“There are unhealthy motion pictures, there are actually unhealthy motion pictures, after which there’s Lumina,” writes movie critic Brian Tallerico for RogerEbert.com in his 0-star evaluate, simply one in all many critiques of what often is the worst movie of 2024 (although it has stiff competitors with Armor, the primary film to get a 0% critics’ rating on Rotten Tomatoes since 2020). The sci-fi film Lumina ostensibly follows Alex and his associates after flashes of brilliant lights result in the disappearance of Alex’s girlfriend. The group journeys by the desert and an underground navy base, realizing that they are getting nearer to a giant alien conspiracy. In fact, it is tough to parse this out from the incoherent filmmaking.
Tallerico continued in his evaluate of Lumina, saying, “[It’s] a movie so breathtaking in its general incompetence that one begins to surprise if it’s not deliberately so within the hope of being the following The Room or Birdemic. How else to elucidate a number of the laughable shot selections, inconsistent characters, nonsensical plotting, and dialogue that sounds prefer it was both produced by A.I. or Google Translate of a script written in one other language?”
Lumina was marketed as starring Eric Roberts, an excellent actor who finally ends up saying “sure” to the whole lot and starring in lots of of horrible motion pictures because of this. In actual fact, Roberts is within the movie for lower than 10 minutes. The principle solid contains Rupert Lazarus, Emily Corridor, Eleanor Williams, Andrea Tivadar, Sidney Nicole Rogers, and Ken Lawson. Gino J.H. McKoy wrote, directed, and co-produced the movie, which apparently is extra memorable for its authorized issues and being a harmful manufacturing (extra on that later). Metacritic ranked Lumina on the prime of their record for the worst motion pictures of 2024, writing:
“This yr’s solely movie with a single-digit Metascore, Lumina could also be extra notable for a lawsuit referring to its allegedly botched theatrical rollout than its on-screen content material. Then once more, it is arduous to see a film this unhealthy grossing far more than $23,000 in its opening week even below the perfect of circumstances.”
“Starless save for a short look by Eric Roberts (A Speaking Cat!?!), the largely incompetent sci-fi-action-horror-thriller-comedy(?) from writer-director Gino McKoy follows a bunch of associates who uncover some kind of alien/authorities/navy conspiracy whereas trying to find their kidnapped good friend. You might snicker at components of Lumina—critics positively did, whereas noting that the humor was not meant—however the almost two-hour movie might be far too lengthy to justify watching it paradoxically.”
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The ‘Lumina’ Lawsuit & COVID Violations
COVID-19 and the Hollywood strikes of 2023 induced a variety of issues with the manufacturing and post-production of Lumina, and the dealing with of the movie’s distribution induced much more. In December 2024, “Goldove Leisure sued distribution companion Wild About Films, which allegedly lied in regards to the variety of theaters that will present the film, for fraud and breach of contract,” in accordance with The Hollywood Reporter, which continues to put in writing:
“Wild About Films chief government Timothy Nasson denied the accusations and mentioned he plans to countersue for fraud, harassment and libel. He added, ‘The film made $23,000 on 200 screens within the first seven days. They’re taking the truth that it bombed, they usually’re attempting accountable somebody.'”
On prime of that mess, the manufacturing apparently refused to adjust to COVID-19 protocol (in 2020), resulting in SAG-AFTRA releasing a uncommon ‘Do Not Work’ order to warn the trade that the manufacturing “didn’t show its compliance with SAG-AFTRA’s required Covid-19 security requirements and protocols for a secure set.” Because of this, engaged on the movie itself may very well be a breach of the union’s legal guidelines. SAG-AFTRA added on the time:
Accepting employment or rendering companies on Lumina could also be thought of a violation of World Rule One. Violating this order might end in disciplinary motion in accordance with the SAG-AFTRA Structure.
So it looks as if Lumina was simply as terrible on-screen because it was behind the digicam.