Will Smith returns to the red carpet as Emancipation receives mixed reviews
Emancipation premieres December 9, 2022 on Apple TV+, but early reviews praise Will Smith's performance (if not the film itself)
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Like it or not, Will Smith is back. The actor has quietly ramped up his press tour game for his new film Emancipation, which premieres under the cloud of the Oscars Slap scandal that occurred earlier this year. Inevitably, he’s had to address the assault on Chris Rock that night, acknowledge that it was a “horrific night,” and accept that people might not welcome him back into the fold.
Nevertheless, he returned to the red carpet for Emancipation’s premiere, which, if not a full welcome from Hollywood, is at least something near it. Much like that night at the Academy Awards, he was flanked by his family–wife Jada Pinkett Smith and their children Jaden and Willow, as well as Trey, his oldest son with ex-wife Sheree Zampino–to watch a movie Smith has described as “the best work” of director Antoine Fuqua’s career.
Whether the audience agrees with that assessment is a mixed bag. It currently rests at 63% on Rotten Tomatoes with 23 reviews. The Hollywood Reporter calls the film, about an enslaved man escaping to freedom, “propulsive but shallow,” while The Guardian calls it “a strong, fierce, heartfelt movie.” Most reviews agree that the movie, which is built around a real photograph of a man referred to as “Whipped Peter,” is intensely brutal.
IndieWire’s David Ehrlich writes that the film is “an over-inflated B movie with little gold delusions of grandeur.” Yet others, like Variety’s Clayton Davis, have flagged Fuqua’s direction as a deserved awards contender. And even some lukewarm reviews of the film, like that of Empire magazine’s John Nugent, have highlighted Smith’s “outstanding, understated performance.”
It would be a shocking upset for Smith to land back on the list of Best Actor nominees, especially after many voters have specifically expressed their distaste for his actions. It remains to be seen whether his current apology tour has softened anyone up, or whether the public will embrace Emancipation when it lands on Apple TV+ on December 9.
16 Comments
“Whipped Will” – who much like that night at the Academy Awards, was flanked by his family enablers–wife Jada Pinkett Smith and their children Jaden and Willow, as well as Trey,
Jada made will a cuck and he just supposed to take it? That is what baffles me. I give a fuck if they had an open relationship, spread your legs for someone who will be discreet or keep them the fuck closed. It’s clear whoever Will was fucking on the side knew how to stay silent.
You should chill out, max, relax all cool ‘n all.
“just chill bro”Nice one kiddo.
What a normal looking family. lol
It could be worse. He could be Kanye West right now…
to watch a movie Smith has described as “the best work” of director Antoine Fuqua’s career.Talk about damning with faint praise…
He looks like he’s being held hostage. I’m surprised his kids were there. If my parents were involved in something like the slap, I wouldn’t even appear in public with them, let alone another Hollywood red carpet event.
What? No one really cares about the slap, what are you even talking about?
Have you not noticed how extremely medicated both Jaden and Willow look.
Maybe she whipped her brains right out of her head.
I don’t think there are any other nepotism babies who are as annoying and pretentious as Willow and Jaden Smith.
“What even is our life.”
It’s like somebody forgot to plug in their personality modules prior to their appearance.
Who needs a personality? Their dad owns a dealership!
From the reviews it seems like the vast majority of the runtime is basically an action movie about the ten days from when Gordon fled until he reached Baton Rouge and the end quickly runs through his experiences once reaching Union territory. Ten days that apparently involved Gordon getting into and underwater alligator knife fight, which didn’t happen. The movie apparently also has him flee with a bunch of other slaves who seemingly serve as the cannon fodder in action tropes. Viscously killed by alligators and slave hunters which, again, didn’t happen. The actual story of Gordon is incredible and ripe for examination. Turning it into mostly a on-the-run action movie is an odd choice.