IMDB 'spoiler' alerts

[Ian Price]

Am I alone in thinking that the spoiler alert on IMDB is pretty useless and is, in fact, not a spoiler. For example, when looking at the Star Trek 'spoiler' you get - "Captain, Vulcan, Alien, Starship, Planet"  :?

Hardly a spoiler in my opinion. I've yet to find one that really does spoil a film for me.

[Jonny]

It seems to be like keywords. Plus its a personal - "YOU GAVE IN! SHAME ON YOU! EVEN IF THIS GAVE AWAY NOTHING AT ALL! SHAME ON YOU!"

[Philly Q]

I've never even noticed they have spoiler alerts!  If I'm interested in a film I try to avoid finding out too much in advance anyway.

[FELINEGUITARS]

Not as bad as seeing a trailer for a movie these days - they pretty much show you all there is to see in the main movie
MAkes going to see the film almost redundant

[dave_mc]

I've never even noticed they have spoiler alerts!  If I'm interested in a film I try to avoid finding out too much in advance anyway.

yeah, same here.

Not as bad as seeing a trailer for a movie these days - they pretty much show you all there is to see in the main movie
MAkes going to see the film almost redundant

yeah, definitely. I remember seeing the trailer of dodgeball before seeing it, and the best joke in the film (by far) was in the trailer. More or less ruined it. Ok, so it's not the plot, but it's a daft comedy, so it's pretty much the same thing. That was a couple of years ago, too.

it wasn't even subjective that the joke was the best one, the whole cinema erupted and me and my mates were sitting there going, "meh, it was funnier the first time". Everyone else probably thought we were weird.

[Philly Q]

Not as bad as seeing a trailer for a movie these days - they pretty much show you all there is to see in the main movie
MAkes going to see the film almost redundant

Here's my rule of thumb for trailers:

(a) is it a very long trailer?
(b) does it reveal lots of plot points?
(c) does it include scenes which are obviously from near the end of the film?

If any or all of the above apply, then it's (almost*) guaranteed to be a lousy film and you're seeing all the best bits in the trailer.  If (a) applies and it's a comedy, you've just seen every funny line in the film.  Don't waste 2 hours of your life.


(* There are occasional exceptions to the rule - it might be a good film which the producers were too stupid to understand, so they don't know how to market it unless it has some big-name stars.)

[dave_mc]

:lol:

[Will]

I am sure the men who stare at goats had quite a bland trailer (and I was expecting the standard of all the funny parts were the bits in the trailer), but I went to see it and quite enjoyed it.

[badgermark]

I love Pixar trailers. Saw a few for the Incredibles/Up and they don't spoil the movie at all. Though I can think of a few teen movies where the trailer showed everything. Plot, jokes and ending.