Ishtar

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Blu B For having such a notorious reputation, this isn't even close to "Broken" or worst film of all time or even the 80's. Look, it ain't good but how the heck someone can think this is as bad as say Jason Takes Manhattan, The Last Airbender, Jaws The Revenge, or Superman 4 is beyond me. It's very much cut from the same cloth as Jewel of the Nile or Spies Like Us. It actually has it's moments where it gets chuckles every now and than. It's just that a) the plot is VERY dumb and b) the humor is very inconsistent. Hoffman & Beatty actually aren't that bad here. Especially Hoffman who has lots of energy and some chemistry with Beatty. The direction isn't bad either. It's fun and mindless and at times funny. For what it's worth the plot isn't that particulary jumpy. It's just very stupid and does lack focus. The map, being spies, the romance, on top of the dumb gags all feels underdeveloped rather than truly unfocused. The humor at times is a bit cringe when they sing sometimes I will say. This just needed a bit more consistency with the humor or a smarter plot (or both). For what it is, it's just a run of the mill dumb 80's comedy. It's not worth watching as there are TONS of great 80's comedies better than this by miles but this does not deserve the reputation it has. Skip This but don't fear it. Rated 3/5 Stars •  Rated 3 out of 5 stars 05/03/25 Full Review Anthony K I don't care what ANYONE says! Ishtar is a brilliant comedy and a movie for the ages!! Been watching since I was a kid and the subtle nuances have been hitting ever since! AMAZING Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 04/05/25 Full Review Brad S. R This is far from the worst film ever made, but it's certainly not good. You know things are really bad when you catch yourself thinking, "this is no Spies Like Us." Rated 1.5/5 Stars •  Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 03/19/25 Full Review Matt K Ishtar is one of the most underrated movies of all time. Dustin Hoffman and Warren Beatty are brilliant as a hopelessly hapless singer/song writing duo who take up residency as lounge singers at a hotel in Morocco after their lives fall apart in New York. They soon get sucked into international intrigue and become pawns on separate sides of a power struggle between the CIA and a rebel group trying to take down the emir of the fictional country of Ishtar. I think critics decided they hated the movie before it even came out due to its well publicized budget and schedule overruns and audiences never gave it a chance. Like The Big Lebowski, it was misunderstood and under appreciated in its time, and like The Big Lebowski it has undergone a significant critical reevaluation in recent years. Martin Scorcese has even cited it as one of his favorite movies and Quentin Tarantino is also a big fan. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/07/25 Full Review Mike P It's not the worst movie ever made, as it's reputation suggests. It's just a lame, pretty worthless, pretty meh regurgitation of Bob Hope and Bing Crosby "Road to Rio" movies of the 40s. Not recommended Rated 2/5 Stars •  Rated 2 out of 5 stars 06/13/24 Full Review Jeff G If you've ever tried to be creative this movie will hit home in a big way. It isn't a "classic" but it does pull off some nifty tricks. I think my favorite is Warren Beatty presented as a big oaf, and Dustin Hoffman as a suave ladies man. The songs go into the "so bad they are good" category. They are perfect for two song writers who don't realize how bad they are. Dustin Hoffman even thinks they are in the same league as Simon and Garfunkel. If you simply take it for what it is, "road picture" style comedy, it is very good. There are scenes that are very funny. People's chief complaint seems to center around how much it cost to make. I don't know about you but I don't use a film's budget to determine whether or not I like it. It is worth watching if you can keep an open mind and look for the gems. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 12/23/23 Full Review Read all reviews

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