Are “The Woods” claims of greatness hurting the film before fans have seen it?

Modern horror has a nasty little habit of promoting films as hallmarks of the history of the genre i.e. “scariest film since ‘Ernest goes to Jail‘” or “forget a colon cleanse, just go see this movie!!!”. Admittedly, this kind of “watch-bait” has snagged me before AND, to be perfectly frank, it also elicited this article, so ummm…good job? Well, sigh, unfortunately, yes, the powers-that-be that drive the marketing engines behind this film obviously know how to hit us where it counts, but is it hurting the film more than helping it in the long view? Let’s face it. Promotional media would have us believe that every new horror film is setting a new precedent for the industry. Every new film is hyped as the “scariest” the “most terrifying” a “genre-bending nightmare” when maybe what we are getting is just a damn good horror film. I loved “The Witch” but did it really pack the same punch as The Exorcist? The Badadook likewise was a critical favorite but does it have staying power? I think the hype engine is critical, but I think its critical to a large opening weekend, and does very little for the longevity of a film overall. In fact, pushing a film in the horror genre as a fantastic game changer can lead to huge disappointment amongst fans. I personally would rather see a film billed as “a unique addition to a beloved drama that pushes the envelope and doesn’t disappoint. I don’t need to be promised a paradigm shifter. Well, thanks anyways for now getting my expectations so horribly high I am doomed to be disappointed…The Woods assaults our critical sensibilities this September the 16th!!! In the meantime, gaze upon the trailer below and let me know how much of a cynical old codger I am…

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