Fanático

John Travolta es Moose, un aficionado al cine obsesionado con coleccionar autógrafos de famosos. Obviamente, Moose tiene «algún» trastorno psicológico, porque es egocéntrico, compulsivo, irracional, oscilante, propenso ser un acosador y, por último, sufre narcolepsia. Pongo «algún» entre comillas porque tengo la impresión de que el director y el guionista quiso retratar a un individuo con problemas mentales y, por lo tanto, utilizó todo lo que se le ocurrió en el primer momento. El guion no se ocupa del estado mental del protagonista, se limita a describir de forma superficial, acompañado de la innecesaria voz en off de un personaje secundario, la sucesión de acontecimientos que desembocan en una tragedia de proporciones ancestrales (Fred Durst intenta presentar la historia de esta manera). No sé realmente qué quería decir el líder del grupo Limp Bizkit con esta película y si incluso tenía algún sentido. Sin embargo, aparte del hecho de que Durst hace una publicidad bastante descarada de su banda en una escena, la película es un espectáculo bastante extraño. Como era de esperar, la dirección y el guion son un desastre sin rumbo que puede ser tan malo que resulte divertido para algunos, pero el verdadero «placer culpable» aquí es Travolta. Ver su actuación es como ver a un hombre de sesenta y cinco años haciendo de niño retrasado por primera vez. Definitivamente la película no es agradable de ver, pero aun así querrás terminarlo. Deseo de todo corazón que Travolta vuelva a actuar, pero así de verdad que no. (28.09.2019)

Fred Durst might be a notable figure in the music world, but his foray into filmmaking leaves much to be desired. The Fanatic stars John Travolta as a wildly obsessive fan with a bizarre mullet and seemingly autistic traits. Travolta’s portrayal feels off, leaving viewers unsure whether to pity him or see him as a fool. The film takes everything to an extreme, making it hard to gauge what’s based on reality. (04.01.2024)

Devon Sawa evaded an inescapable fate for two decades, only to have his godmother finally send the possessed car to him, driven by Travolta. His performance, body language, and schoolboy dress code are meant to evoke sympathy, but it doesn’t work, even if you pit him against Troy McClure. Johnny, with that Bundesliga haircut, pushes things too hard; in the realm of psychological drama, it’s barren and pointless. Durst fares much better when he’s in his red cap delivering lines like, “Hot mommas, pimp daddies, and the people rolling up in caddies.” (22.03.2024)

The biggest issue with this film is that it was written and directed by Fred Durst. Every year, he seems to stray further from the mark, and the pinnacle of his absurdity is the scene where Devon Sawa's character enthusiastically plays some Limp Bizkit garbage in his car. Unlike Rob Zombie, who makes quality music and films, Durst seems to be an egomaniac without the talent to back it up. Zombie's films are leagues ahead in quality. Durst, on the other hand, creates terrible music and now terrible films. I never thought he’d direct again, but after many years, he came back, and we all collectively facepalmed. His debut, The Education of Charlie Banks, was decent, but that’s likely because he only directed it and didn’t write the script. Whenever he has complete creative control, it’s a disaster. There was potential in The Fanatic’s premise, but it needed a more talented director to bring it to life. Instead, Durst created an unconvincing, caricature of a character that leaves you unsure whether to pity or despise him. At times, it even feels like Durst is mocking people with mental illness. Despite the overwhelmingly negative reviews, I expected worse. Yes, it's a bad movie, but it's not excruciating to watch. Don’t expect to be entertained all the way through. It picks up slightly towards the end, but there aren’t many WTF moments. Only watch this if you’re curious to see John Travolta play an obsessed, mentally challenged movie fan. Otherwise, steer clear! (10.06.2020)