Dennis Quaid’s new movie, ReignIs out, and, not surprisingly, it has proven very divisive, with a large gap between critics and audience’ responses. ReignStarring actor Dennis Quaid as the titular president, Ronald Reagan, the film falls somewhere between biopic and faith-based drama, though It is based on the 2006 book The Crusader: Ronald Reagan and the Fall of Communism By Paul Kengor. The movie opens in 1981, shortly before Reagan was shot in an assassination attempt by John Hinckley Jr.
The rest of the movie flashes back through Reagan’s past before moving forward again. Reign Takes special care to explore the ways of becoming a born-again Christian and an anti-union activist and FBI informant in Hollywood formed the radical conservative views he held in his later political lifeEspecially his years as President of the United States. not surprising Reign Wildly divided critics and the audience already predisposed to see it thanks to its focus and tone. even so, Reign topped the box office during a slow Labor Day weekend.
What critics don’t like about Reagan: Why it’s currently 21% on rotten tomatoes
Critics pointed out the film’s thin characters and schmaltzy, idolizing tone
Meanwhile, Reign Has 21% on Rotten Tomatoes, a poor score regardless of how you spin it. Reign It’s always been a tough sell with most audiences, professional or otherwise, but film critics have been particularly unsparing in their thoughts on the biopic. The main point of criticism across the board is that the characters are simply boring and not well-drawn, more two-dimensional, troupe sketches of characters than fully realized, complex people who make for a compelling watch. Considering the whole point of a biopic is to delve into a particular historical figure’s life, the figure needs to be compelling enough to carry an entire narrative, but Reign It turns out that in this they did not differ.
The movie was also criticized For pandering so heavily to a specific audience that it comes very close to self-parody. This, critics argue, is because the movie went incredibly far to avoid and ignore any of Reagan’s very well-documented flaws, both as a person and as a policy-setter. It is engaged in a secret adoration and adulation of the former president, painting a completely unrealistic portrait of Ronald Reagan, making him less of a man and more of a holy warrior for a conservative-only God. In this, critics argue, the film is as much a faith-based piece of fiction as it is a biopic about a real, divisive man.
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The quotes say this: “A fawning biopic light on subtlety“, says Richard Roeper of Chicago Sun-Times. Nell Minow of Roger Ebert write “It comes so close to parody that it brings to mind the Saturday Night Live ‘Mastermind’ sketch.“Eric Childress of Movie Madness Podcast Didn’t hold back when he called Reign a “Disingenuous collection of the greatest hits played for the fans that neglects any of the flaws or the consequences of his policies…“But perhaps the most brutal comment came from Sean Burns of North Shore Movies:”A children’s film for the adult diaper set.”
Reagan’s 98% RT Audience Score Explained: What the Verified Ratings Say
Audiences praised the movie’s focus on Reagan’s faith and conservative principles
Conversely, audiences have painted a glowing picture of ReignGiving it a whopping 98% on Rotten Tomatoes’ new Audience Popcornmeter, A rating system open only to those who bought a ticket for the movie. Audiences have praised what they see as Reigns heartwarming journey, that it is inspirational and uplifting, and that it is true to history, although it should be noted that the accuracy of the movie, both in the complexities of the historical events and of the characters, is questionable.
It should be noted that the accuracy of the movie, both in the complexity of the historical events and the characters, is questionable.
There is a strong thread through the audience reviews praise Reign For being anti-communist and pro-God, losing the character as an exemplary American and the movie that all patriots and Americans should see. Audience is particularly enjoying this way The biopic focuses on Reagan’s faith and conservative ideals, Painting Reagan as a man who did not back down from any of his principles even during the tumultuous era of the 1980s. Conservative audiences who lived through the 80s appreciated it for a reminder of the history they lived through, a neat walk back through memory for them.
Reagan is always likely to be a divisive movie
Ronald Reagan is a wildly controversial and criticized figure these days
In fact, the wide gap between critical and audience reviews for Reign Shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone who knows anything about Ronald Reagan or the people involved with this movie. Today’s political climate is divisive, and Few historical figures have been more divisive than Ronald Reagan, Which is often held up as the Platonic ideal of a conservative by old-school Republicans. At the same time, many historians and ordinary voters have argued that Reagan’s many flawed policies, from draining the economy to drastically cutting social services while bloating the defense budget, were destructive and harmful in the long term.
In 2024, there’s no real way to make a biopic about Ronald Reagan, especially one with an open angle, a movie that’s anything but divisive. The team around Reign It is also said a little: Director Sean McNamara is best known for his faith-based filmsSo it’s not that surprising Reign also has a strong chance in that direction. Likewise, actors Dennis Quaid and Jon Voight have been wildly at odds in recent years for their pro-Trump rhetoric, especially Jon Voight, who has come under fire for constantly spreading conspiracy theories. With all this in play, Reign Was never going to provoke anything but strong and divided reactions.