Future World (2018) User Reviews

A 5th grader could have presented a better screenplay and cinematography.

[Top_Dawg_Critic · 3/10 · 26 May 2018]

I really wanted to like this film, and give it a fair chance with such a great cast (although I feel this was Milla Jovovich's worst acting to date), but it failed.

The score was annoying start to finish. The washed out, dim and faded cinematography was the worst I've seen. The directing was ok in some areas, terrible in others - especially the cheesy fade-out/fad-ins. The writing was all over the place and I'm shocked that with 19 producers attached to this project, not once questioned the convoluted screenplay with major plot issues and roller coaster scenes. How difficult was it to alter the fact that Prince walked for days to the drug den with an injured Ash, then days later the bikers all show up? Don't get me started on Ash and Rosie's little ridiculous session in the cell.

This film did have its short lived entertaining moments, especially with Snoop Dogg and the post credits scene and some decent location visuals, but it was still an embarrassment to the films it was trying to play homage to.

A very generous 3/10 from me.

It's pretty dumb.

[terrencepatrix · 4/10 · 26 May 2018]

James Franco really doesn't know how to direct and should probably stay away from attempting it in the future. There really aren't many ways to describe this movie other than plain dumb, it's just not that good. It seems like this was more a project for some actors and rappers to goof around and enjoy themselves, which can work, if the story and acting doesn't suck.

I was going to write out a movie summary but decided it's really not needed. The movie takes place in essentially 4 "sets", a beautiful grove filled with flowing water and trees, a shack decorated to look like a brothel, an abandoned church in the middle of nowhere, and an abandoned resort in the middle of nowhere. They didn't build any of this, it's clear they filmed in random places they found, they didn't even bother dressing them up. Franco hams it up as the evil bad guy Warlord, Suki Waterhouse is a sexy robot, Snoop Dogg is a pimp (shocker), and Mila Jovavich is a chemist? Or something. I dunno, she somehow makes drugs from the crappiest looking chemistry set I've seen. Another dumb thing that irked me, this movie takes place over several days but not ONCE do they show what people eat or drink or how they get any of their resources. There's NOTHING else but the filming locations and it's all in the middle of nowhere. It a dumb thing to bother me but...3-4 days in the desert without a sip of water and no sign of dehydration? That's just basic character development. Which there is absolutely none of in this movie.

So why did I rate it a 4? Two stars for the film because it was shot relatively well, and two stars for Suki Waterhouse and Mila Jovavich looking hot as hell. Honestly just a really amateurish movie. It wants to be campy and cult status invoking...it's not. It's just dumb.

Bad Max. Really, Really Bad Max.

[Rob_Taylor · 3/10 · 30 May 2018]

As a fan of all things post-apocalyptic, I'm willing to give anything in the genre a try. So when I came across this movie which boldly proclaimed it starred James Franco, Lucy Liu, Milla Jovovich and even Snoop Dogg, my interest was piqued. Whilst watching it, however, my interest tanked and, after watching, said interest bid me a scowling farewell and went on a long vacation without telling me if, or even when, it would return.

To say this film is bad is an understatement. How it even got made, let alone attracted such stars to its roster, is mind-boggling. A little research reveals it to be some sort of passion project for Franco (whom I've always considered hugely overrated), made almost on a whim. Well, if this is an example of Franco when he's fired up enough to make a movie, I'd hate to see what he'd come up with in the throes of depression.

As for those stars... don't expect to see that much of them. Lucy Liu spends the first and last few minutes of the film in a bed, sickly, and is never seen in between. Jovovich gets more time towards the end and Franco rears his overacting head from time to time as "Generic Bad Guy Leader #672". Snoop Dogg has a middle slot in the film, for all of five minutes.

Other than that, the entire movie is hung on the shoulders of two young (and at times awfully bad) actors who go about their roles with all the enthusiasm of people who've just been informed they have a terminal illness. They are just woefully unable to carry the movie at all and the result is a dull, tedious slog that has you twitching towards the fast forward controls every other minute.

Their attempts aren't helped by the woefully inept story, irritating pseudo-techno music and awful dialogue. Characters have names like War Lord, Drug Lord and Love (can you guess?) Lord. The whole thing is just a mess from start to finish.

To make matters worse, as always when you have actors of varying capabilities in the same film, the good actors make the poor ones look worse by comparison. Lucy Liu effortlessly gives us a "sick mother" performance whilst her son (Wahlberg) doesn't even convince us he's awake, let alone concerned for her health.

Sets appear to be any old ruined building they could find, or some old junk thrown together to pretend to be a camp. None of it convinces at all and just looks like the cheap solution that it is.

