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Taika Waititi has shown that he is no pushover. He might have been a household name back home, butThor: Ragnarokmade him a global phenomenon. He added an Oscar to his cabinet withJojo Rabbit.Yet, things have not been smooth sailing for the 48-year-old. He is returning to the big screen withNext GoalWins,a movie he has turned into his own thing. However, critics believe that he has taken his artistic license a little too far this time.
Taika Waititi returns to the big screen with“his own thing”
Taika Waititilit up the world withJojo Rabbit.And it has taken him 4 more years to come back with his next non-Marvel project.Next Goal Winsis the story of a coach who takes on the reins of the maligned American Samoa team.
Taika Waititi leaves no doubt about the fact that theNext Goal Winsis his story. You know that when he himself narrates the movie as a priest. Opening up about what was happening behind the scenes, he told Insider,
“The little thing like the priest presenting the film, that came right at the end. It was an idea of like, maybe it should be presented as a fable. Because, yes, it’s a true story, but I’ve taken a lot of it and turned it into my own thing.” (Insider)
He did not hold back, going as far as suggesting that he was the guy who“wrote the Bible”.
Also Read:Chris Hemsworth Returning For Thor 5 Gets Confirmed By Taika Waititi After Revealing Real Reason Behind Stepping Down
Yet critics believe that turning this into his own thing might have ruined it.
The project had been long coming. But the Covid-19 pandemic meant that Waititi was not able to focus on the project. And theHunt for the Wilderpeopledirector likes taking his sweet time with any project.Next Goal Winsone was no different. Yet it seems that all this time might have been for naught after all. The 2023 flick has failed on various counts, marking the lowest point in Taika Waititi’s directorial career.
Also Read:Taika Waititi’s Star Wars Film Shows No Sign of Progress While Daisy Ridley Prepares For A New Beginning
Taika Waititi’s sports drama falls flat
If one were to make a list of what exactly went wrong with theMichael Fassbenderstarrer, they would have to start with theX-Men: First Classstar’s character itself. The character of Thomas Rongen is one of the movie’s most problematic elements. Some of the comments directed at non-binary player Jaiyah Saelua, played byKaimana, were considered transphobic in nature, drawing everyone’s ire. The issues don’t stop there.
Jokes and gags are what make a Taika Waititi movie tick.Next Goal Winswas well short on that. The attempts at comedy seemed crude, to say the least. No wonder this was Taika Waititi’s worst-rated movie, with a dismal rating of 41% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Also Read:“The man is about to end his own career”: Taika Waititi’s Star Wars Update Proves He Refuses to Learn from Thor 4 Outrage
Smriti Sneh
Articles Published :479
Smriti Sneh is a Content Writer at Fandom Wire specializing in celebrities and everything pop-culture. Being a literature research scholar, she is cashing in on her writing skills by working in the entertainment news sector - studying literary theories by day, and navigating celebrity net worth through the night. Although you’re able to find her writing poems at any and all hours.
