Almost a year after Will Smith slapped Chris Rock, the Academy neither forgives nor forgets. The Oscars 2023 are only days away from unfolding, and since the full list of nominees was announced, it’s been clear that the sanction the organization issued against the “King Richard” actor was serious. “Emancipation” (Towards freedom), the Apple TV + movie that promised to be the redemption of the American, ended up being his downfall in the eyes of critics. What happened to the tape? Did it deserve at least one nomination in the new edition or was it just destined to be a flop?
A much anticipated emancipation
Approximately nine months passed before, after that histrionic slap in the face, Will Smith starred in another movie and once again stood before the eyes of the world. “Emancipation” hit select theaters and then streamed on Apple TV+ in December 2022, and sooner or later ended up being destroyed by critics.
With barely 46% approval from critics and 55% from the public, the film directed by Antoine Fuqua did not convince on Rotten Tomatoes. Likewise, IMDb rated it 6.1/10 based on the opinion of 21,000 users. And as if that were not enough, Metacritic finished burying it with just 53 points out of 100 added to a 4.3 from the general public.
“Generic, predictable and highly forgettable”, points out one of the reviews on the IMDb site. And it is that not even the two months of free Apple TV + given by Will Smith served so that the film could save itself from the harsh reviews; what sought to clean the protagonist ended up dirtying him a little more and even leaving him for oblivion.
Did he deserve an Oscar?
Many things can be said about his performance and the film, because this is a film that can easily enchant you or bore you. However, if something is clear, it is that this is not a film that deserves an Oscar 2023 nomination.
Will Smith returns to the big screen with “Emancipation.” Photo: Apple TV+
Will Smith’s performance isn’t bad, but it isn’t iconic, much less corresponds to one of his best works. If “King Richard” was his crowning achievement, this one is miles away from the same quality; and it is true that the way this tape was sold was not the best.
#Oscar #Smith #forgiven #Emancipation #deserve #actor #nomination