If this was an attempt to mimic similar movies from the 80's then it failed dismally. You can't just throw any old crap into a desert setting, have people ride motorbikes around and call it an homage to Mad Max. There is nothing new in this film that you won't have seen done better in any film from that period (and trust me, there were some real stinkers back then, too!) All you will get is the feeling that everyone involved in this production were just going through the motions. No ingenuity. No creativity. Just a whole lot of "Are we done yet? Where's my paycheck?"

SUMMARY: Stillborn love child of Mad Max and Cherry 2000 that was buried, then exhumed thirty years later and connected to a car battery to make it twitch spasmodically as if it was alive. Just a boring, irritating mess of badness. Avoid at all costs!

How to make a bad B grade movie with an A grade cast......

[s3276169 · 1/10 · 25 May 2018]

Is it possible to take a group of A-list actors and make a really really awful B grade movie? Well yes, yes it is and in my opinion Future World is it.

This flicks screenplay, I suspect quite intentionally, tries to pay homage to late 70's dystopian films such as Mad Max and cheesy but watchable 80's sci fi like Cherry 2000. Regrettably, however, this film is more sacrilege than homage.

Future World simply fails to appreciate and understand the mechanics of what made these earlier films work. Things like fleshed out characterisations, an interesting, engaging story and decent narrative.

Suffice to say, I'd rather revisit the original films, than waste my time on this clumsy facsimile. 1/10 from me.

How do movies like this get greenlit?

[MongoLloyd · 1/10 · 25 May 2018]

I am truly baffled as to how anyone would read the script for this film and think it was a worthwhile endeavor. I understand film financiers tend to not read scripts when making a decision to back a film instead going by which A-listers are attached, but honestly, even just on behalf of the cast - why?

All the familiar post apocalyptic film tropes are in this dreck: Disparate tribes, complete with of course ultra violent factions Vs. peaceful faction, plenty of post apocalyptic man-leather, gnarly dirt bikes, a sexy android, and somehow - plenty of drugs(?) & a functional nightclub(?)

As someone who adores anything post-apocalyptic, who's probably seen every film of that genre, I can state with authority, this isn't even passable entertainment at 3am when you can't sleep.

Ugh...

[degrees-33365 · 1/10 · 25 May 2018]

Whoever was the director and cinematographer here needs to find new lines of work - this was truly terrible....

Save your Time find something else to Watch

[nowego · 3/10 · 27 May 2018]

Initially I gave this a 2/10 but after careful consideration I finally gave it a 3/10.

This is not the worst movie I have ever seen, but it comes very close, at least I can say, (not that it is a recommendation) I made it to the end without falling asleep.

It had some good moments, but the bad acting really stopped it being anything but bad. The standout actor was Jeffrey Wahlberg, who to me, is a bit of an unknown and worth watching out for in the future.

James Franco, who I usually like, really could have done better as could some of the other actors who I normally rate highly.

Don't waste your time. This genre has been done much better before.

Go and watch paint dry that's far more interesting than this

[markthomassintek · 3/10 · 27 May 2018]

REVIEW - FUTURE WORLD

Occasionally white scrolling through and looking at the films available I read the synopsis of a film and wonder what it's like. Now we all know someone somewhere has the job of writing a synopsis and has to make even Sausage Party sound interesting.

Then I saw who was in this film, James Franko, Lucy Liu, Milla Jovovich and Snoop Dogg!!!!

I know!!! At this point I thought WOW an undiscovered 10 out of 10 and 90+ minutes of sheer screen enjoyment!!!

I have never been so wrong, embarrassing for the actors, degrading even, I bet this film won't even be on their resumes.

Boring beyond belief, don't waste your money or time, go and watch paint dry it's far more interesting than this.

Rating 3 out of 10

Classic case of how bad a movie can be with good actresses.

[choi-11591 · 1/10 · 27 May 2018]

The only reason why I gave 1 star is because there was no way to give negative star in the rating system.

Can't believe how poor storyline and bad directing can make good actors / actresses can appear over acting.

I was keep on thiniking there might be a hidden plot and kept watching. BAD mistake. Totally waisted my time.

Soulless display of uninspired stink

[Arnror_II · 1/10 · 27 May 2018]

Hour and a half completely devoid of content. Like a porn parody without porn. Looks terrible. Sounds terrible. I felt nothing, NOTHING, I'm not kidding, I was not even annoyed. Waste of talent, waste of money, waste of space, and ultimately, a complete waste of my time. Milla Jovovich, James Franco, Lucy Liu, Carmen Argenziano,they should all be ashamed of themselves.

Slick throw back to the post apocalyptic films of the 80s

[amesmonde · 7 February 2019]

A young man sets out on search of medicine for his mother aided by a hi tech android.

