Summary
The Instigators' Rotten Tomatoes score has now been revealed, with critics sharing their thoughts on the Matt Damon and Doug Liman reunion. After previously working together on 2002’sThe Bourne Identity, Damon and Liman now reunite for the Apple TV+ action comedy.The Instigatorsstars Damon and Casey Affleck as Rory and Cobby, respectively, two inexperienced robbers who are forced to go on the run with one of their therapists, played by Hong Chau, after a job goes wrong.
Ahead of the film’s streaming release,The Instigatorshas now debuted onRotten Tomatoesto a score of 59% with 17 reviews, as of writing. This score is sure to fluctuate as more reviews are added, butthe movie currently earns a disappointing “rotten” designation.The Bourne Identity, by contrast, has an 84%, suggesting Damon and Liman weren’t quite able to recapture the magic for their latest collaboration.
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What Critics Are Saying About The Instigators
The Response To The Matt Damon Movie Has Been Mixed
UnlikeThe Bourne Identityand all of its sequels,The Instigatorsis clearly aiming for a lighter and more comedic tone. Damon’s Rory, for example, isn’t experienced as a criminal, and much of the film’s humor comes from how out of his depth he is during the heist and its fallout. The dynamic between Damon and Affleck, too, is a source of much of the film’s humor. Though opinions vary,The Instigators' comedy and performances are mentioned in several reviews as two of the film’s main strengths.
After working together in theOcean’sfranchise, Damon and Affleck reunited once more last year as part of thecast ofOppenheimer.
Unfortunately, other aspects of the movie have proven more divisive. The overall tone, for example, evidently hasn’t landed for all critics. In herreview forThe InstigatorsforScreen Rant, Molly Freeman argues that the grittier crime elements of the film clash with its own attempts to parody the genre, with the film ending up in an awkward and somewhat confused middle ground. She does stress, however, that the film is still an enjoyable ride despite this.
In his review forThe Daily Beast, Nick Schager takes issue withThe Instigators' formulaic nature, calling the movie “generic in just about every respect.“Slant Magazinecritic Ross McIndoe, on the other hand, was far more charmed by the film, calling it “always entertaining” despite its flaws. While critics seem mixed onThe Instigators, the film could end up proving far more popular with audiences.
The Instigators
Cast
The Instigators revolves around the complex dynamics of a group of individuals who find themselves entangled in a web of intrigue and deception. As alliances are formed and trust is broken, the true motives of each character are slowly revealed, leading to a crescendo of tension and suspense.
