How well you understand the dialogue can affect your appreciation for a film. By the same token, it has influenced how I've rated movies, and this is why I always turn on the subtitles when I watch a film for the first time at home. My scoring method is usually spot-on, but on very rare occasions, I have changed a rating for a movie.
Generally, 4 out of 5 stars mean the movie is okay and recommended to see, but I typically wouldn't care to see it again. On the other hand, 4½ means it's highly recommended or a must-see, and these are films I want to see again and add to my personal movie collection. I rarely give 5 stars, which are for movies that, in my opinion, have achieved or are near masterpiece quality. Star Wars (1977) and The Terminator are a couple of examples.
Speaking of Star Wars, I saw Solo: A Star Wars Story twice at the theater and thought it was kind of 'meh.' After I saw it again at home with the subtitles turned on, I realized I had missed some key details and, consequently, better understood the movie. As a result, I upgraded the film's rating from 4 to 4½ stars.
Such was also the case with Black Widow. I had been wanting a live-action film about the Russian assassin Natasha Romanoff aka Black Widow for a while, and I was kind of disappointed after seeing it the first time when the movie was finally released in theaters last year.
Black Widow came out after Avengers: Endgame, but its story takes place beforehand. Apparently, I missed some essential dialogue and plot points in Black Widow. For example, I didn't understand why Natasha went to Budapest.
I still think Black Widow opens somewhat slowly, and I would like to see more of her backstory. But despite having a few slow moments, Black Widow has outstanding action and an excellent story, and I've always thought Scarlett Johansson was perfectly cast for the character.
You cannot fully appreciate a movie if you don't understand its dialogue.
I regret ever giving Black Widow a 4-star rating. Now, it's one of my most favorite Marvel Cinematic Universe films.
Comments
Post a Comment