Vitriol at film critics

The Chicago Tribune's Michael Phillips writes today about a phenomenon I've noticed before: The unrestrained bile that Internet commenters and emailers fire at even slightly negative reviews of movies and franchises they love.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/movies/#&lid=Movies&lpos=Sub

Unfortunately, like much of the Tribune's content these days, the column is behind a paywall. But the gist of it is that fan boys flipped the fuck out at any less-than-glowing review of "Dark Knight Rises," including Phillips's 2 1/2-star review that was critical of the movie's pervasively violent and anxious tone. And that was before: (1) Aurora; and (2) Anyone had actually seen the film. Rotten Tomatoes, Phillips notes, had to shut off comments for the movie on its site after posters took a threatening tone with AP's Christy Lemire. Phillips, not surprisingly, writes that there has been a second wave of anger, post-Aurora, at film critics who have explored the existence or non-existence of violent movies and violent behavior.

Anyway, I just thought it was a fairly interesting column and topic, because I've noticed, as well, the particularly personal attacks that seem to greet film critics, even morseso in many ways than that which is directed at political and sports writers. It's interesting to think about why people are so personally invested in the art and culture they enjoy - just look at some of the rows we've had on here about popular music. The Whitney Houston RIP thread had to be locked, for crissakes. And, with due respect to many of you, it seems like the comic book movie fan boys are the most defensive and vitriolic. But they also don't have a monopoly on personal attacks - woe to the critic, for example, who has a single cross word to say about a classic.

 

Well, if I were a virgin, I'd be a bit crabby, too.

 

Critics hate everything. They are a lot like sports analysts who can poke holes in perfect games and perfect seasons. They're perfect for a reason. Let people and fans enjoy them for what they are.

 

I understand vitriol toward critics, but not over one film...

 

The idea that critics hate everything is truly stupid.

 

I honestly think that if critics err in one direction, it's that they tend - as a group - to be too soft on a lot of films.

 

There's vitriol about everything. Or at least everything that is popular enough for people to care about. Don't see film being all that different from sports or politics in this regard.

 

I bet SEC beat would love to trade vitriol places with film critics.

 

Welcome to the internet age. It used to be only those qualified could share their opinion to the masses. Now everyone has an opinion, no matter how good or how bad, and gets to share it freely with the world. I think movie critics need to have a little thicker skin, or leave the job because this isn't changing any time soon.

 

Why would someone being paid for their expertise and their understanding of the medium and its history and who has seen many, many, many more movies than I have be entitled to an opinion different than my own?

 

Quite often those qualifications amount to willingness to accept poverty-level wages and give up any social life in order to cover teenagers throwing a ball around.

 

Yeah, good call on that one...