2012's Most Overrated Films

Looking back over the past 12 months, I can say with all sincerity that 2012 was a great year for movies. But despite each and every excellent film we had the pleasure of enjoying this year, there were still a few disappointments that stood out. Here's a look back at some of 2012's most overrated films.

#5  Prometheus

Many critics and hardcore fans of the Alien franchise battled the course of logic and praised Ridley Scott's return to the universe with Prometheus. The Summer blockbuster managed to gross an astounding $126.5 million in box office revenue, but somehow it still ended up feeling a bit overrated and over-hyped. Scott and writer Damon Lindelof wanted Prometheus to serve as an uninformative platform of discussion for avid fans of the series to try and piece together the puzzle. That's something that I would rather not have a part in.

#4  Hitchcock

Earlier in the year, Fox Searchlight Pictures truly believed they had an Oscar contender with Sacha Gervasi's Hitchcock. So convinced, in fact, that they pushed up its release date months ahead to November in order to maximize the Oscar buzz surrounding the film. Outside of Helen Mirren, who is clearly a legitimate Oscar contender in the Best Actress category, Hitchcock is an oversold and uninspiring piece of work. Nothing more than a drama about a self-conscious genius' struggling marriage, Hitchcock is far from what we had hoped it would be.

#3  Pitch Perfect

Many may be surprised to know that the Glee-style film Pitch Perfect scored an impressive Rotten Tomatoes rating of 80% and tallied $65 million in box office sales. Even some misguided critics are trying to sell the movie as one of the year's best. To be honest, Pitch Perfect is everything you'd expect it to be. The movie does offer the occasional laugh and some rather enjoyable musical sequences but, on the other hand, Pitch Perfect is a paper-thin plot that tries a little too hard. 

#2  The Grey

Taking in over $50 million in ticket sales and receiving a 79% approval rate from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, The Grey had moviegoers everywhere very intrigued. The idea of Liam Neeson surviving a plane crash and fighting wolves for two hours seemed like a pretty good time. Truth be told, The Grey is a slow moving drama packed with too much dialogue and not enough wolf punching. To make matters worse, even the movie's finale is anti-climactic. Disappointing and lacking the true action it deserves, The Grey is clearly one of 2012's most overrated features.

#1  Life of Pi

For all of the overrated films of the year, none have the Oscar expectations of Ang Lee's Best Picture contender Life of Pi. Favored by 89% of critics on Rotten Tomatoes and already grossing north of $75 million in box office revenue, Life of Pi seems to have been lauded by just about everyone other than me. However, I found the movie to be an imposing and lifeless tale of survival. Life of Pi's hollow story and over-extended run time can't be salvaged by Ang Lee's amazing visual mastery. But outside of being a spectacular visionary feat, Life of Pi is very mediocre at best. Therefore, this undeserving Oscar contender is 2012's most overrated film.