Life after reviewing ‘Avengers: Infinity War’
To the disaffected critic in the age of the cinematic universe
The narrative of the disaffected, put-upon movie critic is beginning to get a little tiresome to me. Certainly when it comes to those reviewers whose responsibilities may include thinking and writing critically about the current slate of Hollywood blockbuster movie fare (i.e. Marvel movies, Star Wars movies, or anything within the Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson oeuvre).
This recent round of consternation and hand-wringing among some critics seems to have piqued with the release of “Avengers: Infinity War.” These fretful screeds, for the most part, come from critics whose opinions about movies and other cultural and artistic matters I value.
I’m not complaining, but rather pointing out how pointless, how silly it sounds when anyone bothers to venture a complaint. Who wants to be a hater? Still, it’s worth noting that the ascendance of Marvel (and of other, not quite as universal entities like it) has narrowed the parameters of criticism. I’m supposed to tell you, in this review, how much fun you’ll have at “Infinity War.” (Yes, you will have some. Will you have enough? Almost.) But I’ve probably already gone too far in trying to think about what it means.
A.O. Scott, “Avengers: Infinity War: It’s Marvel’s Universe. We Just Live in It.”
I’m not upset with the valid criticisms of these movies, many of which I generally agree with, the quality of the filmmaking, confounding plot machinations, the treatment and representations of women and people of color. It’s the continuous inference that somehow a mainstream movie audience is being collectively “snowed,” for lack of better or what some may deem more important or respectable options.
With a shrug, a sigh, and layer of snark, these critics resign themselves to the fact that regardless of their well-crafted criticisms and implied indifference towards these movies, that we, like the “sheeple” we are, will be drawn into the movie theater once again by that most devious of modern-day pied pipers, Kevin Feige. The man in the black Marvel Studios™ logo embroidered baseball cap once again rides into town with his banal, careful-architected cinematic universe to hold us captive in our plush reclining theater seats whilst quietly slipping the money out of our wallets and into Disney’s overstuffed coffers.
By no means does everybody have to have a taste for these calories-latent, nutritionally-devoid celluloid confections but spare me the continued laments that an aggregate of negative reviews or your opinions in-particular are unable to stop or slow these omnipresent movie juggernauts box-office outcomes. When it comes to your thoughts on a movie, does it matter how much money it makes? Why should that affect how you write about other such movies? For better or worse, I’m looking to you for your opinions not stock advice.
Sometimes disagreements with these critics’ opinions are chalked-up to anti-intellectualism or the most hackneyed of right-versus-left political deflecting. I’ll admit, this is valid in some respects. Trolls will continue their ever contrarian ways, and political operatives on either side will continue trying to appropriate to their causes whatever the cultural zeitgeist might be. Is this really case enough to stop discussing these so-called “critic-proof” movies because it’s bothersome to deal with the potential reactions? Or to have an honest discussion about your point of view?
Whether we like it or not this corner of the movie marketplace isn’t going away anytime soon. Entities like Marvel are only going to further refine their patented storytelling formulas making more exceptional movie “products.” And while other similarly positioned companies have tried reverse engineering these movies and the roadmap behind them, they’ve hardly come close to the same sort of success. So maybe there’s some solace to be had in that fact for reviewers who are so trouble by the already troublesome state of moviegoing. I’m still hoping and praying everything works out with Universal’s Dark Universe cinematic universe. Fingers crossed.
Like many, I’d much rather see original works from some filmmakers who’ve been recently associated with these larger movie brands. Talents like Rian Johnson (“Star Wars: The Last Jedi”), Patty Jenkins (“Wonder Woman”), Ryan Coogler (“Black Panther”), and Taika Waititi (“Thor: Ragnarok”). I’m certainly happy to have their much needed creative voices associated with such “products” and am grateful that audiences will be given the opportunity to hear more from them because of these movies successes.
Just because something is ubiquitous in its nature doesn’t mean that it’s all good, all bad, or even unworthy of time and examination. What it might mean for all of us is that there is greater need for insight into what makes these types of movies so appealing at this moment. So rather than disengaging, or being reductive and dismissive, maybe it’s worth asking why the predictability of intellectual property driven entertainments gives so many comfort in these unpredictable times. There are many different avenues of examining the landscape of the movie industry or the individual film themselves than just throwing up our hands and offering, “Why bother? It’s Marvel.”
