For those scratching their heads wondering how Jennifer Lopez landed the lead role in “Atlas,” a part she seems strikingly miscast for, the answer is simple: she produced it. Without spoiling any crucial plot details, a quick comparison to the Will Smith vehicle “I-Robot” is enough to paint a clear picture of what “Atlas” is aiming for, and ultimately, where it falls short.
“I-Robot,” while imperfect, was a box office success built around a flawed protagonist harboring a deep-seated distrust of AI. This prejudice colors his judgment and dominates his life until a large-scale AI threat emerges, endangering humanity. Forced to collaborate with an AI, the protagonist confronts the uprising and neutralizes the central AI menace.
“Atlas” clearly aspires to be that film, merely transplanting the narrative into space and swapping the lead to a woman. Hollywood has a long-standing, if somewhat cynical, tradition: you can essentially plagiarize a story as long as you tweak a few key aesthetic elements. And that, in essence, is what we have here.
However, the issues with “Atlas” extend far beyond mere unoriginality. The most glaring problem is Lopez herself. She’s reached that career point familiar to many actors where celebrity overshadows genuine acting prowess. Her performances have become increasingly stylized and self-conscious. When the audience can visibly see an actor preoccupied with their on-screen image, it’s a significant detriment to the film, pulling viewers out of the narrative.
Adding to the film’s woes is Lopez’s polarizing public persona. Her casting practically invites “hate-watching,” with many viewers eager to revel in the anticipated trainwreck. Regrettably, with a weak plot and lackluster dialogue, these viewers will likely find their schadenfreude richly rewarded.
Furthermore, while director Peyton Andreas demonstrates a certain familiarity with visual spectacle, they lack the finesse needed to craft a truly epic and compelling narrative. The film feels grand in scale visually, but hollow in its execution.
Compounding these problems is the script’s blatant lack of innovation, both in its overarching plot and individual character moments. The screenplay attempts to ground the galactic AI domination story by anchoring it to Atlas’s (Lopez) personal history of betrayal. However, this approach drastically diminishes the weight of impending global genocide. It shrinks the stakes, making the protagonist’s personal struggles feel trivial in the face of planetary annihilation. Lopez, moreover, never quite embodies the world-weariness or grit the role demands, hitting predictable emotional beats with little nuance.
Talented supporting actors like Mark Strong and Simu Liu are unfortunately burdened with equally underdeveloped storylines, flimsy plot points, and uninspired dialogue.
Ultimately, “Atlas” is yet another big-budget Netflix production destined for rapid obsolescence. It will likely be relegated to background viewing, half-watched during mundane chores or as in-flight entertainment – a cinematic shrug that quickly fades from memory. A true disappointment.
Alt Text: Close-up of Jennifer Lopez as Atlas in the 2024 sci-fi movie, looking determined but with a hint of self-consciousness, highlighting criticisms of her performance in Atlas 2024 reviews.
Alt Text: Wide shot scene from Atlas 2024 movie, showcasing the futuristic space setting and visual spectacle criticized as lacking substance in Atlas 2024 reviews.
