing to do "whatever it takes" to secure those first showings.

Some of these people are the same folks who want a pleasant theater going experience, and some of those are the type who screamed at the screen in panic "WHAT'S HAPPENING?" when Leia got sucked out into space during Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Again, these types of theater outbursts aren't exclusive to opening night screenings, but there definitely feels like there's more of it.

Let's remember on top of all of the above that the run time for Avengers: Endgame is a little over three hours long. Even in the most ideal of circumstances, there's going to be more than a few tired eyes during the late showings as the film reaches its most pivotal moments. Falling asleep or missing some key moments due to nodding off is not ideal.

With all of that said, I do understand and respect the urgency of seeing Avengers: Endgame as quickly as possible. It only takes one errant headline, actor or one over-enthusiastic friend to ruin a major plot point, and learning it before viewing can drastically lessen the moviegoing experience. So, how does someone who doesn't wish to be spoiled still get a chance to see one of the first showings free from distractions or fatigue?

Two words, "matinee showing." If you're someone not bound to the restrictions of a 9-5 job, or someone with some vacation time to burn, buy a ticket for an early showing on Friday. You'll get a relatively empty theater, plenty of rest and perhaps even a discounted ticket price for going at an odd hour. It's literally the perfect solution, especially for those who may be considering calling in Friday anyway to recover from the night before.

And if Friday is absolutely out of the question, Saturday and Sunday morning screenings are likely just as available. So there's no need to panic about ticket sales, or the fact that you may not see Avengers: Endgame on opening day. There's still plenty of time to make another game plan for a showing, so get a strategy together and create an experience that, in my opinion, is far more optimal than the typical "midnight screening" experience.

Avengers: Endgame is in many theaters Thursday, April 25, but again, audiences will be able to see it any day following for quite a while. Keep with CinemaBlend before and after the premiere for more updates on Marvel, analysis on the film and where the studio is headed in Phase 4. For more on Avengers: Endgame, and how to prepare for it, check out the two films the Russo brothers said fans should watch before the premiere.

Zac Efron's Wild Beach Bum Facial Hair Was Inspired By A Panini

Zac Efron's Wild Beach Bum Facial Hair Was Inspired By A Panini

The Beach Bum premiered at SXSW just a few days ago and cast members and director Harmony Korine came out to talk a little bit about the movie. One of the most interesting and compelling details to come out about the upcoming Matthew McConaughey, Martin Lawrence, Isla Fisher and Zac Efron starrer is the fact that Efron’s wild look in the movie was modeled after a panini. No, really.

Actually, if you’ve seen the trailer for the movie and know what Zac Efron's facial hair looks like, it’s a pretty apt description. Take a closer look at Efron’s facial hair below.

I know it can be pretty easy to get bogged down by Matthew McConaughey’s also-wild locks, but the concise cut of Zac Efron’s beard trim does really make him look like a sandwich. The news comes per Lauren Liebowitz on Twitter, who confirmed the director said the look was based on a panini. She wrote:

Harmony Korine said the inspiration behind Zac Efron’s Beach Bum facial grooming was “a panini.”

The entire premise of The Beach Bum seems to be about wildness and excess, so it would make sense that the hairstyles in the upcoming movie would follow the same trend. In fact, the movie is about a poet named Moondog who is living a life of leisure when he should really be working. In between he smokes pot, plays the bongos naked and spends a lot of time near water. Still, hearing The Beach Bum director and Zac Efron were inspired by a panini is still pretty surprising.

Be sure to check out the red band trailer for the r-rated flick if you haven’t caught it yet.

Zac Efron isn’t exactly a chameleon, but he’s shown a willingness to change his look for movie roles before. He previously got wildly into shape while filming the 2017 movie Baywatch, although he doesn't recommend training the way he did for that movie. More recently, he also changed his hair and look a lot to play Ted Bundy in the period drama Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, and Vile. His gig as Bundy has actually gotten him some flack for playing a “hot Ted Bundy” ahead of the movie's Netflix release.

Fans of Harmony Korine’s previous work, which includes 2012’s Spring Breakers will not have to wait too long to catch the new movie. The Beach Bum officially hits theaters on March 22. To see all of the other fun, wild and emotional flicks coming in the next year, be sure to take a look at our full movies schedule.

