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Posted February 8, 2018 by Scott Davis in Features
 
 

The Preview Reel: Fifty Shades Freed, Peter Rabbit, and The 15:17 to Paris

Welcome to this week’s “Preview Reel” column, wherein we look at the week’s upcoming wide-release movies. Last week was an especially slow week as Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017) regained the top spot from Maze Runner: The Death Cure. That likely won’t happen this week as there are three big releases aiming at different demographics. The final chapter of the Fifty Shades series whips into theaters, while Peter Rabbit is aimed towards family audiences, and The 15:17 to Paris looks to please the older demographic. Let’s see which comes out on top.

 

Fifty Shades Freed

Fifty Shades Freed posterWhat we are excited about: The fact that this is the final installment, seriously. Fifty Shades of Grey (2015) was a boring, poorly made, not-so-erotic erotic thriller, and Fifty Shades Darker (2017) was even worse. So, hope for the third installment being a step in the right direction is almost non-existent, and we’re just excited that this is the last one.

What we are worried about: The series has its fans and apparently has done a nice job of appealing to that base. The box office for the first two movies was huge, so there is no need to change the formula at this point. This series won’t take any risks to appeal to a larger fan base, so it’s probably just going to be of the same quality as the first two, and that gives us a lot to worry about.

The Buzz: Universal has done a nice job of slowly building buzz over the last couple of weeks and this feels like the first big movie of 2018. Reviews are similar to the first two installments (14% on RottenTomatoes and 30 on MetaCritic) so the series isn’t likely to grab any new fans. There’s probably going to be a small decrease from last year’s installment, but still look for it to grab an impressive $33 million.

Final Thoughts: It’s over, it’s finally over.

 

Peter Rabbit

Peter Rabbit posterWhat we are excited about: Surprisingly, Peter Rabbit is directed by a pretty talented director. Will Gluck gave us the very funny Easy A (2010) and Friends with Benefits (2011), and while the Annie (2014) remake wasn’t a hit with critics, audiences seemed to enjoy it. He’s able to take clichéd stories and put a charming, funny spin on them. We’re hoping he brings that magic to the family-friendly Peter Rabbit.

What we are worried about: The trailers are very silly, even for a kids’ movie. Unlike a Disney or Pixar movie, Sony seems content with just appealing to small children with this one. Which is fine, but it probably means the whole family won’t find a lot to enjoy. It has the potential to be more, but the trailers make it seem like it won’t be.

The Buzz: The buzz is appropriate for a non-Disney family movie as some are excited to have a family movie out that isn’t Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle. The reviews have been mostly positive as it sits at 68% on RottenTomatoes and 56 on MetaCritic. Look for an opening around $20 million.

Final Thoughts: We won’t be hopping to the theater to see this one, but if you have little ones, this might be a fine option.

 

The 15:17 to Paris

The 15:17 to Paris posterWhat we are excited about: The idea of putting the real-life heroes in the movie based on the event is a cool idea. It’s a great way to honor them and certainly is a unique way to approach the film. The trailers do a good job of drawing you into the story of these guys while teasing the event itself. If Clint Eastwood can flesh out their story in a compelling way, this could be something special.

What we are worried about: Since 2010, Clint Eastwood has been a very pedestrian director. For every American Sniper (2014), there’s a Hereafter (2010). He makes a successful movie about a true-life person in Sully (2016), but J. Edgar (2011) was a failure. We’re hoping the real-life heroes angle is more than a gimmick, but given his spotty track record, we’re not all that confident in Eastwood.

The Buzz: The internet was pretty positive on this movie up until the reviews started coming out. They have not been good as it currently sits 26% on RottenTomatoes and 48 on MetaCritic, which won’t help the movie stand out from the crowded marketplace. Look for an opening around $15 million.

Final Thoughts: This one seems to be more like J. Edgar than American Sniper.

Scott Davis

Scott Davis

Scott Davis is a recent graduate of Oakland University where he earned a degree in journalism. He worked for the student newspaper on campus, The Oakland Post, where he became the paper's managing editor. He also earned a minor in Cinema Studies at OU. Scott enjoys all things film and TV related, especially the blockbuster kind. He might be the biggest Christopher Nolan fan you know.