What do the critics say?

[TheFilmist]

Let me assure you, as a guy who's been accredited press and gone to many, many press and preview screenings - it doesn't work that way, and any critic or film reviewer who does this willfully is shamed and looked down upon, as is any studio who knowingly encourages it. They're called "shills."

Generally, we get free tickets to early screenings of movies because we're being sent to review them by our outlet, as a job, so that we can have our piece ready by the time the studio embargo lifts or it's time to roll.

[BoB]

Let me assure you, as a guy who's been accredited press and gone to many, many press and preview screenings - it doesn't work that way, and any critic or film reviewer who does this willfully is shamed and looked down upon, as is any studio who knowingly encourages it. They're called "shills."

Generally, we get free tickets to early screenings of movies because we're being sent to review them by our outlet, as a job, so that we can have our piece ready by the time the studio embargo lifts or it's time to roll.

That may very well be true, but when a writer covering Mad Max says "In typical Mad Max fashion, there’s not a whole lot to unpack..." I'm pretty sure he doesn't know what he's talking about. Double down on that when the review offers ZERO critical analysis or criticism of the film, which trust me there is PLENTY... Yet his review is that basically everything is the biggest, baddest, bestest must see movie or your life isn't complete... lol... Those things combine to make me a bit suspicious of this review. With $150 MILLION on the line, I suspect there's going to be a lot of false flag positive reviews.

Sure it had it's moments, and I would hope so for $150 M. I am not going to be drawn into more details. But I was highly disappointed.

[TheFilmist]

That may very well be true, but when a writer covering Mad Max says "In typical Mad Max fashion, there’s not a whole lot to unpack..." I'm pretty sure he doesn't know what he's talking about.

But they are very spare films, in terms of plot. This is intentional, as much with The Road Warrior as it is with Fury Road. This is probably what he's referring to.

Double down on that when the review offers ZERO critical analysis or criticism of the film, which trust me there is PLENTY... Those things combine to make me a bit suspicious of this review. With $150 MILLION on the line, I suspect there's going to be a lot of false flag positive reviews.

. . .it's a bit early to say, but you might be in the minority on this one, dude. Happens to the best of us. At the very least, it's way to early to start calling every review that comes out a "false flag" if they don't take issue with the same things you did. That's silly.

[BoB]

Well, after the 15th I'll post my review of the good and the bad with the film. It had both for sure. Some things were done right. But overall, again, big disappointment from a long-time Mad Max fan.

[blackmocco]

Let me assure you, as a guy who's been accredited press and gone to many, many press and preview screenings - it doesn't work that way, and any critic or film reviewer who does this willfully is shamed and looked down upon, as is any studio who knowingly encourages it. They're called "shills."

Generally, we get free tickets to early screenings of movies because we're being sent to review them by our outlet, as a job, so that we can have our piece ready by the time the studio embargo lifts or it's time to roll.

Ehhh, I think it's a little naive to suggest this stuff doesn't happen, Filmist. Studios will do anything, officially and unofficially, to ensure box office success. "Shamed"? Only if they're caught doing it. Studios have no shame. I've worked in the entertainment business long enough now to know that. When I first read your review, it was so overwhelmingly positive, that was the first thing I thought! Haha! (I'm not doubting you, by the way. I just initially wondered had we seen the same movie that you had NO negatives at all with a movie that, IMHO, has more than a few glaring problems.)

Also, sadly, I don't think BoB's going to be alone. We met a bunch of people after our screening that despised it from the top down. I wasn't anywhere near that camp but they voiced some concerns that I couldn't readily dismiss either. I'm curious how the movie's reviewed myself though. It's visionary, no question. Will that be enough to pull it over the finish line? We'll see? $40 mil projection's not a great prediction for a summer movie although I think this'll do gangbusters business in other parts of the world.

[boomerang]

Oh, come on. You think that some big studio is going to pay a shill to review this film on a website like this? There's maybe 100 people who visit regularly. And the site that posted the first review? Never even heard of them until now.

If you're going to pay someone for a good review, you buy off the guy at the Times, or Aint it Cool.

BoB, it's clear you didn't like the movie. That's fine. But to believe that no one else will see it with different eyes than you is not realistic.

[blackmocco]

Oh, come on. You think that some big studio is going to pay a shill to review this film on a website like this? There's maybe 100 people who visit regularly. And the site that posted the first review? Never even heard of them until now.

If you're going to pay someone for a good review, you buy off the guy at the Times, or Aint it Cool.

BoB, it's clear you didn't like the movie. That's fine. But to believe that no one else will see it with different eyes than you is not realistic.

I don't think Filmist is a shill. Just said that. But studios do work these practices, is all I'm saying.

[TheFilmist]

I definitely think this is a movie that's going to elicit a strong reaction on either side of the fence, and it's possible my reaction might be dampened when I see it a second time on opening day, but I don't think it's productive to a film conversation to take issue with one review or another because they didn't have the same reaction to it you did. It's too early to tell whether I'll be in the minority or not, but I love it when a film makes a critic or a reviewer sit up and go, "everyone else, take note. This is how it's done."

Also, I'm probably just biased. I'm a huge fan of George Miller as a director in general - in my personal top ten, The Road Warrior and Happy Feet sit side by side - and this movie is such a pure George Miller film, and an expression of all the things he's been trying to do since the first Mad Max, on a huge scale.

[kickherintheguts]

Well, after the 15th I'll post my review of the good and the bad with the film. It had both for sure. Some things were done right. But overall, again, big disappointment from a long-time Mad Max fan.

BoB, I definitely will read your review after I see the movie. I'm a big Mad Max fan but it doesn't cause me to put blinders on.

And yes, I do believe the studios will do anything to promote their movies.

[biolumen]

Its my belief that those who call themselves first and foremost George Miller fans or who otherwise are self proclaimed cineasts are the ones who are likely to go gaga over this movie. Those who are first and foremost Mad Max fans or who call themselves an average moviegoer, maybe not so much.

Although embargoed, a few popular film bloggers have hinted that they think it's great. Devin Faraci of Badassdigest has gone so far as to call it an instant classic and has written an article solely to plead to his readership to buy tickets now for opening day. I've never seen him do that before for any other movie. And you can tell that Drew McWeeny of Hitfix is over the moon with it as well.

http://birthmoviesdeath.com/2015/05/07/ ... ickets-now