{ { Infobox film
| name = Mortal Engines
| image = File:MortalEngines2018poster.jpg
| alt =
| caption = Theatrical release poster
| director = Christian Rivers
| screenplay =
| based_on =
| producer =
| starring =
| cinematography = Simon Raby
| editing = Jonno Woodford-Robinson
| music = Tom Holkenborg
| studio = { { Plainlist|
Universal Pictures
MRC
Legendary Pictures<ref name="opening">{ { cite web |first=Anthony |last=D'Alessandro |title=Spider-Verse' Raises $35M+ As 'The Mule' Kicks Up $17M+ In Pre-Christmas Period, But 'Mortal Engines' Breaks Down With $7M+ |url=https://deadline.com/2018/12/spider-man-into-the-spider-verse-mortal-engines-clint-eastwood-the-mule-weekend-box-office-1202520137/ |website=Deadline Hollywood |date=December 16, 2018 |access-date=December 16, 2018 }}</ref> Scholastic Entertainment Silvertongue Films Perfect World Pictures The film fell 77% in its second weekend to $1.7 million, one of the largest drops for a wide release of all time, and finished in 13th when Aquaman, Mary Poppins Returns, and Bumblebee were released during the Christmas holiday.
Reception
Critical response
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of based on reviews, with an average rating of . The website's critical consensus reads, "Mortal Engines has no shortage of eye-catching special effects, but lacks enough high-octane narrative fuel to give this futuristic fantasy sufficient cinematic combustion." On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 44 out of 100, based on reviews from 33 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews". Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B−" on an A+ to F scale, while PostTrak reported filmgoers gave the film a 66% overall positive score and a "low" 43% "definite recommend"; social media monitor RelishMix noted online response to the film was "mixed, leaning negative."The Guardian film critic Peter Bradshaw gave the film 2/5 stars, describing it as "steampunk Star Wars, with a bit of low-octane Gilliam and Gaiman on the side." Bradshaw also characterized Mortal Engines as a "tiringly frenetic and derivative fantasy-adventure movie." Similarly, The Daily Telegraph Tim Robey awarded Mortal Engines 2/5 stars, describing the film as a "mechanical, soulless dystopian theme park ride to nowhere." Variety reviewer Andrew Barker praised Mortal Engines opening chase sequence but criticized the "unwieldy, baffling, exhausting, and unintentionally hysterical" plot development. While praising the film's emotional depth and Junkie XL's score, Barker compared Mortal Engines unfavorably to other science fiction films such as Cloud Atlas and Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets.
On the more positive side, New Zealand website Stuff reviewer Graeme Tuckett awarded 4 out of 5, praising director Christian Rivers for the film's tone, pacing, choreography, sets, and costumes while noting the film's references to other series, including Star Wars, Mad Max, and The City of Lost Children. Sandra Hall of The Sydney Morning Herald praised Peter Jackson for his world-building and Mortal Engines social, political, and historical commentary, awarding it 4 out of 5. The Hindustan Times reviewer Rohan Naahar awarded the film 3 out of 5, describing Mortal Engines as a "visually stunning adventure for kids" and praising the film's social and political subtext. IGN reviewer Rafael Motamayor awarded Mortal Engines 7.5 out of 10, praising the film's world-building and visuals while criticizing its "underwhelming" story. Motamayor also praised Stephen Lang's role as Shrike, opining that he injected "some much-needed humanity into an otherwise fully mechanical film."
Ben Kenigsberg of The New York Times observed that the movie borrowed elements from other films including Star Wars, Mad Max, The Matrix, and The Lord of the Rings. David Fear of Rolling Stone described the film adaptation as "a steampunk Frankenstein's monster made from spare parts", giving it 2.5 out of 5. Glenn Kenny of RogerEbert.com awarded the film 1.5 out of 4, describing the film's story pacing as "laughably portentous and kitschy" and likened the film to another box-office bomb, the Wachowskis' Jupiter Ascending. Sandy Schaffer of Screen Rant awarded the film 2.5 out of 5, praising Mortal Engines' world design and visuals but criticizing what she termed as "its uninspired narrative and ungainly filmmaking."