Although Apple TV has a higher hit-to-miss ratio with its original shows than most streaming services, it has still dealt with its fair share of disappointment. Case in point: *The Mosquito Coast*, a crime drama starring Justin Theroux as a man fleeing the US with his family through Latin America. The show was canceled after two seasons and holds a technically fresh (but still disappointing) Rotten Tomatoes score of 64%.
Robert Lloyd of the *LA Times* wrote, “*The Mosquito Coast* works best when you just follow along with the running and don’t think too hard about the rest. But the running itself becomes tedious after awhile. Not everything makes perfect sense, or seems remotely plausible.” Richard Roeper was even harsher in his review for the *Chicago Sun-Times*, stating, “When an insufferable man is putting his family in danger and spouting philosophy, it’s hard to care about his adventures on the run.”
Theroux’s main character, Allie, is indeed a bit of a complainer and someone who definitely tests viewers’ patience throughout much of the show. However, this is an intentional aspect of the characterization, taken from the show’s source material—the 1986 movie of the same name.
The original *Mosquito Coast* starred Harrison Ford as Allie, and his version of the character was also often portrayed as more of a hindrance to his own family than a protector. Allie represented a sharp departure from most of the other roles Ford played in the ’80s. While films like *Blade Runner*, *Indiana Jones*, *The Fugitive*, and *Star Wars* generally encouraged audiences to root for Ford’s characters, *The Mosquito Coast* challenged viewers to question him at every turn.
This was part of why Ford’s own agent reportedly urged him not to take on the role — but Ford ignored her advice.
Much like the reviews for the *Mosquito Coast* TV show, the reviews for the 1986 movie were worse than usual for a Harrison Ford project. Vincent Canby of *The New York Times* described it as “utterly flat. Even its exotic melodrama fails to excite the imagination.” Roger Ebert gave it a thumbs down, asking, “Why was the hero made so uncompromisingly hateful?”
Over time, however, the movie has been viewed more positively. This shift may have something to do with what Harrison Ford himself said about the film:
> “There have been mixed reviews and I think the film has been very unfairly treated in some quarters. I have never seen a serious film treated so badly by the critics. And I think they’re wrong. I don’t mind saying I’m here trying to counter those negative reviews. I’m not defensive about the picture, but I want the public to hear another point of view. Critics see a film and then rush to review it. This is the sort of movie that really doesn’t sink home for about three days. It is disturbing and makes you think. It stays with you.”
Sure enough, people have generally come around on the movie once they got over their initial distaste for its flawed main character. The film now holds a 78% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes and is often cited as one of Ford’s most underrated works.
*The Mosquito Coast* as a movie eventually received its due; perhaps the reputation of *The Mosquito Coast* the TV show will improve over time as well.
https://www.slashfilm.com/2000621/apple-tv-remake-harrison-ford-the-mosquito-coast-series/