Jared leto as Morbius

First Reactions to ‘Morbius’ Go Straight for the Jugular as Critics Pan the Film

'Morbius' bites, and not in a good way.

The first reactions for Sony and Marvel’s Morbius are in, with critics saying that the film, much like its titular vampire antihero, sucks. This is hardly a surprise, as the film has been delayed for three years since production wrapped in 2019. The film follows Dr. Michael Morbius (Jared Leto), who tries to find a cure for his rare blood disease, but becomes afflicted with vampire-like powers. Morbius is the next chapter in Sony’s antihero saga, which began after 2018’s Venom was an unexpected hit. But unlike the terrific Spider-Man films (both live-action and animated) Morbius apparently has none of the qualities that makes those films so successful. This is immediately apparent to anyone who has seen trailers for the film, which more closely resembles the dismal Underworld film series than anything from the Marvel cinematic universe.

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Morbius hits theaters on April 1, and the first reactions to the film are pretty damning. Critics savaged the film for its bad special effects, incoherent plot, and absolutely ripped the film’s end-credits scene. Presumably those end credits are setting up what will eventually be the Sinister Six franchise, with Sony currently working on their Kraven the Hunter film. Michael Keaton’s Vulture and Tom Hardy’s Venom are expected to join the line-up as well.

This marks Leto’s second big screen comic book role, after playing the Joker in David Ayer’s Suicide Squad (2016). Leto made headlines for his bizarre method acting choices, which included mailing live rats, used condoms, and sex toys to his co-stars (is it method or is it harassment?). Leto reprised the role in a revamped look for Zac Snyder’s Justice League.

https://twitter.com/BJMendelson/status/1507331394644631555

We’ll be weighing in with our own review of Morbius soon, so stay tuned!

(image: Sony)

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Chelsea Steiner
Chelsea was born and raised in New Orleans, which explains her affinity for cheesy grits and Britney Spears. An pop culture journalist since 2012, her work has appeared on Autostraddle, AfterEllen, and more. Her beats include queer popular culture, film, television, republican clownery, and the unwavering belief that 'The Long Kiss Goodnight' is the greatest movie ever made. She currently resides in sunny Los Angeles, with her husband, 2 sons, and one poorly behaved rescue dog. She is a former roller derby girl and a black belt in Judo, so she is not to be trifled with. She loves the word “Jewess” and wishes more people used it to describe her.