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World Shrugs At First Installment Of <em>Atlas Shrugged</em> Trilogy (Now In Theaters!)
By
Jen Carlson
Published Apr 15, 2011
Modified Apr 15, 2011
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By
Jen Carlson
Published Apr 15, 2011
Modified Apr 15, 2011
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Tea partying libertarians unite! Ayn Rand's Objectivist tome has made it to the big screen, at long last, and as a trilogy. In 1991 the Library of Congress and the Book of the Month Club ranked the 1957 bestselling novel as the 2nd most influential book ever, the Bible came in 1st place. So how will the movie live up to the printed word? It's not lookin' so good. Part One is in theaters today (tax day!), and the reviews are out; here are some gems:
- "I am faced with this movie, the most anticlimactic non-event since Geraldo Rivera broke into Al Capone’s vault." — Roger Ebert
- "The movie, the first installment of a projected trilogy, doesn’t give the book a fair shake. In terms of craftsmanship it’s barely professional..." — WSJ
- "At least with the 1949 version of The Fountainhead, you had the sense of actors clawing their way through Rand's philosophy toward a human feeling or two. This movie is crushingly ordinary in every way..." — The LA Times
- "[A] mess, full of embalmed talk, enervated performances, impoverished effects, and cinematography that would barely pass muster in a TV show." — Reason
Take a look at the trailer, and a scene from the film, below, and if you still want to see it, here's where it's playing in New York.
Of course, there's a ton of merch being hawked on the movie's website: mousepads, iPhone 4 covers, aprons!, and the Official Rearden Metal Bracelet, starting at $159! As one Rand fan proclaimed in the comments: "I love capitalism, I love profit, I love money... BUT, I do not value this at $159. Thus, I will not buy it."
Tagged
atlas shrugged
ayn rand
feature film
movie
objectivism
reviews
trailer
Jen Carlson
Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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