frosty,
I agree with both your assessments. I find no merit whatsoever to the notion that this film is "boring", particularly when noted as such by posters who do not think they even have to try and explain what it was about the film that led to that criticism.
I think in actuality those critics break down into two camps.
The first are those who expected a different film from the title, one that has much more violence in it. this is not hard to understand, and should even be expected. I am not saying those who named it as they did were necessarily hoping to draw in a larger audience by doing that, and in fact I think it plausible that the title was honestly chosen. (I think the title refers to both the time and place of its setting as one that was infused with a general sense of potential violence, which was the backdrop for the film.) But you include such a reference in your title, and don't be surprised if some viewers hope or expect the film to contain some significant level of violence, here meaning more than is actually in the film. Given the disparity, we see the resulting complaints.
The second group is to my view more insidious. They are people who did not feel misled, but who categorically object to or dislike this kind of film. By that I mean a film that spends a certain portion of its attention on character development, thematic elements and other apects that deviate from a close adherence to plot development, particularly one punctuated by thrills, unexpected turns, and of course explosions, loud noises and that sort of thing. Of course a member of the first group can quite easily also be found in this one, but this group is also one that was not misled by the title.
And while I can sort of understand someone disappointed because the title led them to believe they were going to see a different kind of film, the second type is really one who feels compelled to go onto a message board to complain that this kind of film was made in the first place. They want to see that only the kind or kinds of films they prefer are made. They don't want to see others, who enjoyed this kind of film, have that kind of enjoyment. It is really a rather reactionary and stilted worldview at work.
reply
share