Yahoo Movies ‘Babylon’ First Reactions Are All Over the Place: Responses for Damien Chazelle’s Film Range From a ‘Daring Hollywood Epic’ to ‘Truly Monstrous’
Paramount has pulled the curtain back on “Babylon,” Damien Chazelle’s period comedy documenting the excess of the early age of Hollywood. An early screening Monday evening at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills has opened the floodgates for first reactions.
The 188-minute epic represents a return to awards season for Chazelle, who became the youngest best director Oscar winner ever in 2016 for his work helming “La La Land.” His subsequent Neil Armstrong biopic “First Man” and his Sundance breakout “Whiplash” also made sizable dents in their respective awards runs.
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Margot Robbie, Diego Calva and Brad Pitt lead “Babylon,” among a stacked cast that includes Tobey Maguire, Jean Smart, Li Jun Li and Jovan Adepo. Chazelle has described the film as being inspired by Federico Fellini’s “La Dolce Vita,” Robert Altman’s “Nashville” and “The Godfather” — “old-school epics that managed, through a handful of characters, to convey a society changing.”
After expressing some trepidation before the screening, Variety awards editor Clayton Davis seemed to fall on the side of liking the movie, calling it a “high octane” trip with a first half better than its second.
#Babylon feels like if someone read Damien Chazelle the story of Sodom and Gomorrah and then he said, "hold my beer!"
High octane, cocaine-inducing trip. First half is great. Likely the internet's new favorite movie of all-time. Margot Robbie and Justin Hurwitz are your stars. pic.twitter.com/aM3rru1so0— Clayton Davis – Stand with 🇺🇦 (@ByClaytonDavis) November 15, 2022
Los Angeles Film Critics Association member Ryan Swen wasn’t a fan at all, arguing Chazelle “might be the most confident director in Hollywood today, of course he’s also got some of the worst instincts out there.”
BABYLON: Truly monstrous in its thudding insistence on shoving the viewer’s face in the muck and claiming it’s something novel or moving; Chazelle might be the most confident director in Hollywood today, of course he’s also got some of the worst instincts out there.
— Ryan Swen/孫天行/Sun Tianxing (@swen_ryan) November 15, 2022
Variety senior artisans editor Jazz Tangcay praised the effort as “phenomenal filmmaking,” with extra kudos for Robbie and Justin Hurwitz’s score.
Extravagant, decadent and all together delightfully delicious. @babylonmovie is phenomenal filmmaking . This is Damien Chazelle’s love letter to movie making, and Margot Robbie’s best performance to date. The score is outstanding. pic.twitter.com/86zpBANE8D
— Jazz Tangcay (@jazzt) November 15, 2022
The Playlist writer Gregory Ellwood said the film is “best when it’s being a straight out comedy,” highlighting PItt and Adepo as ensemble highlights.
Babylon is a fever dream of a movie that’s best when it’s being a straight out comedy. The drama barely plays. Pitt and Jovan Adepo give the best performances in the movie. Robbie gives it her all but the character is so one note. Didn’t love it.
— Gregory Ellwood -The Playlist 🎬 (@TheGregoryE) November 15, 2022
Although social media reactions are out there, Paramount has yet to set an embargo date for full reviews.
“Babylon” is slated to hit theaters across North America on Dec. 23. Paramount had initially set plans to debut the film in limited release on Christmas Day before expanding nationwide in early January. The studio’s decision to switch gears for a wide release has been interpreted as a sign of confidence in “Babylon.”
See more “Babylon” reactions below.
Damien Chazelle brings buckets of energy to BABYLON, but it’s never not pounding and obvious and, finally, uninsightful. Everything about it is borrowed — even down to Tobey Maguire stealing the film as its Alfred Molina. A Scorsese coke film by a squeaky clean director.
— Joshua Rothkopf (@joshrothkopf) November 15, 2022
Damien Chazelle’s #BabylonMovie is a dazzling, dizzying cacophony of demented depravity. ❤️d! A rebellious, outrageous portrait of golden-era hedonistic Hollywood. Margot Robbie is a live wire. Diego Calva is sensational. Awe-inducing costume & production design. pic.twitter.com/tzDRZgMKvN
— Courtney Howard (@Lulamaybelle) November 15, 2022
#Babylon/#BabylonMovie is a daring Hollywood epic that utterly shocks the senses. Margot Robbie and Diego Calva give huge performances. Damien Chazelle incorporates his signature musicality and movement throughout. Justin Hurwitz’s score is one hell of a wall of sound. pic.twitter.com/RTlL9WhaKa
— Jeff Nelson (@SirJeffNelson) November 15, 2022
Babylon is an ambitious mess of a film. I don’t even know where to begin with this one but the tone is all over the place. Margot Robbie tries but the script fails her. A love letter to cinema that made me hate cinema. #BabylonMovie pic.twitter.com/BnKQiOz2Zd
— Scott Menzel (@ScottDMenzel) November 15, 2022
I have some really — really — bad news to share with you, #Babylon’s a flaming hot mess, a tonal disaster, easily Damien Chazelle’s worst film & one of the worst films of 2022 💀
— Erick MMT Weber (@ErickWeber) November 15, 2022
A coked-up Margot Robbie projectile vomiting all over the face of a stuffy old man in a tux pretty much sums up the chaotic energy and glorious messiness of BABYLON, truly the strangest, most debaucherous love letter to Hollywood ever.
— Kevin Polowy (@djkevlar) November 15, 2022
Babylon is A LOT of movie – a purposeful mess, a journey more than a film that feels every bit as much a the town it encompasses. There is a storyline I'm questioning… but Margot Robbie and Diego Calva are 🔥🔥 and the music!!! Oomph, the music and visuals are 💯!!!
— Yolanda Machado (@SassyMamainLA) November 15, 2022
Jazz Luhrmann
— Kyle Buchanan (@kylebuchanan) November 15, 2022
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