Episode 290 - The Quest
Welcome back to Not A Bomb! —the podcast where we resurrect cinema’s most infamous box office disasters and ask the burning question: was it really that bad? We’re celebrating five years of cinematic redemption.
For the month of January, Not A Bomb asks a very important cinematic question: what happens when actors decide that being in front of the camera just isn’t enough and take a shot at directing themselves? Troy and Brad are “kicking” things off with The Quest, the 1996 martial‑arts adventure film both directed by — and starring — the Muscles from Brussels himself, Jean‑Claude Van Damme.
Upon release, The Quest didn’t exactly spin‑kick its way into critics’ hearts. Reviews were mixed at best, with many calling it a reheated blend of better tournament movies and a vanity project that proved JCVD might be more comfortable throwing roundhouses than calling “action.” Financially, the film limped across the finish line, earning modest box office returns that fell far short of Van Damme’s earlier hits. In short: not a total disaster, but definitely not the triumphant directorial debut he probably envisioned.
One part Bloodsport, one part Street Fighter, one part Enter the Dragon, and all parts dumb, The Quest might be the perfect argument for actors to stay in their lanes. But hey — it does feature plenty of sweaty, oily dudes kicking each other in the face. Is that enough to win Troy and Brad over?
Only one way to find out — listen now!
The Quest is directed by Jean-Claude Van Damme and stars Jean-Claude Van Damme, Roger Moore, James Remar, Janet Gunn, Jack McGee, Aki Aleong, and Louis Mandylor.
Want to help support the show? Head over to the Not A Bomb Tee Public store and check our merchandise. Special thanks to Ted Blair for the amazing designs!
We're committed to hearing your feedback and suggestions. If there's a cinematic flop you'd like us to delve into, please reach out to us at NotABombPod@gmail.com or through our contact page. Your reviews and feedback are what drive us. If you enjoy our content, consider leaving a review on Apple Podcast or Spotify.
Welcome back to Not A Bomb! —the podcast where we resurrect cinema’s most infamous box office disasters and ask the burning question: was it really that bad? We’re celebrating five years of cinematic redemption.
For the month of January, Not A Bomb asks a very important cinematic question: what happens when actors decide that being in front of the camera just isn’t enough and take a shot at directing themselves? Troy and Brad are “kicking” things off with The Quest, the 1996 martial‑arts adventure film both directed by — and starring — the Muscles from Brussels himself, Jean‑Claude Van Damme.
Upon release, The Quest didn’t exactly spin‑kick its way into critics’ hearts. Reviews were mixed at best, with many calling it a reheated blend of better tournament movies and a vanity project that proved JCVD might be more comfortable throwing roundhouses than calling “action.” Financially, the film limped across the finish line, earning modest box office returns that fell far short of Van Damme’s earlier hits. In short: not a total disaster, but definitely not the triumphant directorial debut he probably envisioned.
One part Bloodsport, one part Street Fighter, one part Enter the Dragon, and all parts dumb, The Quest might be the perfect argument for actors to stay in their lanes. But hey — it does feature plenty of sweaty, oily dudes kicking each other in the face. Is that enough to win Troy and Brad over?
Only one way to find out — listen now!
The Quest is directed by Jean-Claude Van Damme and stars Jean-Claude Van Damme, Roger Moore, James Remar, Janet Gunn, Jack McGee, Aki Aleong, and Louis Mandylor.
Want to help support the show? Head over to the Not A Bomb Tee Public store and check our merchandise. Special thanks to Ted Blair for the amazing designs!
We're committed to hearing your feedback and suggestions. If there's a cinematic flop you'd like us to delve into, please reach out to us at NotABombPod@gmail.com or through our contact page. Your reviews and feedback are what drive us. If you enjoy our content, consider leaving a review on Apple Podcast or Spotify.
Episode 289 - Eddington
Welcome back to Not A Bomb! —the podcast where we resurrect cinema’s most infamous box office disasters and ask the burning question: was it really that bad? We’re celebrating five years of cinematic redemption.
As Not A Bomb waves goodbye to 2025 and kicks open the saloon doors of 2026, Troy and Brad saddle up for one last cinematic misfire from the year that was. This time, the guys take aim at Eddington, Ari Aster’s divisive neo‑western that split audiences harder than a frontier land dispute.
Despite Aster’s reputation as one of modern horror’s most daring auteurs, Eddington rode into theaters under a cloud of confusion and left with its saddle noticeably lighter. Critics were sharply divided — some praised its ambition and genre‑bending weirdness, while others felt the film wandered the desert without a map. Audiences weren’t much kinder, and the box office numbers reflected it, turning Aster’s bold experiment into one of 2025’s most talked‑about financial face‑plants.
Is Aster’s genre‑twisting odyssey a misunderstood masterpiece or a dusty dud best left on the prairie trail? Troy and Brad ride into the heart of the chaos to find out.
Giddy up and listen now!
Eddington is directed by Ari Aster and stars Joaquin Phoenix, Pedro Pascal, Luke Grimes, Deirdre O’Connell, Michael Ward, Austin Butler, and Emma Stone.
