When trailers lie (SPOILER THREAD)

How many times has a trailer hyped you up, only for you to walk out of the theater or turn off the TV feeling totally let down?

Or how about the opposite—when a trailer looked terrible, but then you finally sat down to watch it and regretted waiting so long because it was actually good?

WARNING: THIS THREAD IS FULL OF SPOILERS

Here are a few examples of movies where the trailers were total lies, just plain bad, or unfairly pumped me up;

Bridesmaids (2011) - such a notorious one. The trailer promised a non-stop riot, basically a better, female-led version of The Hangover.
Aside from one genuinely hilarious scene, we just got a slow-paced comedy-drama.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UW9Zks5L2A

Real Steel (2011) - maybe an even worse offender. It looked like a high-octane action flick set in the near future, packed with robot fights.
Nobody told me we were getting some kid as the lead instead of someone like Wolverine.😂
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JtTS76us3Q

Super 8 (2010) - based on the trailer, I was expecting a legit sci-fi horror, but what we got was a much lighter "kids movie" vibe that felt pretty underwhelming.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpzUCA5i6zY

Thinking back to other movies that pop into my head (no need to link the trailers for these), I remember being super disappointed with Hancock. I was expecting an action-comedy, but it was anything but that.

On the flip side, for Wolf of Wall Street, I was expecting mindless fun or some flashy TV commercial type of movie, but I ended up getting the best film of the year.

Honestly, Prometheus just completely ruined my life
I mean, I went into Super (not Super 8) expecting absolutely nothing, and instead, I walked away with what might actually be the best superhero movie ever made.

For now, these are the ones coming to mind:

Hancock: It was a landslide—absolute chaos. 🙄

Changeling: It had all the hallmarks of being the ultimate drama—Eastwood directing, with Angelina Jolie playing the mother; yet in the trailers, the focus is entirely on Angelina's distraught expression, making it look like she’s lost her child... In reality, the film ended up being a complete failure, both in terms of direction and acting....

I was actually going to mention the Prometheus full length trailer while reading the intros, but someone beat me to it.
I thought Super 8 turned out to be pretty decent.

These are just for 2013.
Flops (if you can call them that):
pain & gain
oblivion
after earth
empire state
hell baby
runner, runner
I don't really feel like breaking each one down right now, but they were all worse than I expected.

I kept putting these off because I assumed they'd be bad, but they actually ended up being good:
we're the millers
2 guns
the purge
parker

Prometheus is definitely my number one. Honestly, I was all about that After Earth vibe when the first trailer dropped, but then the actual movie? Ugh, barely made it through. It was such a struggle to sit through.

The Dark Knight Rises
That trailer was pretty epic, honestly. Lots of heavy emotional beats and a top-tier performance by >. It feels like a real movie, though even if it doesn't end up being a total disaster, it definitely didn't trigger nearly the same level of nerdgasm as the trailer did.
On the flip side, I remember the previous > had some pretty dull trailers, yet the actual movie turned out to be fantastic.
As for >, that was easily the biggest letdown of last year. The trailer was one of the best in the whole superhero genre, especially with that soundtrack that everyone else basically ripped off until it became totally cliché. The movie itself might have had an impressive, high-energy opening, but it just seemed to get worse and worse as it went on.

Richard Wilson4 said:How many times has a trailer hyped you up, only for you to walk out of the theater or turn off the TV feeling totally let down?

Or how about the opposite—when a trailer looked terrible, but then you finally sat down to watch it and regretted waiting so long because it was actually good?

