In my top 2 worst films ever made . . .

Rating: 1/10 (5 January 2012)

Virtually every film that is made has some merit, but I am struggling to find any in Mamma Mia! I was going to place this film alongside SHOWGIRLS and POWER RANGERS: THE MOVIE as films that should not have been made, but actually the latter film probably did work for its target audience, so MAMMA MIA! takes its place with SHOWGIRLS on my very short list of dreadful films. As an open-minded movie viewer and a very positive person, I can normally find something to like, but right from the start I felt concerned. I did watch the entire film, including the embarrassing end credits, and was constantly willing myself to engage with the narrative or the characters, and towards the end hoping for the 'emotional moment' that all film-makers can conjure from the flimsiest of scripts and lightweight of characters . . . but . . . nothing! Except astonishment. ABBA - great songs. Meryl Streep - great actress. Julie Walters - great actress and comic. Colin Firth - great actor. Amanda Seyfried - attractive enough. And by all accounts the stage production works well - so MAMMA MIA! - great potential . . . But . . . completely lacking any truth, cohesion, musicality, emotion, fun, purpose. Many other reviewers have effectively dissected and analysed, and I can only agree with all the negative comments made whilst wondering why I have invested even more time in writing my first review. I think I'm suffering from shock.