Netflix is making a concerted push for Oscar recognition this year, arranging limited theatrical runs for several films before they arrive on the streaming service. The strategy gives these titles a chance to qualify for next year’s Academy Awards. Among them is La Bola Negra, a Spanish epic directed by Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo. The film is being considered in categories including Best Picture, Adapted Screenplay, International Feature Film and Best Original Song. Its early reception has been encouraging, earning an 86% critics’ score and a 96% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes. However, another Netflix release, a World War II thriller from Peter Berg, is facing a much tougher start.

The Mosquito Bowl opened in theaters on Friday, October 30. Set during the 1940s, the story follows four prominent college football players who join the Marines after the attack on Pearl Harbor. The film uses the contrast between the sport and the realities of war to tell a story set against the backdrop of a major global conflict. But while its premise may offer awards potential, the first wave of reviews has raised questions about its chances.

The film initially arrived on Rotten Tomatoes with a 42% score, which has since fallen to 33% as additional reviews have been published. Collider’s Maggie Lovitt recognised familiar elements of Berg’s filmmaking in her review, but described the movie as an “exceedingly by-the-books film that adds very little new to the canon of war epics.” She felt that Nicholas Galitzine‘s performance helped lift the film, while also questioning whether its portrayal of the historical events was accurate or fair.

ScreenRant’s Liz Declan shared a similarly critical assessment, arguing that the film “misses the mark” and relies too heavily on violence. Robert Daniels of RogerEbert also took issue with its approach, describing the movie as “lacking in humanity.”

Who Is Behind ‘The Mosquito Bowl’?

Berg directed The Mosquito Bowl from a screenplay he co-wrote with Mark L. Smith. The story draws inspiration from Buzz Bissinger‘s nonfiction book, The Mosquito Bowl: A Game of Life and Death in World War II. Bissinger first became interested in the subject through a personal connection: his father had also served as a soldier during the war.

The cast features Nicholas Galitzine as John McLughry, Bill Skarsgård as Bob Bauman, Ray Nicholson as Tony Butkovich and Tom Francis as Dave Schreiner.

Source: Various