Why Tom Holland and Daisy Ridley's Sci-Fi Flop Failed So Badly
The 2021 dystopian thriller had everything going for it - two major stars, a proven director, and beloved source material. Yet it became one of the year's biggest disappointments, losing over $70 million at the box office.
The spectacular failure of Tom Holland and Daisy Ridley's 2021 dystopian thriller continues to baffle movie fans. This adaptation of Patrick Ness's novel had all the right pieces - two leads from massive Disney franchises, director Doug Liman behind the camera, and source material with a devoted fanbase. Instead, it earned just $27.1 million worldwide against a budget exceeding $100 million, forcing Lionsgate to write down massive losses. Critics savaged the film, giving it a dismal 21% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
The Core Concept Got Completely Butchered
Patrick Ness crafted his trilogy as sharp social commentary, not just another sci-fi adventure. The 'Noise' concept - where men's thoughts broadcast aloud - was meant to expose power dynamics and misogyny in society. When nothing can be hidden, the author revealed how women face constant surveillance and control under patriarchal systems. The film adaptation completely missed this deeper meaning, turning the premise into cheap laughs instead of meaningful exploration.
Holland's character Todd becomes a source of awkward comedy rather than genuine examination of what it means for Ridley's Viola to exist in such a world. The movie refuses to engage with the darker implications of men constantly projecting their desires and fears. This surface-level treatment strips away the story's intelligence, leaving behind a generic sci-fi adventure that wastes its most provocative ideas.
Romance That Never Convinces Anyone
The central relationship between Todd and Viola feels manufactured rather than organic. While the novel builds their connection through shared experiences and emotional growth, the movie treats their romance as just another plot requirement. Holland protects Ridley because the script demands it, not because the story earns that devotion.
Both actors, despite their proven abilities, struggle to create believable chemistry. Ridley seems trapped playing another stoic survivor role similar to her Star Wars character, with little room for vulnerability. Holland's Todd comes across as reactive and naive, leaving both characters underdeveloped. The screenplay rushes through exposition about the world's politics and history, sacrificing scenes that should deepen their bond. Ridley herself admitted she wasn't creatively involved, telling Empire magazine: 'That's something I really wasn't involved with creatively. Not out of choice, just because it was one of those things. I was like: This is great: I come in as an actor, do my thing and then off I go.'
Baffling Changes That Ruined Everything
The adaptation made countless puzzling decisions that undermined the source material. Manchee, Todd's loyal dog, becomes just a cute sidekick rather than an emotionally significant character, making his death meaningless. Todd himself loses the cleverness and ingenuity that made him compelling in the novel, appearing more foolish than conflicted.
Viola's most badass moment - destroying a bridge - gets completely removed, robbing both the character and Ridley of a powerful scene. The film limits Noise to men only, eliminating the chaotic texture that animals' thoughts provided in the books. Plot holes abound, like Viola somehow being unable to swim despite growing up on a spaceship. The ending abandons the novel's destination entirely, with characters stumbling upon a convenient solution that feels lazy and unearned.
Production troubles sealed the film's fate before audiences even saw it. Originally scheduled for March 2019, extensive reshoots and rewrites delayed release for nearly two years. By the time it finally arrived in 2021, the COVID-19 pandemic had devastated theatrical attendance, and movies released during this period carried a stigma as 'dump releases.' The reshoots intended to fix problems arguably made the final product even more disjointed, with character motivations shifting abruptly and themes introduced then abandoned.