Rocketman’s Taron Egerton Says There’s ‘Nothing More Intimidating’ Than Filming In Front Of Elton John

Rocketman’s Taron Egerton Says There’s ‘Nothing More Intimidating’ Than Filming In Front Of Elton John

Taron Egerton has done a lot in his years as an actor. He’s done tough, long shoots for action movies like Kingsman and Robin Hood and he even learned to ski for Eddie the Eagle. But nothing was quite like having to perform in front of Elton John for the upcoming flick Rocketman. According to Taron Egerton…

There's really nothing more intimidating than performing in front of Elton. I don't think I could have done it if he was around a lot. But I think he knew that. He's very astute in that way.

Previously, while speaking onstage with director Dexter Fletcher at CinemaCon 2019, Taron Egerton also revealed to the audience that Elton John wasn’t a major presence on the set of Rocketman, preferring the creative team to put together their own version of his life story without him present most of the time on the set.

However, THR also revealed that while Elton John only came and watched Taron Egerton during a day when he was performing “Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting” at a carnival in front of a group of extras, he did watch the dailies as they came in from the set.

Related: Watch Rocketman's Taron Egerton Sing "Tiny Dancer" With Real Elton John

Paramount’s Rocketman was already preparing for release when Bohemian Rhapsody started winning awards early this year. The second musical biopic to come out in just as many years, Rocketman will follow the life of legendary singer and performer Elton John, who is currently on the road performing his farewell tour.

Paramount is likely hoping it will have a similar trajectory to Bohemian Rhapsody, which went on to gross over $900 million worldwide.

There’s no reason to think it couldn’t, as Elton John is currently on a tour he has dubbed his Farewell Yellow Brick Road aka retirement tour, after a career spanning multiple decades and an absolute ton of record sales, over 300 million in fact. He's popular and the movies early trailers look great.

However, while the Queen biopic softened Freddie Mercury’s story somewhat and kept to a PG-13 rating, the Rocketman team is going a lot harder, telling the full R-rated tale of Elton John’s life story, likely with some embellishments as well. R-rated movies can sell and sell well, but they certainly aren’t as friendly in some markets as others.

Previously, Taron Egerton talked about how he hopes to make Elton John happy with his portrayal when the movie comes out, noting,

He’s so universally loved, and I just want to make him happy really. Just getting over the pressure of it and having a good time.

No matter what ends up happening with this movie (although from the footage I saw at CinemaCon it looks great), Taron Egerton will be able to look back and say. 1. He did all of his own singing playing Elton John in this movie (which Malek did not as Mercury). 2. He cut his hair to create a receding hairline in this movie.

He did quite a lot to give Rocketman his all and we’ll be able to see how it all pans out—and hopefully exactly what Elton John thinks—when the movie hits theaters on May 31. Take a look at what else is coming this summer with our full schedule.

Bradley Whitford Is The MVP Of Godzilla: King Of The Monsters

Bradley Whitford Is The MVP Of Godzilla: King Of The Monsters

Warning: SPOILERS for Godzilla: King of the Monsters are in play. If you haven’t seen the film yet, bookmark this page until you’re caught up.

There were quite a few new Titans introduced to audiences in Godzilla: King of the Monsters. But in addition to those monsters, a lot of new human friends were introduced to us along the way through the film’s focus on Monarch and its organizational chaos.

Out of all of the folks making their MonsterVerse debut in director Michael Dougherty’s addition to the Godzilla canon, there’s one that I think is the MVP of the film, without question. After seeing the film twice, I cannot recommend more enthusiastically that Bradley Whitford’s Dr. Rick Stanton be named the official champion of the already impressive supporting cast of human characters.

Now this isn’t putting down any of the work done by any of the other fine actors, returning or debuting, in Godzilla: King of the Monsters, as there’s one hell of a character roster with an equally impressive cast to back it up. But if we’re going for someone who both made a huge impression, as well as helped draw the mythos of the MonsterVerse in greater detail, Bradley Whitford’s Dr. Stanton is the guy who comes through like a hero. Here are some big reasons why:

Rick Is The Perfect Surrogate For The Audience

Wading through a world of Titans and men isn’t easy, especially if you’re a human in such a world. Even if you’re an experienced viewer in the Godzilla universe, there’s quite a bit to take in with this brand new interpretation of the mythos.