Want to help support the show? Head over to the Not A Bomb Tee Public store and check our merchandise. Special thanks to Ted Blair for the amazing designs!
We're committed to hearing your feedback and suggestions. If there's a cinematic flop you'd like us to delve into, please reach out to us at NotABombPod@gmail.com or through our contact page. Your reviews and feedback are what drive us. If you enjoy our content, consider leaving a review on Apple Podcast or Spotify.
Welcome back to Not A Bomb! —the podcast where we resurrect cinema’s most infamous box office disasters and ask the burning question: was it really that bad? We’re celebrating five years of cinematic redemption.
As Not A Bomb waves goodbye to 2025 and kicks open the saloon doors of 2026, Troy and Brad saddle up for one last cinematic misfire from the year that was. This time, the guys take aim at Eddington, Ari Aster’s divisive neo‑western that split audiences harder than a frontier land dispute.
Despite Aster’s reputation as one of modern horror’s most daring auteurs, Eddington rode into theaters under a cloud of confusion and left with its saddle noticeably lighter. Critics were sharply divided — some praised its ambition and genre‑bending weirdness, while others felt the film wandered the desert without a map. Audiences weren’t much kinder, and the box office numbers reflected it, turning Aster’s bold experiment into one of 2025’s most talked‑about financial face‑plants.
Is Aster’s genre‑twisting odyssey a misunderstood masterpiece or a dusty dud best left on the prairie trail? Troy and Brad ride into the heart of the chaos to find out.
Giddy up and listen now!
Eddington is directed by Ari Aster and stars Joaquin Phoenix, Pedro Pascal, Luke Grimes, Deirdre O’Connell, Michael Ward, Austin Butler, and Emma Stone.
Want to help support the show? Head over to the Not A Bomb Tee Public store and check our merchandise. Special thanks to Ted Blair for the amazing designs!
We're committed to hearing your feedback and suggestions. If there's a cinematic flop you'd like us to delve into, please reach out to us at NotABombPod@gmail.com or through our contact page. Your reviews and feedback are what drive us. If you enjoy our content, consider leaving a review on Apple Podcast or Spotify.
Episode 288 - Mickey 17
Welcome back to Not A Bomb! —the podcast where we resurrect cinema’s most infamous box office disasters and ask the burning question: was it really that bad? We’re celebrating five years of cinematic redemption.
Not A Bomb is seeing double this week! Troy and Brad continue their tour through 2025’s biggest cinematic misfires with Mickey 17, Bong Joon Ho’s sci‑fi black‑comedy follow‑up to his Academy Award–winning masterpiece Parasite. Armed with a massive budget and total creative freedom, Joon Ho delivered a true blank‑check passion project… that somehow managed to lose over $75 million.
The guys dig into the film’s stacked themes, its wonderfully weird performances, and the not‑so‑subtle political parallels that had everyone talking. Did one of modern cinema’s most celebrated directors craft another instant classic, or is Mickey 17 a clone you can safely skip?
Only one way to find out — listen now!
Mickey 17 is directed by Bong Joon Ho and stars Robert Pattinson, Naomi Ackie, Steven Yeun, Toni Collette, and Mark Ruffalo
Want to help support the show? Head over to the Not A Bomb Tee Public store and check our merchandise. Special thanks to Ted Blair for the amazing designs!
We're committed to hearing your feedback and suggestions. If there's a cinematic flop you'd like us to delve into, please reach out to us at NotABombPod@gmail.com or through our contact page. Your reviews and feedback are what drive us. If you enjoy our content, consider leaving a review on Apple Podcast or Spotify.
Welcome back to Not A Bomb! —the podcast where we resurrect cinema’s most infamous box office disasters and ask the burning question: was it really that bad? We’re celebrating five years of cinematic redemption.
Not A Bomb is seeing double this week! Troy and Brad continue their tour through 2025’s biggest cinematic misfires with Mickey 17, Bong Joon Ho’s sci‑fi black‑comedy follow‑up to his Academy Award–winning masterpiece Parasite. Armed with a massive budget and total creative freedom, Joon Ho delivered a true blank‑check passion project… that somehow managed to lose over $75 million.
The guys dig into the film’s stacked themes, its wonderfully weird performances, and the not‑so‑subtle political parallels that had everyone talking. Did one of modern cinema’s most celebrated directors craft another instant classic, or is Mickey 17 a clone you can safely skip?
Only one way to find out — listen now!
Mickey 17 is directed by Bong Joon Ho and stars Robert Pattinson, Naomi Ackie, Steven Yeun, Toni Collette, and Mark Ruffalo
Want to help support the show? Head over to the Not A Bomb Tee Public store and check our merchandise. Special thanks to Ted Blair for the amazing designs!
We're committed to hearing your feedback and suggestions. If there's a cinematic flop you'd like us to delve into, please reach out to us at NotABombPod@gmail.com or through our contact page. Your reviews and feedback are what drive us. If you enjoy our content, consider leaving a review on Apple Podcast or Spotify.