Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die Movie Review: Gore Verbinski Returns After 9 Years

Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die was a big Fantastic Fest surprise.

The Fantastic Fest 2025 crowd erupted when it was announced that we would be the first to screen Gore Verbinski’s first film in 9 years. Verbinski, who directed three ‘Pirates of the Caribbean‘ films and won an Oscar for ‘Rango’, has been in a bit of a holding pattern while working on other animated projects, which he admitted takes a lot of time. However, he said, when he got his hands on the script for ‘Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die’, he knew this timely project had to be made as soon as possible.

The Plot Kicks Off Fast

The film opens with Sam Rockwell’s unnamed character storming into a Los Angeles diner while covered in wires and devices, claiming to be from the future. He needs a group of volunteers from those currently dining to embark on a quest with him to help save the world. After some convincing, he ends up with a ragtag group of agents played by Haley Lu Richardson, Zazie Beetz, Michael Peña, Juno Temple, and more. Their mission: to save the world from the coming apocalypse by stopping the creation of a powerful AI.

Several of the characters in the group are given flashbacks that provide a little more insight into why they are more agreeable to embark on this journey with the eccentric man. And most of the backstories revolve around basic recurring themes that we are seeing more and more of in the media: children and adults being overly attached to phones; overreliance on video games and virtual reality as an escape; and gun safety and access to firearms.

Satire and Cynicism

Now, to be clear, this film is a satirical black comedy. The themes that are explored are purposefully heightened to an extreme degree. While these issues are very real, the way they are conveyed in the film is extreme and lacks creativity. This resulted in several eye-rolling moments rather than clever plot devices. It comes across as more cynical than anything, and I found my enjoyment of the film slowly slipping away as it continued.

Performances and Direction

The performances are good, especially those of Rockwell, and the film is competently directed. However, the material ultimately feels like it’s coming from a cynical perspective, and from a very basic understanding of AI and its functionality.

Verdict

‘Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die’ was a fun surprise for a festival crowd. It starts at a full sprint with its interesting concept and diverse, exciting cast, but it slows down as layers are peeled away in a series of depressing or unimaginative bits.

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