Sense of Wonder: Hellboy 2 – The Critical Divide
In a summer that saw critics and audiences often in agreement, the much-praised sequel fizzled at the box office
This summer, the critical divide is not so wide.
There is a common perception that a sharp division in taste separates people who pay to see movies and people who get paid to review them. Perhaps there is some truth to this, manifesting itself at year’s end, when critics use their Top Ten lists to champion deserving little films that failed to find big audiences, but so far this season viewers and reviewers seem to be sitting on the same side of the aisle. Blockbuster hits like IRON MAN and THE DARK KNIGHT have won audience accolades and critical kudos in equal measure (even when, as in the case of INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULLS, the film was a tired retread); meanwhile, bombs like MEET DAVE were loathed equally by press and public. Read More
