The Prerogative - Christian Bale and Will Smith

(andPOP) - HOLY HANCOCK, BATMAN!

Should we believe the hype? If we go by the immortal words of Chuck D and Flava Flav (oh wise ones they were) no, no we shouldn’t. But we aren’t talking about media-driven political propaganda or even anything remotely similar to what the boys of Public Enemy were poetically protesting. We’re talking movie hype people and this summer has been chalk full of it.

Indiana Jones: SO MUCH hype, The Hulk: ridiculous hype, Iron Man: belated, but hyped nonetheless and then, there’s Hancock. Without Will, the hype would have been far less substantial but when you decide to mix Big Willy and the celebration of America’s independence, the premature excitement is inevitable.

Never mind the critics. Will’s got no love for the haters, the haters. They’re just mad cause he’s got floor seats at the Lakers (g’head, take a break and get jiggy with it). The reason why the onslaught of bad- REALLY bad- reviews that preceded Hancock’s release didn’t matter was because his name is Will Smith and he’s the hype machine. The hypest of all hype- if you will. I may be the only person who thinks Hancock lived up to its promotion cinematically, but no one can deny it lived up to monetary expectations. And that, my friends, is all that matters in the movie business. Get excited for Hancock 2! Yeah boooyyyyyy (second Flava Flav reference of the post. Score!) On that note, let’s move on to the movie that will surely live up to and surpass all box office expectations.

The Dark Knight.

Dun Dun Dun.

Christian Bale is no Will Smith (speaking strictly in terms of opening weekend stats of course) however this weekend; he will see Big Willy size numbers. But, going back to the looming question, should we believe the hype? On the eve of what has already been hailed by many movie geeks as the greatest superhero film ever, I’m hesitant to buy into the frenzy. The. Greatest. Superhero. Movie. Ever. Like ever ever? Big words. While I loved LOVED (yes loved) Batman Begins, it still falls a little behind some other great superhero flicks in moviedom. Namely, the original Batman and Superman. It’s probably considered on the same level as X-men and X 2 (note: I can’t even discuss Brett Ratner’s X-Men 3 without going into a Kanye-inspired caps filled rage). How would Christian Bale’s first stab at the caped crusader stack up again this summer’s superhero overload? Probably pretty well. It’d kick the shit of Indiana Jones and the Hulk, (though both deserve kudos for entertainment value) it would have been right on par with the amazingness of Iron Man. But, and I ask this a super serious, existentialist tone, what if Batman Begins had had the same media craze behind it as The Dark Knight does? Would we be looking back on it as one of the greats of all time OR would we be remembering failed expectations?

I have no doubt that The Dark Knight will be a good movie- great even but the hype is just too much to handle. Let the movie speak for itself. I’m sure a lot more people would have liked Hancock if they hadn’t entered the theatre already waiting for the worst.

So my solution is this: NO promotion. Yes movie execs, I’m talking to you. Especially (or specifically) with superhero flicks as I’m sure there are many more to come. You don’t need to PUSH PUSH PUSH movies on us when these franchises already have a following. We all knew we wanted to see The Dark Knight in the first 5 seconds of the original trailer. Forget extended trailers; forget releasing the first 5 minutes. The people will come. And we’ll be shocked, surprised and excited in all the parts where we’re supposed to be shocked, surprised and excited. Don’t get me wrong, I do love me some trailers but not when the trailer takes away from the actual movie.

ANYWAY, I could be eating my words in mere hours. The ball is in your court Batman. Move me. Excite me. Thrill me. I dare you.