REVERSE ANGLE
Trailers to nowhere
Ever seen a trailer, then the movie, then wondered what happened? You are not alone. Some trailers have even become infamous for selling totally different movies than advertised — “Drive” and “Observe and Report,” for instance, or “Sweeney Todd” (Surprise! It’s a musical!). Two insanely deceptive campaigns are out right now, for “Nocturnal Animals” and “Passengers.”
“Nocturnal” is a multilayered, complex film with savage elements in it. But the “high concept” Hollywood model requires a movie’s idea be conveyable to the masses in a 30-second spot. … So that’s an issue.
No spoilers here, but “Nocturnal” is not the race-against-time thriller some of its advertising makes it out to be, except in a deliberately removed, contained sense. Even the vengeful haunting depicted in some spots is metaphorical.
There are “Nocturnal” spots that do convey its actual menace and narrative conceit, including its intentional blurring of realities and emotions. So it is possible — though presumably less profitable.
The trailer that claims to be for “Nocturnal Animals”: https:// youtu.be/yb6uZHzm3iE
Here’s one that does convey the film: https://youtu.be/-H1Ii1 LjyFU Passengers on the wrong trip: Widely viewed “Passengers” trailers take dialogue wildly out of context, cut lines together to mean something else and contain whole lines not in the film to present it as a conspiracy thriller. Even the tagline is wrong: “Nothing … happens by accident.” Actually, everything is set in motion by an accident in the film’s first minutes.
So why would a sci-fi romance with two of the biggest stars on this planet (Jennifer Lawrence and Chris Pratt) require such tactics?
Perhaps because the film’s central gag (no spoilers) is so morally questionable, it might dominate discussion. So rather than frame the movie as a romance with a life-altering dilemma and its consequences, they went for lying to audiences.
Whether or not you choose to go to the acclaimed “Nocturnal” or “Passengers,” which is not as bad as you may have heard (30 percent on Rotten Tomatoes but a positive review by The Chronicle), just don’t
expect the experiences conveyed by these trailers.
The “Huh?” trailer for “Passengers”: https:// youtu.be/hKgf2Q2qmdk
The much more representative trailer: https://youtu.be /7BWWWQzTpNU
Trivia question
Some movies even have issues with deceptive titles. What are two misleading things about the title of “Troll 2” (1990)?
The Marvel-DC war escalates
Although DC’s three “Extended Universe” movies (“Man of Steel,” “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” and “Suicide Squad”) have nearly equaled the boxoffice take of Marvel’s last three “Cinematic Universe” entries (“Doctor Strange,” “Captain America: Civil War” and “Ant-Man”), the critical and audience responses haven’t been close.
Grosses: Marvel $776.27 million average — DC $762.3 million; Rotten Tomatoes critics’ ratings: Marvel 87 — DC 36; Rotten Tomatoes audience rating: Marvel 88 — DC 68.
This year, the DC Extended Universe will try to prove it can enjoy itself with the Patty Jenkins-directed “Wonder Woman” (June 2) and the more-of-ZackSnyder “Justice League.” Jenkins is best known for the serial-killer drama “Monster,” but DC swears (and the trailers attest) “Wonder” will be fun.
Meanwhile, if “Suicide Squad” and “Batman v Superman” can be that bad and make that much money, “Justice League” (Nov. 17) seems destined for the Billion-Dollar Club.
The “Wonder Woman” trailer: https://youtu.be /1Q8fG0TtVAY
The “Justice League” Comic-Con trailer: https://youtu.be/fI HH5-HVS9o
Marvel Studios will release three entries in a year for the first time: “Thor: Ragnarok” (Nov. 3), “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” (May 5, with fantastic trailers) and “SpiderMan: Homecoming” (July 7).
Trailer for “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2”: https://youtu.be/ pr7tDrwQ3t8
Trailer for “Spi-