LOS ANGELES — Film director Quentin Tarantino authored an article in Sight and Sound magazine that critically assessed contemporary film releases. He identified specific elements within recent movies that he found problematic.
He stated, "Since the pandemic, it seems almost impossible for a new movie to come out that I don't pick to death." He wrote, "Flaws, implausibilities, audience pandering, miscast performers or just plain stupid shit usually torpedoes every new movie coming out of the flavourless sausage factory that used to call itself Hollywood." He stated, "These days, the entire concept of what is a movie is more inclined to inspire contempt in me than generosity," and added, "These days I'd rather read a book."
Despite his critical view of the industry, he praised several recent films. He named Steven Spielberg's West Side Story and Kevin Costner's Horizon: An American Saga Chapters 1 and 2 as films he enjoyed. He also specifically praised the Netflix film The Rip, directed by Joe Carnahan.
He wrote, "The film is an exciting cop thriller with a novel premise that manages to deliver the goods in really clever ways." He added, "The whole package worked for me: Carnahan's direction, the splendid cast, the look of the film, but the real powerhouse component of this splendid collection is the sensational screenplay by Carnahan and Michael McGrale." The film features a cast including Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Steven Yeun, Teyana Taylor, Sasha Calle, and Kyle Chandler. The film follows Miami-Dade Police Department officers who uncover corruption tied to twenty million dollars in cartel cash, with Juan Miguel Azpiroz serving as cinematographer.
No independent assessment of Quentin Tarantino’s claims was available.