Pixels

Adam Sandler has never been a critical darling. Frankly, with one or two exceptions, Sandler regularly gets the kind of critical drubbings that would make Uwe Boll consider a change in career. There are two reasons for this; one is that for the past few years, his films have not been very good. The other is that despite this fact, up until recently they have been incredibly successful. Therefore, this makes him fair game for critics - right?

Pixels is Sandler staying firmly in his comfort zone (multiple regular cohorts here, as well as a few family members) - but with the added factor of the man who pretty much mastered broad family comedy, Chris Columbus (Mrs. Doubtfire, Home Alone etc) calling the directorial shots. Pixels has a fun concept and a built-in sense of nostalgia that has already paid dividends at the box office this summer (see: Jurassic World). Nonetheless, it has received a special kind of critical beating (they didn't just hammer it; they waterboarded it, promised it a pardon, then cracked it over the head with a shovel and buried it in the back garden.)

It goes without saying that Pixels is nowhere near as bad as is being made out; in fact, it actually has some entertaining moments amidst the highly unlikely characters and set-up. The problem is, it just doesn't really know if it's an amiable Adam Sandler joint or a big-budget tentpole that the Sandman happens to be a part of. It sticks very much to the formula of his previous films; close, moderately famous mates (James, Gad), a beautiful woman who is out of his league (Monaghan) and it was even written by a regular contributor (Tim Herlihy) who is also responsible for some of Sandler's best, The Wedding Singer and Big Daddy. As we have learned in the past, however, a formula that works will inevitably become a formula that is predictable.

Sandler is a loyal guy and continually works with the same people because of that, but he's quickly learning that audiences aren't quite as loyal - and those who have grown up on his brash-but-often-sweet humour have outgrown it. That's a problem that he and his creative team need to address. Doing the odd left-of-centre role (Men, Women and The Children, The Cobbler) isn't doing his talent justice; if he wants to continue to be relevant, he needs not just a gear change, but to step outside of his work for a second and look at it as a fan. Those fans are still quoting Happy Gilmore and they still want to see him succeed.

It'd be easy to blast Sandler, slag him off and brand his humour 'offensively crap' - but I'm not going to do that. Sandler is capable of better, and although Pixels was a step in the right direction - at least on the surface - it's still pretty much him settling straight back into that same arse groove - just on a different chair. He needs to move rooms.