One of the most important parts about making a movie, is making the trailer as a fun preview for audiences so they have an idea of what they’re getting into. The trailer can honestly make or break a film’s reputation and success at the box office. Even horrible movies received most of their success because their trailers were so well done (*cough* “Batman V. Superman *cough*). However, the trailer is so crucial to the movie that if the people who made the trailer changed the meaning or genre of the movie through abstract clips or songs played throughout. This can be very frustrating to audiences who came in to watch a certain type of movie only to see another. Here are some movie trailers that got it wrong and misled (betrayed) audiences everywhere.
“The Accountant”
This isn’t the first time I've brought this movie up, but it fits with the topic. If you haven’t read/heard what I’ve said, this Ben Affleck film centers around a math savant who runs the books for the most dangerous people on the planet and takes on a new, seemingly harmless, job with massive repercussions. If you’ve seen the trailer, you’d think that this is just another Jason Bourne action flick. You’re dead wrong. Everyone I know who saw this movie agrees with me. Yes, there is intense action and violence in this movie. Yes, Ben Affleck’s character is a badass. But the main focus of this movie is that Affleck’s character, Christian Wolf (not his real name) grew up with some form of autism that would have been a serious barrier from being the adult he became if not for his military father. The main point of the movie is about overcoming obstacles, no matter how big, and that we don’t give enough credit to those we perceive as “handicapped”.
“The Cabin In The Woods”
This one I can kind of understand, but it’s still a huge mistake. This film by Joss Whedon had a trailer that held all of the classic horror cliches. Hormone-obsessed 20-something-year-olds go into the woods all alone, creepy gas station attendant, ominous music and zombies. What the trailer didn’t say was that this was a comedy. Keyword: comedy. Whedon actually created a parody of horror films with a few homages to the classics. I guess it’s hard to show satire in two and a half minutes, but the creepy title cards didn’t help.
“Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street”
Long title, huh? This Johnny Depp movie directed by Tim Burton (surprise, surprise) starred Depp as Sweeney Todd, a successful barber who was accused of a crime so the magistrate could steal his wife and daughter from him. He returns to wreak havoc on London by slicing the necks of those who enter his barbershop for revenge against those who wronged him. This movie trailer was actually pretty good, except for one thing. Nowhere did it say that the movie was a musical. Granted, it might have been more obvious seeing as how this was an actual show on Broadway, but most audiences never saw it coming.
“Pan’s Labyrinth”
If you like the weird world of Guillermo del Toro, you’d probably like this film too (honestly, I’m waiting for del Toro and Burton to team up and create the creepiest movie ever known to mankind… and will do incredibly at the box office). The director of “Hellboy” takes a spin of fairy tale folklore during the Spanish revolution in 1944 as a young girl meets fairies and a faun who tells she is a princess and must endure three gruesome tasks to prove herself. This was an amazing movie, and I loved it. The only thing that I didn’t see coming was that the film’s trailer neglected to mention that the entire movie is in Spanish. If subtitles don’t bother you, or you can learn to watch and read simultaneously, then you would appreciate this film.
“Bridge to Terabithia”
Ahh, doesn’t this bring back memories? This film based on a book was about a boy who’s new friend shows him the wonderment of imagination and fantasy as they cope with reality. The film’s trailer featured the main characters, played by Josh Hutchinson and AnnaSophia Robb, run through the forest and discover their Narnia-like world of their imaginations. What this fun-filled trailer neglects to mention is (spoiler) that this story has much darker themes with kids struggling with death, mourning, and abandonment. I knew what was coming because I read the book back in elementary school (by force!) but I can’t imagine the shock people went through after seeing these elements in what looked like a kids movie.
