Critics' reviews for Tom Hanks' new movie,Here, have arrived, but they are not so great. Based on the 2014 graphic novel by Richard McGuire,Heretells the story of multiple generations of couples and families who have lived in the same house spanning centuries.Killers of the Flower Moonscreenwriter Eric Roth co-wrote the film with Oscar-winning filmmaker, Robert Zemeckis, who also produced and directed the film.Herestars Tom Hanks and Robin Wright in lead roles, reuniting onscreen for the first time since co-starring in Zemeckis' 1994 movieForrest Gump, along with Paul Bettany and Kelly Reilly.
The first reviews forHereare in, andcritics have found themselves generally unimpressed with theForrest Gumpreunion.The Daily Beastcalled the Robert Zemeckis movie “an embarrassment.“IndieWireechos the same sentiment, calling out the director for wasting “a de-aged Tom Hanks and Robin Wright.“IGNpoints out that the movie lacks “some of the things that make it a movie,” whileThe Hollywood Reporteraccuses it of boxing in itslead stars.UPIexpresses that the film “lacks heart.”
Why Here Reviews Are So Poor
Critics Say Technology Overshadows Characters & Storytelling
The Daily Beastbacked its argument by explaining that the film failed to take advantage of its unique concept that it “seems designed to investigate” nor does it play with “the tension between what’s inside and outside its frame.“Instead, the director is “most concerned with depicting the totality of modern life in a sole structure.“Varietyexplained that while “there are deep thoughts to be found down such rabbit holes” and whileHere"roughly” points in the “right direction,“it gets distracted with “a handful of far shallower threads,“namely the “disappointed generic lives of four families.”
Other stars bringing the core four families and their friends to life include Michelle Dockery, Leslie Zemeckis, Jonathan Aris, Joel Oulette, and Daniel Betts.
On a technical level,Deadlinepraised the director’s effort to mix “the newest filmmaking technologies” with “relatable stories” butinstead of sending “its century-plus cast of characters back in time,” the director “lets time come to them on a single piece of land.“The review further argued that by placing the camera “in a stable position” to capture the characters' lives,Herewould have made a “great theatrical piece with the opportunity for dazzling changes of scenery.” However, the film took “the cinematic route” instead, which countered its effort.
Here Continues A Dismal Critical Streak For Robert Zemeckis
He Has Made A Series Of Rotten Tomatoes Flops
At the time of writing, 12 reviews have been aggregated forHereon Rotten Tomatoes, earning it a firmly Rotten score of 25%. While it will almost certainly fluctuate as more reviews are added, it is low enough that it will likely remain Rotten. This continues a dismal critical record for recentRobert Zemeckis movies, ashe has not received a Fresh score for one of his directorial efforts since 2016with his Brad Pitt and Marion Cotillard war movieAllied, which just barely passed the Fresh threshold with a 60% score. Below, see how his follow-up movies have fared:
34%
50%
28%
Here(2024)
25%
If its score remains unchanged, the newTom Hanks moviewill be cemented as the worst score yet of this poorly reviewed run for Zemeckis. It will also bethe worst score for any movie he has ever directed, though he has earned lower scores for projects he produced or executive produced, includingThirteen Ghosts(19%),Ghost Ship(15%),Gothika(15%),Tales From the Crypt Presents Bordello of Blood(14%),The Reaping(8%), and 2001’sRitual(0%). Zemeckis also developed the story forBordelloof Bloodwith his frequent collaborator Bob Gale.
Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale collaborated on a number of other projects, including theBack to the Futuretrilogy,Used Cars,I Wanna Hold Your Hand, and the television seriesTales from the CryptandAmazing Stories.
This negative reception forHereisof a piece with how Zemeckis' technological experiments have landed with critics in recent years. While he became known as a special effects innovator with well-reviewed early classics including 1984’sBack to the Future(93%), 1988’sWho Framed Roger Rabbit(96%), and evenForrest Gump(76%), all of which are Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, his experiments with modern CGI have grown increasingly more alienating to critics. This began with 2004’sThe Polar Express(56%) but quickly spread with titles includingA Christmas Carol(52%),Welcome to Marwen, and the live-action remake ofPinocchio.
Our Take On The Here Reviews
It’s A Bold Experiment With Flaws
Given the way it is presented in theHeretrailer, the new movie boasts a very ambitious premise. The “tree house” idea of planting the camera in the center of a single home is very intriguing, which also means thatthe expectations for this experiment may be too high. What critics generally agree on is that the film’s focus is on the technology that brings it to the screen rather than its core characters, which seems to have distracted the movie from telling a humanly relatable story with emotional impact.
[Robert Zemeckis is] a filmmaker who is known for pushing boundaries…
Hereis a bold experiment by the director and A-list actors, but it’s not even close toForrest Gump’s approach to time.The film seems to have lost its way while toying with new technologiesand experimental filmmaking methods. It makes sense for a filmmaker who is known for pushing boundaries to focus on innovation and changing the way stories are told. Sadly, it seems thatHereis not perfect.
There are things to learn from the experiment, but without filmmakers like Zemeckis, who are curious and restless about trying, there will be no progress made.Hereis a needed experiment, even though it may seem like a failure in many ways.
Source: Various (see above)
Here
Cast
Here is an objective and formal description for the movie Here (2024): Directed by Robert Zemeckis, this film is an exploration of time and memory, unraveling the intertwined lives and stories of families across generations in a New England setting.
