2 More Reasons Why Fans And Critics Can’t Agree On Superhero Films

2. Some Critics Just Want To Be Dicks

It's sod's law that the day I wrote an article about the divide between fans and critics a story broke that made the whole thing more intense. I'm talking, of course, about BBC 5 Live critic Adam Rosser's interview with Duncan Jones at the Warcraft press junket (it's not superheroes, but it's still in geek realm, so is painfully relevant). From the first question Rosser is on the attack, with questions that are veiled criticisms intended to get a rise out of the director (who is so chill he should really be on the other side of the camera). At the end, he dives up the moment the interview's over over, much to Jones' shock, and seals himself as a bit of a fool. The whole thing's been heavily covered and has resulted in Rosser removing himself from social media in the ensuing storm.

Now I didn't really like Warcraft all that much and do share some of Rosser's criticisms (although using The Lord Of The Rings book as an attacking point was stupid), but there's a way to ask those questions and get those answers without being a dick about it. And while this is a standalone incident, it is emblematic of a toxic problem within the critical body that plays a big part in the perception of all reviewers.

It's irritating to admit, but some critics do fit the profile of a poncy knobhead out to prove they're better than you and desperate to talk down to the reader at any opportunity. It's nicely tempered by the rise of fan critics enabled by the internet (you're reading the work of one) and there is an admittedly fine line between confidence and bull-headishness (I know some of my detractors would find me snobbish), but the fact of the matter is some critics want to be dicks. They see themselves better, somehow, and feel desperate to show that, tarring the whole profession in the process.

But the thing is, critics aren't better and their opinion is no more worthy in deciding a film's quality than anyone else's (they do have an impact in certain ways, but that's not the point). They may be more knowledgable about film history, have seen an above-average amount of movies and have stronger writing experience, but opinion is opinion. And that's one thing we really need to remember...