For the most part, it is pretty easy to hit the mark with this, but that is not always the case. Sometimes, the marketing for a movie can be misleading, which leads to detrimental consequences that cannot be easily repaired. There are several examples of this happening over the years, but here are a few of the most prominent examples.
10Kangaroo Jack (2003)
A lot of parents see talking animals or objects, a few funny jokes in the trailer, and then assume that a movie is suitable for their children to see in theaters. We have seen this phenomenon of misunderstanding—and possibly intentionally misleading marketing—time and time again. While parents could have done their due diligence, and made sure thatKangaroo Jackwas appropriate for the younger audience before buying tickets, that did not prevent the storm of backlash against its crude humor and frequent explicit language.
Amore recent and less nostalgic example of thiswould beSausage Party, another feature that incorporates animated elements throughout the film. Despite the raunchy comedy movie causing parents to storm out of theaters with their children in droves,Kangaroo Jackis still seen as a memorable classic from its time period, despite the flaws it might’ve had with its overall screenplay.
9The Dark Tower (2017)
The Dark Toweris based on source material from Stephen King, but it would be extremely hard for fans of his books to tell without that key knowledge going into this. One issue withThe Dark Tower’s marketing is that it was made to look as if it was a sequel to the source material, rather than a straight adaptation of it. This was rather confusing, and led to people being unsure as to what to expect. The trailers also gave the impression that the movie would be within the action-adventure genre, which was a huge shift from the book series’ tone and style.
Their concerns were not put to rest when it was released, as everything that they were wary of became validated.The Dark Toweris known for its complex themes and characters, and the movie was miles away from what drew them to the original novelized interpretation.Critics had their own issues with the movie, evident by the majority of negative reviews.
8Sucker Punch (2011)
Zack Snyder isone of the most divisive filmmakersof this generation, regardless of individual opinions on the quality of his work. This trend of criticism is apparent with each one of his releases; but few outside the scope of comic book adaptations reached the levels of conversation thatSucker Punchdid. The promotion forSucker Punchled many to believe that this was a generic action-based blockbuster in a fantasy world, with big-budgeted CGI fight scenes. What was actually given was action-packed, but intended to be much more nuanced than expected.
The entire movie is an allegory for abuse and a lot of the more fantasy-like scenes that we see throughout are not actually happening, but are part of dreams or hallucination sequences through the eyes of the main character. This format proved to be rather confusing for many, and it showed in the audience reviews and scores. The movie did have other issues that were pointed out by reputable critics, but this disconnect between the confusing advertising and displeased audiences undeniably caused some of the more vocal negative reception.
Related:These Were Some of the Most Misleading Movie Trailers
7Prometheus (2012)
TheAlienfranchise is instantly recognizableto most people, and that is because for its time, the original movies were absolutely groundbreaking in their technical, and commercial achievements. WhenPrometheuswas described to be part of this iconic franchise, what people wanted to see was a movie that heavily referenced the original movies, and a return to the roots that audiences loved. It was a prequel nonetheless, but did not quell the undying excitement that was brewing.
Prometheusunfortunately failed to live up to the hype of diehard fans, because the movie hardly had any connection to what they’ve come to know. It felt like a totally standalone film until the final moments, and it probably would have been way better off if that were the case.Prometheuswas seen as a decent start to something; just not the start of another story set in the world ofAlien. They would try to rectify this in the film following, but it is hard to say that was a fruitful, or successful undertaking.
6Alien: Covenant (2017)
WhilePrometheuswas more of a spin-off than anything,Alien: Covenantwas a promised return toAlien’s origins for fans of the franchise. That was enough to generate excitement, and allowed Hollywood to once again capitalize on the money tree known as nostalgia. There was still, however, some nervousness surrounding the movie because of howPrometheusturned out. Unfortunately enough, their suspicions turned out to not be unfounded at all.Covenantwas miles apart tonally to what fans were hoping for, and they also took issue with some “dumb” decisions made by the characters. The latter was a critique given toPrometheusas well, but it was presumed thatCovenantwould fix those problems, and create characters that were intelligent, likable people that we wanted to see persevere through the odds. Those who enjoyed the previous movie were also disappointed, because it failed to effectively address the events that occurred in any meaningful way.
