Here we go again, with another Apple film doomed to failure

I have to admit a bias of mine right from the start in order to contextualize a criticism: I love Apple TV+. If I were forced to choose just one streaming service to keep going forward, I would be 100% serious – it would be home to Sugar And Slow horses. But on the streamer’s film page I found enough Apple original films to keep me entertained, such as the newly released one WolvesApple’s affair with the cinema distributor appears to have affected the company so much that it is pulling out – which in turn has led to the narrative that the iPhone maker’s streamer is somehow overwhelmed.

With that in mind, there’s at least a slim chance that director Steve McQueen’s upcoming film about World War II will be released flash “for Apple,” which stars Saoirse Ronan and takes place during the Nazi air raid on London, is once again causing a stir.

The film, which is essentially about a little boy trying to get back to his mother (Ronan) during the bombing of London, more or less follows a formula that Apple has been using for some time – albeit with sporadic success we are honest. Generally, the formula is: A big-name director plus a huge production budget, gorgeous visuals and (most of the time) a high-profile story.

McQueen wrote and directed flash (in theaters November 1st and on Apple TV+ November 22nd), which sees him working with production designer Adam Stockhausen (12 years slave), costume designer Jacqueline Durran (Small axe) and composer Hans Zimmer (12 years slave), also with cameraman Yorick Le Saux (Little women) and makeup designer Naomi Donne (No time to die). The first reactions to the film have just leaked online and they sound disappointing to say the least.

World of Reel has received some feedback from a cast and crew screening that took place over the weekend. And while you might think that the cast and crew would be more positive about the thing they were working on, that’s not the case here. An example: “Well, that was disappointing. Given the current discourse, this is neither a terrible film nor a Joker catastrophe. It’s just that expectations for Steve McQueen films are high for me. And despite the captivating and touching story, it didn’t stick with me and simply left an unforgettable impression… Probably his first mark in what for Steve is a flawless filmography.”

And another: “It breaks my heart to write this review. I wanted to love this movie because I’m Ronan and McQueen. So clunky. Generic, I dare say. It was one of my most anticipated films of the year, but unfortunately this one is a huge disappointment. It looked great, but not much else about this film impressed me.”

I also see a number of two and three star reviews for flash on Letterboxd. In other words, it doesn’t seem like a good start to another major breakthrough for Apple in the feature film space. As much as it pains me to say it, perhaps Apple’s decision to scale back its theatrical ambitions was a smart move. But I want to reiterate that I’m not bashing the service overall. If anything, it feels like a growing pains situation where Apple figures out what works and what doesn’t and responds accordingly.