10 Brilliant Films That Are Easy Targets For Haters

Fresh off the success of the critically lauded Drive in 2011, Nicolas Winding Refn’s follow-up film proved to be anything but a consensus hit. Listed on a number of year-end Worst Of lists and never receiving a wide-release in the United States, Only God Forgives was decried as one of the most regrettable failures of 2013.

However, the fact of the matter is that ever since getting booed at the Cannes Film Festival, the film became a victim of unattainable expectations, and its own daring uniqueness. One of the biggest criticisms of the film is the lack of dialogue and central narration, which makes it hard for some people to follow. While there is indeed a lack of central narration in the movie, the over abundance of powerful imagery, instead, helps to guide the story along.

Only God Forgives is designed in such a way that it resembles a dream or, more accurately, a nightmare. In that sense, the film is a chilling, powerful success. To say that you didn't enjoy the movie because it's “slow” or the actors are “wooden” is like saying you didn't enjoy The Exorcist because it didn't make you laugh. 

A filmmaker's intentions matter, and Only God Forgives is ultimately evidence that even though people constantly demand films with ideas and innovation, they usually don’t appreciate the few films that actually contain both.