As Dr. Rick Stanton is positioned as both a scientific expert and a grade-A smart-ass, he’s in the perfect place to appeal to both newbie and expert who sit down to see Godzilla: King of the Monsters. One moment, he’s reacting a serious crisis with readings and vital information, and the next he’s cracking jokes about having Godzilla in for beers or how he’d rather avoid radioactive materials in the name of preserving any future offspring.

Many of the other characters in the film, such as Kyle Chandler’s Mark Russell or even Charles Dance’s villainous Colonel Alan Jonah, are stoic figures that push the events that need to happen in Godzilla: King of the Monsters so that Godzilla vs. Kong and the rest of the MonsterVerse goes off without a hitch. But with Dr. Stanton firmly in place between those temperaments, its easy to keep the audience invested with someone asking the same sorts of questions they’d be thinking up in their seats.

Dr. Stanton’s Sense Of Humor Helps Move The Film Along

Circling back to Rick’s sense of humor, it’s also extremely helpful to have someone who isn’t afraid to help move the story along with some quick wit. And as Bradley Whitford is given a lot of opportunities as Dr. Stanton to lighten the mood, it assists in not only moving along the heavier moments, but also the entirety of Godzilla: King of the Monsters.

Think of the movie as a plate of food, with the Titan action as the meat and the human story as the potatoes that compliment said meat. There obviously needs to be seasoning in order to help everything mesh together, and that ingredient comes from the personalities of characters like Dr. Rick Stanton. With Rick dropping quips in-between moments of legitimate backstory and exposition, it just makes everything move easier in a film that already has a pretty well paced clip.

It also helps that Bradley Whitford happens to get some of the most sarcastic roles in Hollywood to begin with, be it in heroic and kinder parts like Josh Lyman on The West Wing or in his various villainous turns in films like Get Out and Billy Madison. So not only are you given a good dose of humor to help keep the Titan-ic story of Godzilla: King of the Monsters fresh as ever, you have a comedic assassin delivering lines that kill from the trailer to the final cut.

His Backstory Helps Tie Kong: Skull Island Into The Universe

While it’s merely hinted at in the film, Dr. Rick Stanton has a huge connection to the events of Kong: Skull Island. The connection mentioned during Godzilla: King of the Monsters is the fact that Rick is a fan of the “Dr. Brooks’ Hollow Earth Theory,” which alludes to his knowledge of Dr. Houston Brooks’ work.

Houston shows up not only in Kong: Skull Island, played by Corey Hawkins, but he also appears in this film in the Mothra cocoon scene, as portrayed by Joe Morton. But as noted in his official Monarch biography, Dr. Stanton is actually a colleague of Dr. Brooks, as they both worked for LandSat, the company that was present for the secret mapping mission in Kong: Skull Island.

Said mission intrigued Rick earlier in his career, and as he got more familiar with Houston’s role in the venture. This in turn lead to an introduction to Dr. Serizawa, and then his work as Monarch’s big time Crypto-Sonographer.

He Could Also Be The Best Link To The Future Of The Franchise

At the end of Godzilla: King of the Monsters, we’re told about expeditions that Monarch is carrying out as part of researching “The Hollow Earth.” Now you have to know that whether it’s spelt out or not, Dr. Rick Stanton would sign up for those missions in a heartbeat, leaving him to be a potentially strong link into the events of Godzilla vs. Kong.

On top of that, if Dr. Stanton volunteers to go on one of these missions, his good friend Dr. Houston Brooks would undoubtedly be joining those expeditions as well, as his work is crucial to the Hollow Earth Theory. Which means that the friendship between these characters could see Bradley Whitford and Joe Morton’s characters stealing the screen together in Godzilla vs. Kong, or any other project their storyline would be present for.

Should this come to pass, and frankly there’s no reason it shouldn’t, having Bradley Whitford and Joe Morton playing off of each other would be a hell of an exciting prospect. Not to mention, if this isn’t something Godzilla vs. Kong explores, then you have a compelling side-story/short film that could be used to help flesh out the further MonsterVerse. And you know Dr. Stanton would have a hell of a riff on the debate to whether Godzilla is a male or female Titan.

If you haven’t given Godzilla: King of the Monsters a shot, we hope we haven’t spoiled too much of the film for you. But it has to be said that with his comedic timing and his ability to deliver gags, as well as pseudo-scientific information and readings, Bradley Whitford really is the MVP of the MonsterVerse’s latest chapter. He is a valuable asset in a cast full of heavy hitters, and no matter where this film franchise goes next, Dr. Rick Stanton should be along for the ride.