Don't expect the grandeur of Mad Max: Fury Road, Future World is more in the vein of 1980's Italian produced B-films which borrowed from Mad Max Road Warrior. Mix James Franco and Bruce Thierry Chung's offering with a bit of Automata and Cherry 2000 and you get a decent direct-to-video science fiction action Western film.

The editing is pretty slick, Franco covers plenty of ground and refreshingly there's little CGI. Peter Zeitlinger cinematography does what it can with the minimal locations. The screenplay by Chung and Jay Davis screenplay recycles many sci-fi tidbits right down the The Running Man Wedlock-like controlled slaves.

Both Snoop Dogg and Milla Jovovich are entertaining enough in their small roles. Franco hams it up as the Warlord and Suki Waterhouse as the android girl, (while not good as Caity Lotz in The Machine) carries the film well enough picking up the slack from Prince (Jeffrey Wahlberg). Toydrum's score is also notable.

Overall if you enjoy Warriors of the Wasteland 1990; The Bronx Warriors (1982) and the like, this is a forgettable updated slicker version which doesn't pretend to be anything more.

Fun 80s post apocalyptic cult romp

[ben-2133 · 9/10 · 27 May 2018]

Okay let's be real here. There's two different types of movie watchers. Those that pick apart films as they watch and those that can get lost in the vision. If you are a critic then avoid this movie. But if you love movies for what they are then give this one a shot. I love cult movies like the dark backward. Near dark. Alien from l.a. the comet. Cherry 2000 and the list goes on. I am big fan of cult films in general. This movie is obviously made by someone who loves them as well. The characters are fun and quirky af. Mila is at her best as a crazy drug fueled psychopath. Snoop dog is the coolest of pimps and suki is sexy af. you can tell they had a good time making this movie and I enjoyed watching it. In the end. That's all that matters. I don't pick apart movies even though I can. I try to enjoy them. Period.

Wasn't to bad

[ace-computer-1 · 7/10 · 29 May 2018]

The reviews scared me but gave it a try anyhow because I like B movies like America 3000 , Wheels of Fire , and Warriors of the Apocalypse, it wasn't to bad , no it wasn't a Mad Max kind of good end of the world movie but I think it's worth watching

Diabolical!!!!

[haroot_azarian · 1/10 · 27 May 2018]

Like one reviewer said, why Milla? Indeed and why Lucy Liu and Margarita Levieva! all three excellent actors cast in this pathetic movie with a pathetic story line, dialogue and ever so annoying music!!!! Jeffrey should give up acting, He'll never be Mark or Donnie! as for Suki, perhaps she should take up porn, acting skills are not needed necessarily in that industry. And James Franco! what can I say, crap actor and now proved himself and everyone that he's even a worse director! Folks don't watch this garbage!!!

One of the worst. Period.

[sendfayse · 1/10 · 29 May 2018]

After spending 88 mins in the cinema, I came out wondering what I was watching. In fact, I'm still thinking now.

Below Average

[asidal_pk · 4/10 · 29 May 2018]

It's very sad to see good Actors telents go to waste in such a movie, story is somewhat like half Cyborg half Madmax, but Cinematography and Editing is really below average, i think James Franco's Team consisted of some teenager fans, or maybe he was too busy on his other projects that he didn't got the time for his direction. This movie will haunt him in coming days, Sorry Franco, direction is not for you bro.

Future looks bleak ...

[kosmasp · 3/10 · 14 February 2019]

One could try to find out, what caused this to go south. And I don't mean literally obviously. Was it too many people getting involved in the production/script? Was the main idea good, but somehow something happened while translating for the big screen? If you are really interested in this, you will not find an answer here. Actually I will make the point that there are worse movies out there. Which doesn't make this good by any stretch of imagination (and imagination you will need).

But just goodies like having Milla Jovovich and James Franco in it, is almost worth watching it. The action is ok or even decent for the budget this has. One of the main problems is though that the main character is almost derived completely of any charisma. But that is not all, the cliches come flying in and weird things get thrown at the viewer for good measure. Or is it bad measure? Whatever the case, you will have to have a very low expactation and a very high love (no pun intended) for Science Fiction movies .. if that comes together you may have more fun then most people. Otherwise it probably is wise to steer clear of this

Do not waste your time

[confidential-67897 · 1/10 · 27 May 2018]

I'm not sure if this film was made as a tax write off, or for a bet. However it it truely terrible. Awful plot and acting, I have seen better student movies. Whoever green lit this movie should be fired.

Mad Max it isn't!

