Udvarnoky said:
You insinuated that everyone who went to my midnight showing (which would include me), and indeed anyone who didn't like the film, were "fanboys" who didn't enjoy the movie because they failed to have an open mind. How exactly do you expect that sort of talk to bring out the civility in people?
As a die-hard Indiana Jones fan and someone who I like to believe can go into a movie with an open mind, I was very disappointed by Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. My expectations were for exactly what was promised: an Indiana Jones movie that delivers - nothing more or less. I did not expect a movie that would be anywhere near Raiders, but I did not expect a movie that was relentlessly average, either. I don't go to a film with Indiana Jones in the title to see an average action adventure movie, because it's not an average franchise and it's not made by average talent. That is not the same as expecting something classic, or flawless, or whatever other expectations some people here are quick to attribute to people who don't agree with them.
I think the odds were always against Indy4, and that it was never going to surpass its predecessors. I also believe it could have, and should have, been a much better film, and if that makes me a "fanboy," then I guess I'll just have to live with it.
Isn't this the epitome of overhype though? You aren't taking the film on its own merits, but rather expecting it to be already above a predetermined mark in your mind.
It's interesting listening to Spiilberg on the dvd extras, as he was saying that they weren't setting out to outdo the other films, or that they felt the need to "top" some previous mark. Rather, the film was made to be a blood relative of the other films in the series.
Personally, I like that approach. Each film in the series is stylistically and tonally different from the others.
Kingdom continues that approach and doesn't seem to have the pretensions to be something it isn't, other than a pulpy fun ride.
Back to the thread topic though...
I attended 5 showings of
Kingdom. One was a critic's screening, and those are almost always dead silent anyway...although there were some appreciative reactions to Indy's intro, Spalko, and laughter at Indy's
"Why the hell.." line to Marion.
In fact, that line always got laughs at every showing I attended. Certain scenes just seemed to work every time.
The general audiences I watched the film with seemed to be either enjoying it enough and into it, but I can't say they stood up and were speaking in tongues while applauding wildly either.