Godzilla: King of the Monsters is in theaters now, with Godzilla vs. Kong set to make its debut on March 13, 2020. If you’ve looking for excitement in-between those two dates, let our 2019 release schedule be your guide to adventure and merriment.

Avengers: Endgame Writers Discuss Ending Thor’s Arc, And His Potential Future

Avengers: Endgame Writers Discuss Ending Thor’s Arc, And His Potential Future

SPOILER WARNING: The following contains major spoilers for Avengers: Endgame. If you have not yet seen the film, read on at your own risk!

While Thor was one of the key characters who helped establish the foundation of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Avengers: Endgame leaves him in a very different place compared to some of the other Phase One heroes. Rather than getting a conclusive ending similar to Iron Man’s or Captain America’s, the God of Thunder is instead given a new beginning that will see him jet off into space for a new life full of cosmic adventures.

This may seem like a surprising direction for him, as many thought going into the film that Chris Hemsworth’s time with the franchise might be over, be there’s a very good reason for the choice – as I recently learned from Avengers: Endgame screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely.

I had the wonderful pleasure of recently interviewing the two filmmakers for CinemaBlend’s HeroBlend podcast, and one of the many subjects we touched upon in our discussion was where the new movie leaves Thor at the end. I specifically asked if there were ever versions of the script that had a bit more “finality” for the character, but Christopher Markus explained why that was a direction for him that they felt ultimately didn’t fit:

He has suffered so much. He's lost family - his mom, dad, brother, newly-found sister that he had the murder himself, Asgard itself. And then lost to Thanos. He lost his eyeball. Killing him seemed gratuitous almost. And from Ragnarok on, he is such a joyful presence, to have him fairly well-adjusted and moving forward is just like candy. It's like you want to see more of it.

Following up, Stephen McFeely added that while Avengers: Endgame may not specifically kill Thor or turn him into an old man, what is accomplished with the end of their film is the conclusion of a specific journey that he’s been on ever since Kenneth Branagh’s Thor back in 2011. Ever since we first met the big screen version of the hero he has maintained a strong connection to his homeworld, and following the defeat of Thanos he sees an opportunity for a significant life change. Said McFeely,

Think about the journey everyone's on, to be serious for a second. Steve goes from selflessness to self-interested, and Tony sort of does it generally in reverse. And what is Thor defined by in his first movie, right? It's ambition and obligation to Asgard and the crown, right? So what's that journey over five to seven movies, right? It's releasing that burden. It's giving that up and being the person he is supposed to be, not the one who he's meant to be.

The final scenes of Avengers: Endgame see Thor not only pass on the responsibilities of being king of New Asgard to Valkyrie, but also join a brand new family: the Guardians of the Galaxy. And while nothing has been confirmed as of yet regarding Chris Hemsworth’s future in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, what seems certain is that God of Thunder will have an entirely new outlook on life the next time we see him.

One thing that must have supported this choice for the hero is the fact that Chris Hemsworth’s perspective on playing Thor has changed greatly in recent years. The actor has gone on the record saying that he doesn’t love Thor: The Dark World (his word of choice: “Meh”), and admitted that for a time he was underwhelmed by what was being done with the character. That all changed, however, with the making of Thor: Ragnarok. Director Taika Waititi and screenwriter Eric Pearson crafted an entirely new kind of adventure for the hero, and in the making of it Hemsworth gained a brand new appreciation for the role.

This revitalization was something that Stephen McFeely directly referenced during our interview, noting that the choices made in Thor: Ragnarok very much supported the decisions that he made with Christopher Markus in the writing of Avengers: Endgame’s script:

We've given it a lot of thought, and I think a lot of it lines up, and partly, frankly, because Taika [Waititi] and Eric Pearson and Chris Hemsworth sort of reinvented him. There's a whole other delightful side to him that would be great to keep seeing.

Looking into the future, given where things end in the new blockbuster there is an assumption at large that Thor will have at least some kind of role to play in James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 – but it should be noted that the developments of Avengers: Endgame didn’t really come out of any kind of collaboration between the writers and Gunn. I specifically asked Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely if there had been discussions about Thor being with the Guardians, but I was surprised to learn that wasn’t really the case:

Christopher Markus: We did not talk much, to tell you the truth. We kind of just rolled it up in front of him and, yeah, I look forward to seeing what happens.