WARNING: THIS THREAD IS FULL OF SPOILERS

Here are a few examples of movies where the trailers were total lies, just plain bad, or unfairly pumped me up;

Bridesmaids (2011) - such a notorious one. The trailer promised a non-stop riot, basically a better, female-led version of The Hangover.
Aside from one genuinely hilarious scene, we just got a slow-paced comedy-drama.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UW9Zks5L2A

Real Steel (2011) - maybe an even worse offender. It looked like a high-octane action flick set in the near future, packed with robot fights.
Nobody told me we were getting some kid as the lead instead of someone like Wolverine.😂
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JtTS76us3Q

Super 8 (2010) - based on the trailer, I was expecting a legit sci-fi horror, but what we got was a much lighter "kids movie" vibe that felt pretty underwhelming.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpzUCA5i6zY

Thinking back to other movies that pop into my head (no need to link the trailers for these), I remember being super disappointed with Hancock. I was expecting an action-comedy, but it was anything but that.

On the flip side, for Wolf of Wall Street, I was expecting mindless fun or some flashy TV commercial type of movie, but I ended up getting the best film of the year.

That being said, this is actually a positive example of a misleading trailer. 😁
It’s way BETTER that the movie turned out to be what it actually is (honestly one of the best films of 2011!) rather than some cheap, watered-down female version of The Hangover. 🙂

Roger Martin3 said:For now, these are the ones coming to mind:

Hancock: It was a landslide—absolute chaos. 🙄

Changeling: It had all the hallmarks of being the ultimate drama—Eastwood directing, with Angelina Jolie playing the mother; yet in the trailers, the focus is entirely on Angelina's distraught expression, making it look like she’s lost her child... In reality, the film ended up being a complete failure, both in terms of direction and acting....

Are you saying Changeling was a total disaster for you? That film carries a much deeper message, and based on your take, it’s clear you completely missed the point.

Quote: coppersailor28

Grace Edwards said:The Dark Knight Rises
That trailer was pretty epic, honestly. Lots of heavy emotional beats and a top-tier performance by >. It feels like a real movie, though even if it doesn't end up being a total disaster, it definitely didn't trigger nearly the same level of nerdgasm as the trailer did.
On the flip side, I remember the previous > had some pretty dull trailers, yet the actual movie turned out to be fantastic.
As for >, that was easily the biggest letdown of last year. The trailer was one of the best in the whole superhero genre, especially with that soundtrack that everyone else basically ripped off until it became totally cliché. The movie itself might have had an impressive, high-energy opening, but it just seemed to get worse and worse as it went on.

Were you perhaps referring to that very first Man of Steel trailer where they used the soundtrack from the first Lord of the Rings?

Kick-Ass trailer

Based on the >, I was expecting some kind of wild comedy or a solid superhero parody. Instead, it just felt sort of pointless. It’s not even that the movie itself is terrible, it’s just that it wasn't nearly as funny as I had hoped it would be. I definitely walked away feeling disappointed.

The Men Who Stare at Goats

Same deal here; I went in expecting a laugh, and while it technically qualifies as a comedy, pretty much everything remotely funny in the whole movie was already spoiled in the trailer.

I generally try to avoid watching trailers or reading reviews before seeing a film, but even then, I still end up stumbling onto total crap sometimes.😛

Quote: coppersailor28

Megan Morales10 said:Are you saying Changeling was a total disaster for you? That film carries a much deeper message, and based on your take, it’s clear you completely missed the point.

It seems you didn't quite catch my point—I'm sorry, I must have been a bit unclear!
If you had been paying closer attention to the video, you would have seen that my critique is actually focused on the direction and the acting—not the message the movie was trying to convey. To me, the film was a complete disappointment—it was a great idea that was just poorly executed. And hey, that’s just my take—which I am certainly entitled to.

Paul Anderson7 said:Kick-Ass trailer

Based on the >, I was expecting some kind of wild comedy or a solid superhero parody. Instead, it just felt sort of pointless. It’s not even that the movie itself is terrible, it’s just that it wasn't nearly as funny as I had hoped it would be. I definitely walked away feeling disappointed.

The Men Who Stare at Goats

Same deal here; I went in expecting a laugh, and while it technically qualifies as a comedy, pretty much everything remotely funny in the whole movie was already spoiled in the trailer.

