Was A Lot Of Fun Watching It On Mute: Peter Jacksons $84M Fantasy Flop Leaves VFX Artists Both Floored & Enraged 6 Years Later

Peter Jackson’s 2018 film Mortal Engines recently resurfaced in a Corridor Crew review that lauds its stunning visual effects but criticizes its storytelling choices. Adapted from Philip Reeve’s novel, Mortal Engines depicts a post-apocalyptic world where giant mobile cities consume smaller settlements for survival. The film sought to capture audiences with its imaginative effects, but ultimately struggled at the box office, with Mortal Engines grossing approximately $84 million globally.




During their review on their YouTube channel, Corridor Crew’s Wren, Sam, and Nico praise the work of VFX artists for creating visually captivating scenes and elaborate CGI designs. Still, they found several scenes frustrating due to rapid cutaways and mismatches with weapon realism. Additionally, the team emphasizes moments where the action felt disconnected due to inconsistent pacing. Despite these issues, the VFX remained a standout feature of the film, leaving a mixed but appreciative response to the visual execution.

I know this is not the way you normally watch movies, but it’s much more entertaining. The action sequences and the set pieces were pretty sweet. Obviously, the visual effects, like, I don’t really have anything to critique on them. Not that it was, it was actually kind of fun. It’s probably the best way to enjoy this movie is like seeing all the cool stuff and not having to listen to any of the dialogue. Sorry if some of you guys worked on this movie, and you’re hearing me say this. I’m sorry, but it was a lot of fun watching it on mute. As far as our personal viewing experience, that was 10 out of 10. Mortal Engine is great, everyone should go watch it.



What This Means for Mortal Engines’ Legacy In VFX

The Movie Puts Style Over Substance

The renewed discourse emphasizes the growing importance of visual effects in contemporary films like Mortal Engines, especially regarding overall reception. While VFX continues to push boundaries, Mortal Engines’ box office shortcomings make a point that presentation alone does not guarantee success. More and more, audiences increasingly expect a balance between visual innovation and plot coherence. The film’s visual achievements were commended, but the quick pacing and lack of captivation show that even impressive CGI cannot replace a well-crafted story.


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Furthermore, the critical reaction to the film, which scored 25% on Rotten Tomatoes, reflects the mixed reception it received upon release. Despite its visuals, many reviews cited a lack of strong character development and a compelling plot that left many viewers unsatisfied. Ultimately, the film’s failure to meet audience expectations led to its rapid decline at the box office.

Our Take On Mortal Engines’ Mixed Appeal

There Are Still Some Positive Aspects

Katherine Valentine, played by actress Leila George, in Mortal Engines.

While Mortal Engines excelled with impressive visual effects, its faults in story development and overall pacing prevent it from leaving a lasting impact on viewers. The film’s over-reliance on spectacle versus narrative highlights a broader issue in modern cinema. Without a strong narrative foundation, even a film with amazing visuals cannot compensate for a lack of depth. That said, the ambitious routes the editors and visual artists took with this film are certainly praiseworthy, and the film remains an impressive showcase of technical achievement.


Source: Corridor Crew/YouTube