Waterworld contrary to popular opinion was not a flop. It was number one at the box office back in 1995 and it grossed $264 million worldwide. But considering it had a 172 million budget the movie under-performed for Universal. But gradually overtime it has gained a cult following and it's not hard to see why. The sets are inventive and the world building is amazing. The movie also has a great jaunty score by James Newton Howard that's very memorable. This movie in spirit is pretty much Mad Max on the water and it's a sight to behold. Of course the movie is not without problems. Kevin Costner plays the Mariner as a lackadaisical Aquaman type and his character can be a wet blanket sometimes pun intended. Now I know Mariner is supposed to be a misanthropic loner but for the love of God Costner breathe some life into the role. Fortunately, the late Dennis Hopper is great as the villainous Deacon and he picks up the slack from Costner. I think had the movie had another lead it would have been amazing instead of just good. Imagine what a charismatic actor like Bruce Campbell would have brought to the role of the Mariner? Thankfully, Costner is also surrounded by great characters actors that give the movie life. On a side note, Waterworld is loosely based on a French graphic novel called Aquablue. Looking at some of the comic book panels online you can definitely see the influence. So I consider Waterworld an interesting relic of the 90's, and it's probably the closest you're ever gonna get to an Aquablue movie. In conclusion, Waterworld may be an imperfect blockbuster but it's not nearly as bad as its reputation would suggest.
Review of Waterworld