I generally try to avoid watching trailers or reading reviews before seeing a film, but even then, I still end up stumbling onto total crap sometimes.😛

My own expectations were a bit different; I was looking for a mindless comedy or a lighthearted superhero spoof.

What I actually got was something completely unexpected.

It ended up being one of the best films I watched all year.

Paul Anderson7 said:Kick-Ass trailer

Based on the >, I was expecting some kind of wild comedy or a solid superhero parody. Instead, it just felt sort of pointless. It’s not even that the movie itself is terrible, it’s just that it wasn't nearly as funny as I had hoped it would be. I definitely walked away feeling disappointed.

The Men Who Stare at Goats

Same deal here; I went in expecting a laugh, and while it technically qualifies as a comedy, pretty much everything remotely funny in the whole movie was already spoiled in the trailer.

I generally try to avoid watching trailers or reading reviews before seeing a film, but even then, I still end up stumbling onto total crap sometimes.😛

Have you seen Super?

Nicholas Watson said:Have you seen Super?

I actually started watching both that and Defendor, but I just couldn't manage to finish them...

Did I miss anything important enough to warrant giving them another shot?

If anyone here has a soft spot for superhero family dynamics, then I would highly suggest checking out the TV series based on the comic of the same name, The Tick with Patrick Warburton (Puddy from Seinfeld) in the lead role... plus Nestor Carbonell playing Batman.



First episode

.

I honestly despise trailers with my whole soul—I never watch them, ever. They just don't make sense to me, and they’ll never be the deciding factor in whether I sit down for a movie or not. I just hate the whole concept. I don't want to see anything before I actually hit play. 😁

Anyway, I came here to vent about this, but then I realized people have already said it:

Richard Wilson4 said:How many times has a trailer hyped you up, only for you to walk out of the theater or turn off the TV feeling totally let down?

Or how about the opposite—when a trailer looked terrible, but then you finally sat down to watch it and regretted waiting so long because it was actually good?

WARNING: THIS THREAD IS FULL OF SPOILERS

Here are a few examples of movies where the trailers were total lies, just plain bad, or unfairly pumped me up;

Bridesmaids (2011) - such a notorious one. The trailer promised a non-stop riot, basically a better, female-led version of The Hangover.
Aside from one genuinely hilarious scene, we just got a slow-paced comedy-drama.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UW9Zks5L2A

Real Steel (2011) - maybe an even worse offender. It looked like a high-octane action flick set in the near future, packed with robot fights.
Nobody told me we were getting some kid as the lead instead of someone like Wolverine.😂
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JtTS76us3Q

Super 8 (2010) - based on the trailer, I was expecting a legit sci-fi horror, but what we got was a much lighter "kids movie" vibe that felt pretty underwhelming.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpzUCA5i6zY

Thinking back to other movies that pop into my head (no need to link the trailers for these), I remember being super disappointed with Hancock. I was expecting an action-comedy, but it was anything but that.

On the flip side, for Wolf of Wall Street, I was expecting mindless fun or some flashy TV commercial type of movie, but I ended up getting the best film of the year.

So, they played the preview in the theater right before another movie, and I immediately thought, "this is going to be total garbage." Like, what are you doing, Scorsese? You've got a black skinhead in the background, everything is hyper-stylized, everyone's acting all cocky, and DiCaprio looks totally wired. It almost made me cry—it gave me such an instant aversion to the film.
But then I check the comments and everyone is absolutely losing their minds with excitement. People whose taste I actually trust, apparently. Guess I'll have to watch it too—no other choice.

The latest example has to be American Hustle: I mean, the trailer was practically promising me this killer comedy backed by a killer 70s soundtrack (think Zeppelin 😍) but in the end? I get absolutely nothing of what was promised 🙂

Roger Martin3 said:Quote: coppersailor28

It seems you didn't quite catch my point—I'm sorry, I must have been a bit unclear!
If you had been paying closer attention to the video, you would have seen that my critique is actually focused on the direction and the acting—not the message the movie was trying to convey. To me, the film was a complete disappointment—it was a great idea that was just poorly executed. And hey, that’s just my take—which I am certainly entitled to.

