Netflix has had an incredibly busy line-up in 2024 with some major releases, especially in the month of May, and one of the movies that was a part of this month’s roster was Atlas. This science-fiction movie was incredibly AI-coded, and that was evident from the trailers that were released before the movie, and people were excited.
Apart from the obvious excitement for the genre, also boasted a star-studded cast with the likes of Jennifer Lopez, Sterling K. Brown, Simu Liu, Lana Parrilla, Mark Strong, and Abraham Popoola. Lopez was the star of Atlas, however, now that the movie is officially streaming on Netflix, the realization has dawned upon us – Even Lopez can’t save a movie.
AI is one of the most talked-about subjects in the world right. Whether it’s new inventions, the latest modifications, or just about anything, AI is at the center of it all, so it makes sense to make a movie on the subject, and that’s exactly what Atlas did, and then proceeded to fail.
This review isn’t really a matter of whether you should stream Atlas or skip it, but simply a more detailed look into why Brad Peyton’s latest movie did not work for us, and might not be your cup of tea either.
Atlas Loses Track Before it Reaches the Finish Line
Jennifer Lopez is an absolute star. Apart from her incredibly catchy music that the whole world dances to, we have also seen her deliver some stunning performances in movies like The Mother, The Wedding Planner, Maid in Manhattan, and Shotgun Wedding. Undoubtedly, Lopez also delivered a great performance in Atlas, but it simply wasn’t enough.
Atlas is based on the life of the main character, Atlas, and yes, the title itself might feel a little uninspiring, but that is only the tip of the iceberg. It is established early on in the movie that Atlas had been raised along with a robot named Harlan, who eventually turned against humans, and that eventually led to a genocide.
Time and again, there are several new establishments in the movie, but the focus remains on the main character who has now turned bitter against AI, and yet somehow lives in a house that is filled to the brim with incredibly advanced technology. Somehow, it doesn’t make a lot of sense, but by the looks of it, Atlas had a big budget and wanted to make the most of it.
In fact, the entire movie appears to be an overuse of CGI and VFX, and an attempt to use the green screen every other second, just because Atlas is about the big bad AI. Atlas might be set far into the future, and the need for the setting to be as AI as possible makes sense, but this movie took it a little too far. Far enough that the viewers are bound to feel disconnected, not only from the movie but also from the characters.
Lopez was joined by Sterling K. Brown, whose character wasn’t used to the full potential, which again, felt like a waste. However, the real kicker was Simu Liu’s villainous character, which could have served as a serving grace to the movie as a whole but instead felt like the most lackluster addition to the movie. Just when you think Atlas can’t disappoint you anymore, it goes ahead and does exactly that.
Conclusion
if you are a fan of AI-related movies and Jennifer Lopez, chances are that Atlas is already on your watchlist, and if that’s the case, we recommend setting your expectations as low as possible. Do let us know in the comments what you think about Atlas!