“Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” is unbelievable however did the trailers present an excessive amount of of the movie and whereas additionally giving the viewers false expectations?
Like most, I used to be completely blown away by Furiosa: The Mad Max Saga this weekend. Chris Bumbray completely sums up why the movie is a superb entry into the Mad Max franchise HERE. It might have been the trailer enjoying earlier than essentially the most variety of motion pictures in 2024. It was in all places. Yet it’s arduous to look at the movie and are available away feeling like I noticed one thing fully model new when the advertising already spoiled a lot of it.
*spoilers for Furiosa going ahead. Read at your personal threat*
I must get it out of the way in which proper off the bat that I liked Furiosa. It’s a superb epic that options Chris Hemsworth’s finest efficiency thus far and proves why Anya Taylor Joy is plausible in any function. The brilliance of Furiosa can’t be understated each in its technical achievements and in its narrative. And my criticisms are firmly on the movie’s advertising versus something within the movie itself. Because as I left the theater, I couldn’t assist however suppose: did the trailer spoil the film?
The technique through which Furiosa is kidnapped, her brashness being the trigger and her repeated escapes are all highlighted. Given that this takes up the vast majority of the primary half of the film, it takes numerous the stakes out of these moments within the precise film. She’s all the time making an attempt to flee. It occurs each probability she will get. Show these moments to tease what a firecracker she is. Yet we see the precise captures within the trailer, so we already know that she not solely doesn’t get away, however she will get caught pretty shortly. So there could be a lengthy drawout escape sequence, however we’re already aware of the tip. I’m high-quality with displaying the setup, however perhaps don’t present the punchline.
However, I’d argue that the largest problem is that Anya Taylor Joy doesn’t seem till an hour into the movie. It is insane for me to even kind that given how distinguished she is in all of the advertising supplies. And I’m truthfully undecided of the answer aside from to prominently function Young Furiosa (who will get a whopping 10 seconds of display time within the first trailer). So they managed to each give an excessive amount of away, whereas additionally mendacity to the viewers about how a lot its lead actress could be in it.
And that’s to not say that Alyla Browne does a nasty job. The actual reverse actually however at the present time the place studios are struggling to get patrons in theater seats, pulling this stage of switcheroo feels disingenuous. Now I perceive that you simply typically should spoil issues that occur in a film so as to promote it. And Anya is clearly a really marketable actress with a big fanbase. But it’s by no means good once you’re leaving the theater and individuals are proclaiming “The one girl didn’t show up for ages.” (an precise quote leaving the theater.)
Furiosa isn’t the one movie launched this month with this downside, as Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes did the identical factor: prominently that includes Proximus Caesar just for him to not seem till over an hour into the movie. And given Kevin Durand did a lot of the promotion, it provides a sure expectation. But I’d argue that the movie continues to be capable of conceal its narrative within the trailer and supply a quite recent expertise. Proximus is just not the lead, subsequently it doesn’t really feel like a giant deal. Villains typically have much less display time, particularly within the first act. And on condition that was most likely the second most-played trailer this yr on the motion pictures, it could have been simple to make the identical errors.
And sure, Furiosa is a prequel so in that sense, you’re all the time going to know what’s coming. In that regard, as long as each character is of their place for the start of Fury Road, something can occur. But did we want Dr. Dementus saying “The question is: do you have it in you to make it epic?”, clearly indicating his personal demise? Or a lot of the trailer making it seem like the identical highway movie that Fury Road was? It actually runs the chance of alienating an viewers versus simply offering a touch on the nice epic to return.
Conversely, the horror world has an absolutely phenomenal marketing team engaged on Longlegs. There have been numerous trailers and even nonetheless the narrative is hazy. It’s managed to construct a lot hype whereas nonetheless protecting the thriller alive. That’s an especially robust process and one thing I really feel that different advertising groups must be finding out. Because we as viewers members must be given simply sufficient data to resolve whether or not or not we need to watch it. We don’t want the whole movie laid out for us. Okay. I’ll return to yelling at clouds now.
What did YOU consider Furiosa? Did the trailer spoil an excessive amount of? Why do studios insist on giving a lot away of their trailers?