Bad acting? How else are they supposed to tackle roles like these? Like Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight?

Keith Jones36 said:I actually started watching both that and Defendor, but I just couldn't manage to finish them...

Did I miss anything important enough to warrant giving them another shot?

If anyone here has a soft spot for superhero family dynamics, then I would highly suggest checking out the TV series based on the comic of the same name, The Tick with Patrick Warburton (Puddy from Seinfeld) in the lead role... plus Nestor Carbonell playing Batman.



First episode

.

Defendor is actually really good. Even if nothing else, you'll probably shed a tear by the end and start listening to Metric if you aren't already 🙂

Richard Wilson4 said:How many times has a trailer hyped you up, only for you to walk out of the theater or turn off the TV feeling totally let down?

Or how about the opposite—when a trailer looked terrible, but then you finally sat down to watch it and regretted waiting so long because it was actually good?

WARNING: THIS THREAD IS FULL OF SPOILERS

Here are a few examples of movies where the trailers were total lies, just plain bad, or unfairly pumped me up;

Bridesmaids (2011) - such a notorious one. The trailer promised a non-stop riot, basically a better, female-led version of The Hangover.
Aside from one genuinely hilarious scene, we just got a slow-paced comedy-drama.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UW9Zks5L2A

Real Steel (2011) - maybe an even worse offender. It looked like a high-octane action flick set in the near future, packed with robot fights.
Nobody told me we were getting some kid as the lead instead of someone like Wolverine.😂
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JtTS76us3Q

Super 8 (2010) - based on the trailer, I was expecting a legit sci-fi horror, but what we got was a much lighter "kids movie" vibe that felt pretty underwhelming.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpzUCA5i6zY

Thinking back to other movies that pop into my head (no need to link the trailers for these), I remember being super disappointed with Hancock. I was expecting an action-comedy, but it was anything but that.

On the flip side, for Wolf of Wall Street, I was expecting mindless fun or some flashy TV commercial type of movie, but I ended up getting the best film of the year.

By definition, a fake trailer would be a trailer for a movie that doesn't even exist...

Richard Wilson4 said:How many times has a trailer hyped you up, only for you to walk out of the theater or turn off the TV feeling totally let down?

Or how about the opposite—when a trailer looked terrible, but then you finally sat down to watch it and regretted waiting so long because it was actually good?

WARNING: THIS THREAD IS FULL OF SPOILERS

Here are a few examples of movies where the trailers were total lies, just plain bad, or unfairly pumped me up;

Bridesmaids (2011) - such a notorious one. The trailer promised a non-stop riot, basically a better, female-led version of The Hangover.
Aside from one genuinely hilarious scene, we just got a slow-paced comedy-drama.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UW9Zks5L2A

Real Steel (2011) - maybe an even worse offender. It looked like a high-octane action flick set in the near future, packed with robot fights.
Nobody told me we were getting some kid as the lead instead of someone like Wolverine.😂
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JtTS76us3Q

Super 8 (2010) - based on the trailer, I was expecting a legit sci-fi horror, but what we got was a much lighter "kids movie" vibe that felt pretty underwhelming.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpzUCA5i6zY

Thinking back to other movies that pop into my head (no need to link the trailers for these), I remember being super disappointed with Hancock. I was expecting an action-comedy, but it was anything but that.

On the flip side, for Wolf of Wall Street, I was expecting mindless fun or some flashy TV commercial type of movie, but I ended up getting the best film of the year.

A trailer is lying if it showcases scenes that aren't actually in the movie....

"Fake trailer" feels like a bit of an exaggeration. I think "misleading" would be a much more accurate way to put it.