Stephen McFeely: That's right. I don't know. But I do think it becomes a nice... there's a lot of room for growth there, right? Now, again, I don't know what happens in Guardians [Of The Galaxy Vol. 3], but if they find [Gamora], that relationship is brand new. We the audience know what it could be, and there's a character that doesn't value it, or doesn't know, or whatever. I think there's some opportunity there.

This is only a small portion of my interview with Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, and you can hear the whole thing by listening to the latest episode of our HeroBlend podcast:

As of right now it isn’t entirely clear what will happen with Thor in the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (new franchise announcements won’t be made until after the release of Spider-Man: Far From Home), but you can be sure we’ll have all of the latest details for you as they become available.

The Russo Brothers Open Up About Gamora’s Avengers: Endgame Fate

The Russo Brothers Open Up About Gamora’s Avengers: Endgame Fate

MAJOR spoilers ahead for Avengers: Endgame

Avengers: Endgame has been in theaters for weeks, providing countless plot twists and major payoffs for the hardcore Marvel fandom. The Russo Brothers brought an end to the Infinity Saga, killing off beloved characters and bringing back everyone who got dusted by Thanos in Infinity War. But there's one hero's fate that's currently unclear: Zoe Saldana's Gamora.

Gamora perished in Infinity War not through the snap, but by Thanos killing her on Vormir in order to procure the Soul Stone. But the fans were delighted to see her return in Endgame, although it was the 2014 version of the character who was still serving Thanos. She ultimately united with current day Nebula to take the Mad Titan down, although she wasn't seen after the battle ended. Now The Russo Brothers have addressed the ambiguity of Gamora's fate, saying:

Joe: We don't know whether she was dusted or whether she survived. That's probably a question that Guardians [3] will answer.

Anthony: Quill doesn't know either.

Joe: I'm sure future films will answer that question.

Tricky, tricky. The Russo Brothers purposefully didn't reveal whether or not Tony dusted Gamora in the final moments of the Endgame battle. Although since she was so prominently featured in the epic battle and all-female moment, that fate would be a disservice to the character.

The Russo Brothers' comments to Business Insider help to get a glimpse behind the curtain of the MCU, and the co-directors' methodical way of filmmaking. Avengers: Endgame included just about every character imaginable, and the Russos had to juggle countless narratives. But Marvel characters also have their own franchises, so there was a tricky balance regarding how much ownership the brothers could take.

Because of this, Gamora's death in Infinity War it was truly a gut punch. And since she wasn't dusted by Thanos' snap, it didn't seem likely that she'd return from the dead once it was reversed. Luckily, time travel was a major macguffin in Endgame, and allowed for Zoe Saldana's signature Guardian to brought back to life.

Gamora had always hated Thanos, so it made sense that she would help out the future version of her sister, and try to stop him from getting the Infinity Stones again. This also reunited her with Peter Quill, although he was a total stranger to her. Gamora was last seen fighting alongside women of the MCU, as Captain Marvel got the Gauntlet through Thanos' army.

Related: How Does One Return The Soul Stone? We Asked The Avengers: Endgame Writers

The Russo Brothers' tease about Guardians 3 was set up during the final moments of Endgame, as Star-Lord was shown searching for Gamora's location back onboard The Benatar. Smart money says that's a major plot line in the upcoming threequel, as Gamora's family tries to find her. But since she doesn't know any of the motley crew besides Nebula, they'll be starting from scratch. That includes Peter Quill, who had finally broken down her walls and convinced the green girl to dance.

James Gunn is back behind the director's chair for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, and has teased some big things for Rocket in the upcoming threequel. But he's no doubt got plans for every member of the group, including Gamora.

It's currently unclear when Guardians 3 will hit theaters, but you can watch Gamora and the rest in Avengers: Endgame now. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

Triple Frontier Reviews Are In, Here’s What Critics Are Saying

Triple Frontier Reviews Are In, Here’s What Critics Are Saying

Whatever some famous director's might think of Netflix, the streaming service/film studio has put together a solid list of movie releases over the last few years. From fantasy blockbusters starring Will Smith to Oscar nominated dramas, Netflix has it all. The next big release from Netflix is the Ben Affleck-led Triple Frontier, and while it probably won't win any Oscars, the movie is likely to be worth checking out for everybody who has Netflix, so basically everybody.

