Great trailer....average movie

bruce-leroy

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I know this has been discussed time and again on other threads, and I couldn't find an existing thread. Anyhow, I'd like your opinion on which trailers had the makings of a fantastic movie but the finished product was distinctly underwhelming?

And even better if you can say why it looked to be so good, but was ultimately disappointed. I know it's probably most movies these days but I'm looking for films that most people thought would be good but turned out not so great. I bet you're gonna say Prometheus. ;)

I'll start with:

Miami Vice (Michael Mann)

After the brilliant Collateral, I was really looking forward to Mann's next movie. When i saw the trailer for Miami Vice, I became even more excited. A mean and moody Crockett and Tubbs, accompanied by Linkin park and jay z's Numb playing over the trailer (one of the best songs I've heard used for a trailer) throw in Mann's signature gorgeous visuals and authentic action set pieces, and surely we're onto a winner?

The problem is not that the trailer showed the best scenes, as we still get some decent action, although not as good as heat or collateral. The problem is that the movie is rather slow and ponderous, with at times incomprehensible dialogue, almost as if Mann was trying to make an art house action thriller. The film turned out a lot different than what he trailer suggested.
 
I must admit, when I first read the title to this thread, instantly the first word that entered my mind was "Prometheus" :p. I saw Prometheus and thought it was decent. I guess it didn't help when a couple of my friends at the time were saying how fantastic it was and how it's relevant so they kind of built this image up in my head where it would be amazing. So I watched it and found it to be okay, nothing that special. In places, I found it to be stupid even. Saw it again on bluray a few weeks back and I still think the same.

I think, for me, another film would probably have to be A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010). I have a love/hate thing for the movie. Like I saw the trailer and I was very much looking forward to watching it. I was one of the few fans of the Nightmare series to actually like what they did with the new Freddy and the new look they gave him. I thought it was more terrifying and scary than Englund's Freddy but Englund GAVE Freddy that fear factor. Then I saw the movie and thought it was a decent attempt at a remake and certainly beat the remakes of Friday the 13th and Halloween. But yet I still love the remake and thought that a lot of people were harsh on it.

Also, another one for me (which I'm thinking everybody would say "How did you not think it would be rubbish?!") is SAW: The Final Chapter. I'm a huge fan of the movie series and when I saw the last trailer, I thought it would be awesome but ended up severely disappointed and absolutely hated it and wished it never existed.
 
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Transformers springs to mind straight away for me.

Prometheus, as mentioned above.

The undisputed daddy of them all though has to be The Phantom Menace.

Never, in the history of film has a movie trailer(s) built so much excitement yet, upon release, ended in sheer excrement:rolleyes:
 
I have the nightmare remake on DVD but not watched it yet. I thought Jackie Earle Haley was great in watchmen so I'll be interesting to see his interpretation of Kruger. Agree about Phantom Menace, the best part is Darth Maul's twin saber duel.
 
I can normally tell whether I'm going to like a film or not based on the trailer but Prometheus did side step my expectations which were unreasonably high, I still enjoyed watching it. The only film I can think of that was completely contrary to expectations was Watchmen. I was completely blown away by the trailer and completely disappointed once I saw the film.
 
A stand out for me was Fanastic Four : Rise of the Silver Surfer. What I liked about the trailer? Silver Surfer vs Human Torch!!! Epic!!! Film was a huge disappointment in contrast to the trailer tho. :(
 
Super 8

Thought the trailer was mouthwatering stuff... Watched the whole movie and afterward felt let down.
 
I enjoyed super 8 first time, but was completely bored when i tried to watch it again. The trailer definitely made it look to be a better movie than the finished film - especially the early teaser campaign.
 
Im not trolling when i say this but ironman 3.

Agree that the phantom menace has to be the king though.
 
Im not trolling when i say this but ironman 3.

Agree that the phantom menace has to be the king though.

I was excited for Iron Man 3 from the trailers and the earlier parts of the film gave it a different feel, more intense. But the twist ruined it and spoilt what could've been a great film.

Pearl Harbor teaser trailer had me hoping for another great war film, sadly Mr Bay spoilt that!
 
Hellboy II to some degree as well....

the trailer was all action and rock music, the film was much more fantasy based i thought, i did enjoy the film but was expecting something different..
 
For me, going back the past 20 years, the vast majority of trailers have been better than the films they're associated with.
 
The vast majority of the big summer blockbusters from the last 20 years
 
The original faux grindhouse trailer for Hobo With a Shotgun was great, I remember thinking I'd love to see a full feature film at the time.

Then it was finally made into a feature with Rutger Hauer as the lead, the new trailer looked promising but I thought the film was terrible. Same with Machete, trailer was great but the film was a let down.
 

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