Jennifer Lopez’s new film, Atlas, hit screens last week and, while a recent press conference initially dominated headlines, it seems the film’s bad ratings have now overtaken it.
The Netflix original film follows data analyst Atlas Shepherd (Lopez) as she embarks on a mission to stop a renegade robot. Sharing a secret past with the robot, Atlas – a notably untrusting character – is forced to trust the artificial intelligence device when the mission takes a dangerous turn.
Directed by Brad Peyton and co-starring Simi Liu, the film cost a reported $100million (£78.4m) to create and is speculated to have the biggest-ever budget for a female-led Netflix original film. Yet despite the confident financial backing, viewers have poorly received it.
Released last Friday, the film has earned more than 65 verified reviews on the popular film and TV show review site, Rotten Tomatoes, generating a 17% Tomatometer rating. While the audience score is significantly higher, sitting at 55%, based on over 500 ratings, the consensus is that the film is a ‘missed opportunity’.
Valerie Complex from Deadline Hollywood Daily wrote, ‘Atlas often feels like a missed opportunity, hampered by sluggish pacing and a lack of depth in character development for everyone else except the main character.’
While Sara Clements for Next Best Picture called out the double standard of the film, ‘It’s built on the lesser parts of many sci-fi films. The world-building doesn’t feel new or exciting. It also feels misguided to release a movie about being buddy-buddy with AI when the entertainment industry spent months protesting against it.’
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In July last year, more than 60,000 members of the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Performers (Sag-Aftra) joined screenwriters in their strike.
The two unions fought for a number of rights, including control over actors’ images and likenesses regenerated withartificial intelligence(AI). The unions had not been on strike together since 1960.
As for fans, many have taken to X to share their disappointment. Independent film critic @realmikewebb seemingly reiterated the timing of the topic matter, writing, ‘ATLAS: An ill-timed & ill-conceived sci-fi film recycling others of its ilk (i.e. The Terminator). It’s flat-out dull & uninteresting. J-Lo and the whole cast are wasted with a preposterous script and horrendous VFX. It feels like a fake movie, but it’s ridiculous that it exists.’
Another viewer, @big_business_ wrote, ‘Netflix funded $100 million to make Atlas, a film where JLO is forced to team up with an AI robot in order to prevent an apocalypse.
‘In the end JLO and the AI Robot expressed their feelings for each after winning the final battle, yes this is real.’
One viewer, @thisisseaston, didn’t mince their words, ‘This new J Lo movie is really bad. Not even fun to watch bad. Bad bad.’
‘All those amazing cancelled shows. For this,’ @sin_shady718 added.
It comes after Lopez was confronted with the rumours that she’ssplitfromBen Affleckwhile promoting the film in Mexico City.
While sitting with media, one reporter asked: ‘Is yourdivorcewithBen Affleckreal? These rumours? What is the truth?Para le press le Mexicana[for the Mexican press], what is the truth of the situation?’
Liu quickly addressed the reporter overstepping with the question, saying: ‘Okay we’re not doing that. Thank you so much guys, we really appreciate it. Thank you.’
Lopez then scolded the unnamed reporter, leaning forward and making eye contact with the press member, responding coldly, ‘You know better than that.’
Rumours continue to swirlabout the state of Affleck and Lopez’s marriage.
Recently, an insider toldIn Touch: ‘The writing is on the wall – it’s over. They’re headed for a divorce – and for once, [Ben’s] not to blame!’
‘He’s focusing on his work and his kids now,’ the insider added. The source went on to say that Affleck has moved out of the couple’s shared home.
‘They’ll never stop loving each other, but she can’t control him, and he can’t change her. There’s no way it could have lasted,’ the source said of the supposed split.
They continued: ‘They waited almost two decades to get back together, but in the end, they just couldn’t make it work. They both said they’d matured and learned from their mistakes, but some of the bigger issues that tore them apart the first time remained the same.’
Jennifer Lopez’s Atlas is available to stream on Netflix now.
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