Critics vs. The People

I’ve just learned there is a critics vs. regular audiences dichotomy that has remained a mystery. Movie critics want to know why the American people do not heed their warnings about bad movies like The Last Airbender, which made $70 million in its first weekend, though everyone agreed it was atrocious. To quote Robert Dougherty, an author and commentator of pop culture media:

Although the movie got under 10 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, and was hailed as the death knell for M. Night Shyamalan's career, it made a good deal of money anyway…Whether this meant audiences were getting dumber, or that critics were become irrelevant, was uncertain, depending on one's perspective.

I checked Rotton Tomatoes before I left for the movie and saw a big fat 9% glaring me in the face, with scathing reviews to follow. The reason I saw the movie anyway is not because “audiences [are] getting dumber,” it is simply because I loved the series and wanted to see it come to life. That is why Eclipse, New Moon, Twilight, Transformers, Lord of the Rings, Star Trek, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, etc etc etc all made loads of money no matter what the critics said. People know what these stories are and love them for what they have meant in their lives. For me, Star Wars was visiting home with my dad and taking it easy. I don’t care if the new movies are 30 minute segments of Anikan Skywalker whining about his bowel movements. Star Wars is a staple classic for me, and I will always love the old ones. I see the new ones because I love the old ones. Hollywood has realized they can monopolize on our love for these classics and have made a lot of money doing so, whether they do it well or not. We will see it anyway, at least once, just to see.

I would think that any person who takes an opinion from a person they have never met is dumb. So Hah! We as a people don’t know who the heck these critics are. If I took their advice on every movie I’d go and see I’d be breaking my personal standards on some movies like Chicago and missing out on comedy classics I love. Who cares if Tommy Boy received a 45%? Ya gotta love a fat guy in a little coat.

Granted, the critics have a job for a reason. I mean, it’s nice to have the affirmation from “specialists” that Lord of the Rings was successful for more than one reason, but not every person you meet will agree with them, right? There’s always that 9% who think the opposite of the fold. That small percentage that refuse to see the movies for no other reason than they are fantasies. Some of the 9%who didn’t like it may also be people who loved the books but hated the movies. I can relate. I’ve despised the last 2 Harry Potter movies, and when the next two come out, I’m sure I’ll have a similar opinion since it’s the same guy directing them. But that won’t stop me from seeing the movies anyway, because I love the books. I am a loyal and devoted fan. That is why these “dismal” movies are hauling in the big bucks. People are already fans. The sooner the critics figure this little puzzle out, the sooner us dumb American people can stop checking rotton tomatoes and going into the theatre thinking it’s going to be dumb anyway and then hate the critics for being right about The Last Airbender, and hating M. Knight Shayamalan for ruining a perfectly good story when everyone knows it could’ve been 100x better.

Possible worst part of movie: They save earth kingdom prisoners from firebenders and Sokka says “Why don’t we spread hope and good news to all of the nations by helping them escape the firebenders and letting them know the Avatar is alive?” And Aang says, “Yeah!” Then the 20 second segment of them saving villages with strange interpretations of bending ensue and everyone is confused.