[Australian1 · 3/10 · 26 May 2018]

The "whole" world get blown up, in other words New York or some US city, to them it's the whole world! How many movies have been made since Mad Max, even the sequels were not as good as The Original! Here we have an attempt of the same. Not sure what goes on in actors, or more to the point directors of movies which are about the end of the world and there is little of anything civilised... Yet Lucy Liu is wearing massive false eyelashes! Gimme a break! I could accept perhaps a eyeliner, like Mila has around her eyes. But seriously, even in SciFi, forget the make-up for an evening at the Lincoln Centre! The acting is poor, nutty but not funny, the "set" is the middle of a desert and a possibly abandoned oil rig or similar or some "shelter" for the Queen made of rags draped over sticks under the shade of trees. They can't find or don't have bullets, but all ride trail bikes and drive off road buggies..... In reality, bullets will be abundant in an Apocalypse at the rate Americans produce and consume them. Could have been reasonable if more thought had gone into the story and the sets.

So bad it hurts

[laetitiapayombo · 1/10 · 27 May 2018]

That's just bad. It's painful to watch. It's a bad ripoff of the bad batch and Mad Max. I mean WHY? Was there no one to tell them to stop this boring project. Maybe it's a joke... And not a good one.

why milla?

[freddyja · 1/10 · 27 May 2018]

Why would Milla be apart of this, that's all I got from this pathetic dribble!Another crapola from James Franco

Needed more Lesbians.

[jamber14 · 8/10 · 26 May 2018]

SPOILER: By far the best part of this movie was the relationship between Lei and Ash. I appreciate that neither of the gays died and, literally, rode off into the sunset together. I'd watch a whole movie of just those two. Margarita Levieva is an underrated talent and Suki Waterhouse was wonderful in this. I had mediocre expectations of this movie and it surpassed those. If people would stop comparing every "end of the world, in the desert, lots of violence" movie to Mad Maxx, they'd enjoy these movies more.

Most Reviewers Don't Know what a 2 Star Movie Looks Like, This Isn't It.

[tdwillis-26273 · 7/10 · 28 May 2018]

I know exactly why Lucy Liu, Milla and Snoop joined this film endeavor. Because it was worth it, and they didn't need to be paid millions to join in something they believed in. This fact is very obvious to me after seeing the movie. All these negative reviews remind me of those that just cant be REAL movie buffs/lovers. No imagination, overly critical, and addicted to giant budget hollywood special effect junkies. (Couch Critics) I have seen 0ne and Two star films and this is a million light years away from it. I am a REAL movie lover! I have searched and searched and seen thousands of movies made from all over the world. Because I REALLY love all aspects of movie's. This movie has camera and light use and cinematography that is just as professionally done and as good as the big budget Hollywood movies. (One and two star movies have hand held cameras and are shaky and have no panorama views...uh duh) Not to mention the direction is obviously done by someone who understands movie making and acting as well. (As opposed to other low budget Two star B Movies, where the direction makes the actors worse, not better) ) The acting is very well done on par higher paid actors and the characters are engaging. The story and plot isn't as deep or seamless enough to would warrant an 8 from me, ( I rarely give 8's) but it is good enough to keep me interested enough to watch the whole movie and root for the main characters. The soundtrack is perfect for each scene it is playing in. ( A two star movie...WHAT soundtrack?) The editing IS seamless. Can you tell there is a smaller budget than a gazillion bucks? Well yes. But is that a bad thing? YES....usually it is obviously amatuerish (really...go and find a REAL one and two star B movie and see what I mean) But this movie has some OBVIOUS serious talent in it and backing it. If you are like me...and can watch a movie and not pick it to death, and love this genera as much as I do, and know what a two star movie REALLY looks like you are going to be thrilled with this viewing experience! I promise you.

When I was a teenager, on Saturday night friends would get together....

[scrich9999 · 1/10 · 29 May 2018]

Sometimes get high and watch Creature Features with Bob Wilkins. (Look it up, there is an IMDB entry on it). The premise of the show was to present the worst horror and Sci Fi films ever made and then, to utterly rag on them. Wilkins predated Elvira by a decade and Mystery Science Theatre by two decades. The first offering on the show was the truly abysmal, "Horror at Party Beach.

That show is where this film belongs. Rest in peace, Bob.

How not to make a movie

[garygwilliams · 1/10 · 30 May 2018]

I had a hard time not making this the worst movie I have seen this year but Snoop Dogg's perfomances as the "Love Lord" made the difference. It's not as bad as Birthmarked but not by much due mostly because it has bankable stars. James Franco as the "Warlord and Milla Jovovich as the "Drug Lord" were both awful as both performances were over the top. The movie also featured Lucy Liu, Rumer Willis and Method Man in appropriately poor perfomances.

Amateurish writing and incorrect choices for sets, location and props make this the poster boy for how not to make a movie.