It's been an interesting week in the world of movies, especially when it comes to Batman v Superman. The movie finally opened today and with a bunch of premieres and screenings around the world during the week, critical reaction has stirred up some amount of controversy, with the majority of critics providing a negative review. In the last 24 hours, the stars and director of the movie have come to it's defence.
Director Zack Snyder said “I’m a comic book guy and I made the movie based as much as I could on that aesthetic. And so I don’t know how else to do it 100%, so it is what it is"
Henry Cavill who plays Superman said in an interview when quizzed about the critical reaction that it's the audience that matters "“What is really going to matter, I believe, is what the audience says, because they’re the ones who are buying tickets. The audience’s voice is loudest and after this weekend the audience, at least partly, will have spoken.”
And Ben Affleck, appearing on Jimmy Fallon said the movie is for audiences, and not for critics.
It's easy to see a pattern here. Batman v Superman is a movie for audiences. Of course it's a movie for fucking audiences. Why? Because it's the audience that pay for the tickets. Not the critics. There has never and will never be a movie funded by Hollywood to appease critics. And for Ben Affleck to peddle this studio line bullshit is incredibly disingenuous to anybody with an IQ above dumb fuck level. It's a disgrace.
If an audience hates a movie, nobody really cares. Especially Hollywood. Once you get in the door and hand over your cash for a movie ticket, that's it. They have your money.
The fans will turn up regardless and critical opinion has some potential to sway folks who are sitting on the fence. But ultimately, if a movie interests someone, they'll go to see it regardless of what opinions are out there.
The perception that movie criticism is something that is provided by a bunch of elitist, cranky old fucks is complete rubbish. I'm writing this with a cheap ass cider behind me, on chair made from polar bear cubs. Sure, some are elitist, cranky old fucks. But for the best part, critics are movie fans at heart. Critics who have been around since the dinosaurs absolutely love their job. They have to love their job, it's a tough one. Sure, sitting in front of a bunch of movies week in week out might sound like fun to you, but try watching 2-3 movies a day, a few days a week. While it's not physical hard labour, it's still tough and mentally challenging work.
On a personal note, I idolise Superman. I always have since I was a kid and like millions of other kids I too thought I could fly like the Man of Steel. I even wrote to Jimmy Saville on his Jim'll Fix It show asking him to fix it for me to fly with Superman. Thankfully that never worked out. And Batman is fucking awesome. Watching Batman v Superman tore my heart out, it really did. It kept me awake for hours when I went to bed. How could they fuck this up so badly I kept thinking. Bad movies come and go, but these two characters are iconic. It was heartbreaking.
I've spent most of my adult life doing some form of media work. I spent 15 years in radio entertaining people. And I've spent most of my life being creative in the film world. In my other life I work as a creative video director and I sympathise with Zack Snyder. I really do. I know what it's like to have strangers tear your work apart. It's not a nice feeling, but you develop a thick skin and move on and learn from your so called fuck up. Heck, I even felt bad after publishing my review. You'd swear I knew Snyder and the cast of BvS on a personal level, I felt that bad. But we've built up a reputation on the site for honest reviews, and that'll never change.
I feel the pain for Snyder and his cast. Snyder and Affleck seem genuinely sad about the response the movie has gotten. I'd hazard a guess they've harboured this sadness for quite some time though. But please, treat people with a bit more respect than suddenly turning around and saying that a movie is for audiences and not for critics. If critics are made out to be stuffy, elitist fucks and the movie isn't for them, then what does that say about the "audience" Are they just a bunch of dumb fuck, slack jawed yokels who'll accept any old drivel thrown onto a screen?
That's my take on the drama that's going on. I've spent some time trying to come up with a catchy, thought provoking paragraph, but I can't and I've just spilled a bottle of seal pup tears on my smoking jacket made from bald eagle feathers. Now, who will I blame for that?
Director Zack Snyder said “I’m a comic book guy and I made the movie based as much as I could on that aesthetic. And so I don’t know how else to do it 100%, so it is what it is"
Henry Cavill who plays Superman said in an interview when quizzed about the critical reaction that it's the audience that matters "“What is really going to matter, I believe, is what the audience says, because they’re the ones who are buying tickets. The audience’s voice is loudest and after this weekend the audience, at least partly, will have spoken.”
And Ben Affleck, appearing on Jimmy Fallon said the movie is for audiences, and not for critics.
It's easy to see a pattern here. Batman v Superman is a movie for audiences. Of course it's a movie for fucking audiences. Why? Because it's the audience that pay for the tickets. Not the critics. There has never and will never be a movie funded by Hollywood to appease critics. And for Ben Affleck to peddle this studio line bullshit is incredibly disingenuous to anybody with an IQ above dumb fuck level. It's a disgrace.
If an audience hates a movie, nobody really cares. Especially Hollywood. Once you get in the door and hand over your cash for a movie ticket, that's it. They have your money.
The fans will turn up regardless and critical opinion has some potential to sway folks who are sitting on the fence. But ultimately, if a movie interests someone, they'll go to see it regardless of what opinions are out there.
The perception that movie criticism is something that is provided by a bunch of elitist, cranky old fucks is complete rubbish. I'm writing this with a cheap ass cider behind me, on chair made from polar bear cubs. Sure, some are elitist, cranky old fucks. But for the best part, critics are movie fans at heart. Critics who have been around since the dinosaurs absolutely love their job. They have to love their job, it's a tough one. Sure, sitting in front of a bunch of movies week in week out might sound like fun to you, but try watching 2-3 movies a day, a few days a week. While it's not physical hard labour, it's still tough and mentally challenging work.
On a personal note, I idolise Superman. I always have since I was a kid and like millions of other kids I too thought I could fly like the Man of Steel. I even wrote to Jimmy Saville on his Jim'll Fix It show asking him to fix it for me to fly with Superman. Thankfully that never worked out. And Batman is fucking awesome. Watching Batman v Superman tore my heart out, it really did. It kept me awake for hours when I went to bed. How could they fuck this up so badly I kept thinking. Bad movies come and go, but these two characters are iconic. It was heartbreaking.
I've spent most of my adult life doing some form of media work. I spent 15 years in radio entertaining people. And I've spent most of my life being creative in the film world. In my other life I work as a creative video director and I sympathise with Zack Snyder. I really do. I know what it's like to have strangers tear your work apart. It's not a nice feeling, but you develop a thick skin and move on and learn from your so called fuck up. Heck, I even felt bad after publishing my review. You'd swear I knew Snyder and the cast of BvS on a personal level, I felt that bad. But we've built up a reputation on the site for honest reviews, and that'll never change.
I feel the pain for Snyder and his cast. Snyder and Affleck seem genuinely sad about the response the movie has gotten. I'd hazard a guess they've harboured this sadness for quite some time though. But please, treat people with a bit more respect than suddenly turning around and saying that a movie is for audiences and not for critics. If critics are made out to be stuffy, elitist fucks and the movie isn't for them, then what does that say about the "audience" Are they just a bunch of dumb fuck, slack jawed yokels who'll accept any old drivel thrown onto a screen?
That's my take on the drama that's going on. I've spent some time trying to come up with a catchy, thought provoking paragraph, but I can't and I've just spilled a bottle of seal pup tears on my smoking jacket made from bald eagle feathers. Now, who will I blame for that?
