Looks like the newest Marvel movie is a bust. Critics are filing their Morbius reviews and they're filled with venom. The Spider-Man universe entry has an embarrassing 19% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, possibly crowning it as the worst Marvel movie ever.
Morbius stars Jared Leto as Dr. Michael Morbius, whose desperate attempt to cure his rare blood disease goes terribly wrong and afflicts him with vampirism. Bestowed with superhuman abilities, he struggles with the darkness inside him.
The movie, which opens in theaters April 1, takes place within the shared universe of Venom and Venom: Let There Be Carnage. The reception to the Tom Hardy vehicles was somewhat better, clocking in at 30 percent and 58 percent on RT, respectively. Both Venom movies did well at the box office, so maybe Morbius will defy the critics and earn oodles of money, too.
And at least it's not the RT's worst superhero movie of all time! The 2016 bomb Max Steel has that dubious honor after blanking at 0 percent. And Morbius ranks above other big-budget busts based on Marvel comics, like 2015's Fantastic Four and 2005's Elektra.
Morbius reviews round-up
So, let's dive into these Morbius reviews, shall we?
Rolling Stone's David Fear proclaims Moribus is "anemic" and a "mess." Fear also writes, "Is Morbius the worst Marvel movie ever made? In an alternate universe without The New Mutants, the answer would likely be yes."
IndieWire's Kate Erbland writes, "Even the most basic elements of the film are incomprehensible." The critic adds, Morbius "mostly surprises because of how very dull it is."
Matt Donato of IGN calls it "unspectacular in ways that waste the potential of what could be an intriguing hybrid of sinister horror and superhero thrills." Donato and The Hollywood Reporter's David Rooney call out Morbius for being overly focused on building the universe for future sequels. Rooney also notes the movie is "thin on story, choppily stringing together chaotic outbursts and action clashes."
At least Time's Stephanie Zacharek has some positive things to say about Leto's performance, which "has a quietly vibrating vulnerability."
Jordan Farley of TotalFilm isn't a hater, but also describes Morbius as a movie that will "inspire utter indifference – competent enough not to be a complete waste of time, but nowhere near entertaining enough to recommend to anyone but the most dedicated superhero cinema completists."
Marvel can brush off a bad movie
So what if the Morbius reviews are a big "ouch"?" First of all, it may still be a hit for Sony. Second, there's a slew of upcoming Marvel movies and shows that will likely get better reviews.
One is already a critical darling: Moon Knight, which just debuted March 30. In our Moon Knight review, Henry T. Casey praises the show for being "unique, intense and utterly captivating."
And the Marvel train will keep rolling through the rest of the year with Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (May 6), Ms. Marvel (June 8), Thor: Love and Thunder (July 8), Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (November 11) and She-Hulk (late 2022).
When it comes to Marvel projects, one dud isn't cause for concern. Onto the next superhero story ... and the next ... and the next.
Read next: Netflix has finally brought Morbin' time to streaming, so you can see whether Morbius is as bad as people said