Related:20th Century Studios' New Alien Film Beginning Production in Budapest on March 9
5The Babadook (2014)
This thriller is quite misunderstood, and the marketing for it can be faulted for that. What was expected was a movie featuring a mother, her son, and an actual monster that would cause problems for them. While it is understandable thatThe Babadookdid not want to ever portray itself as a creature-feature, that did not hold back people from projecting their expectations onto the final product. WhatThe Babadooktruly was, was a complex, and layered psychological thriller with horror elements related to the titular character.
With all of that drama aside, anyone that does not care about that confusion is in for a satisfying thriller, with good acting performances, and a strong screenplay. With that being said, it is unfortunate that this misunderstanding played a role inhow people viewed it during the time. This is a prime example of how unclear marketing can negatively affect the perception of a movie.
4Edge of Tomorrow (2014)
Edge of Tomorrowis a movie with a unique premise, but the buildup to its release failed to make that aspect known. In fact, people were convinced that this was another generic action flick, because trailers focused on the pure action elements, and the fact that they were able to get Tom Cruise to star in the movie. The movie’s title also did it no favors, because it gave no indication about the themes of death and time-looping.
There was a lack of clarity, and this resulted in an initial underperformance at the box office.Edge of Tomorrowthen becameLive Die Repeat, the tagline, in a swift and intelligent change to make things a lot more clear for audiences. While it was hard to repair the damage that was already done,Edge of Tomorrow(orLive Die Repeat) went on to be positively received, and became a cult classic.
Related:Emily Blunt Says Tom Cruise’s Blunt, Vulgar Advice Got Her Through Filming Edge of Tomorrow
3The Village (2004)
M. Night Shyamalan, who spawned this early 2000s horror movie, is known for diverting suppositions held about the stories, settings, and characters, that are in the worlds that he crafts. While this is an interesting angle to filmmaking, and is unique to his personal style, it does not always seem to work in his favor.
The Villagewas presented as a story in the past about a village that deals with suspenseful and deadly scenarios with monsters in the woods, that keep them reluctant to explore beyond the area they know. When these monsters turned out to be the elders dressed up in costumes, people that were misled by the marketing did not respond to this twist positively.What first appeared to be a supernatural movie suddenly transitionedto something totally different in the final act. While this is not the only problem with the movie, the Shyamalan method of intentionally being misleading was the foremost matter in question.
2Mother! (2017)
Going intoMother!expecting a traditional, or conventional horror experience would be a sorely misguided decision, but that was exactly what people did. This Darren Aronofsky feature is actually more abstract in nature, and takes a lot of risk in the structure of its storytelling. This left more vanilla audience members confused as to what was going on, and they felt cheated by not getting the product they thought they paid for. They were also left in the dark about the more gruesome scenes that take place in the third act of the film, which left many feeling disgusted and upset that there was no indication that the violence and actions of the characters would go that far. All in all,Mother!is still appreciated today by those who knew what they were getting; especially from a filmmaker who is as daring, and willing to explore the human psyche as Aronofsky.
Related:Explained: How Mother! Is An Allegory For Climate Change
1Jennifer’s Body
For anyone that did not keep up withJennifer’s Body’s release cycle, this one might be quite a shock. The movie is revered today as one of the bests of the last few decades, and has now reached the coveted status of being a cult classic. Back in the day,the Megan Fox and Amanda Seyfried-led featurewas hated by a significant portion of its audience, and had a mediocre run in terms of box office performance. This was caused by a dissonance in the material shown leading up to the release, and the audience they were trying to target.
Jennifer’s Bodywas treated as a gory horror flick with eye candy, catered to teenage boys and young men. The reality was that the content was more suited for teenage girls and young women, who adored iconic films likeMean Girls, but also wanted a sinister twist to the woman-centric tropes that it featured. This is the audience that heralds the movie in modern times, and it is a shame that it took so long for it to have its well-deserved praises sung.