Our own Michael Reyes gave Triple Frontier a solid four star score and thinks the movie does a solid job of blending the film's multiple genres into an enjoyably complete film.

As an action film, as well as a dramatic character study, Triple Frontier works as an extremely cohesive combination of two types of stories that usually don’t mesh together well.

At its core, Triple Frontier is the story of group of former vets of the same unit, played by Oscar Isaac, Ben Affleck, Pedro Pascal, Charlie Hunnam, and Garrett Hedlund, decide to go on one last mission strictly for themselves, stealing from a drug kingpin. It's a military/heist movie, something that isn't exactly new to moviegoers, but that doesn't mean it doesn't work.

The review from Entertainment Weekly compares Triple Frontier, directed by J.C. Chandor, to the work of Peter Berg, though it claims Chandor's film has more nuance to it than the frequently nuance free works of Berg...

Chandor films their mission and its male-bonding lead-up using the Peter Berg playbook — you know, lots of backslapping peppered with military jargon. But Triple Frontier isn’t as cheesy and embarrassingly jingoistic as Berg’s films. It’s more ethically murky, especially when the haul they find at the kingpin’s compound turns out to be much, much bigger than they expected.

The biggest thing about Triple Frontier is likely the cast. A movie starring Ben Affleck and Oscar Isaac being a Netflix production is still a big deal, even if the streaming service has had growing success wooing major performers and directors to the platform. Will Smith made Bright with the director of Suicide Squad only a couple years ago and following that we saw the likes of Sandra Bullock, and Alfonso Cuaron join him. Marten Scorsese has directed Robert De Niro for Netflix's upcoming The Irishman, and just typing those words still feels strange.

Understanding how these theatrical release films (Triple Frontier is in theaters for one week starting today before hitting Netflix next week) work on a streaming service is something everybody, from the industry to the viewers, is trying to figure out. For what it's worth, Slashfilm thinks Triple Frontier is a movie made for Netflix.

A film where big, angry men with scruffy facial hair strap on tactical vests and glower their way through one burst of violence to the next. It is, in a sense, the perfect Netflix movie. Something to stream from your bed in the dark after you’ve knocked back one too many beers.

While the majority of reviews for Triple Frontier are positive, it's certainly the case that none are necessarily glowing. Even among those that praise the film, there seems to be a feeling that there could have been more here then we ended up getting. It seems to want to be more than military dudes shooting guns, but doesn't necessarily get there. Although, if military dudes shooting guns is your thing, you'll likely enjoy this version of that.

Of course, there are some who are far from that kind. Variety feels that, in trying to be a smarter action movie, it ends up failing at being anything resembling smart, and ends up trying too hard, reventing it from being the dumb action movie that could have been equally enjoyable.

Yet I’m sorry, there’s a dullness at the core of Triple Frontier. We’ve seen these sorts of situations once too often, done tighter and better, with more surprise. And though Chandor has assembled an ace cast of aging machos, they’re working with stale crumbs of dialogue. The movie made me wish I was watching either a truly heady thriller (which this is not) or a zippier version of The Expendables.

This does go to show how different people can see the same movie in very different ways. One praises the film for being more "ethically murky" complimenting the movie for not simply being military gun porn, while another sort of wishes it had been closer to that, because it misses the mark at being anything more.

There are certainly audiences for both sorts of films, it will be interesting to see if this film, which seems to fall someplace in between will be able to find an audience. At the same time, everybody has Netflix right, so a lot of people could end up watching this one simply because it's new and available. When audiences do flock to Netflix's new releases the movies can see a viewership on par with some blockbusters.

For, THR, the problem with Triple Frontier is something a bit more fundamental. While the movie has an impressive cast, it fails to do anything impressive with them. All of the team members come across as being the same character and lack enough detail to let the audience understand or empathize with them.

Despite the heavy dose of action and numerous tense situations, this Netflix offering has trouble staying in high gear once it gets there and the characterizations remain one dimensional - the men all speak exactly the same way.

Triple Frontier may not be the next Roma, but then few movies will be. It's great that, just like any other theatrical movie studio, Netflix can create a wide variety of movies for a wide variety of audiences. With the massive user base that Netflix has there's a lot of people who like a lot of different movies. Triple Frontier clearly isn't every critic's cup of tea, but it looks like many might still enjoy it. If you're lucky enough to be in the right town you can see it in theaters now, otherwise, it hits Netflix next week.