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Sci-fi summer dry spell: remain optimistic - SciFiNow

Sci-fi summer dry spell: remain optimistic

Everything’s going to be okay.

predatorsgWhen it comes to organising theatrical reviews for SciFiNow, I’ve noticed that it’s been an extremely dry year for cinema, so far. Percy Jackson, Prince Of Persia, Iron Man 2, Nightmare On Elm Street and… oh, you get the point. Remakes. Family fare. Sub-par nonsense. Noisy fun for teenagers.

Usually, the summer time would grant us a reprieve from these types of movies, as a blockbuster or two would transcend these idiot boundaries and actually make going to the cinema a fun, validating experience. Last year, we had Star Trek, Inglourious Basterds (hey, technically it’s sci-fi. Hitler is gunned down!), Harry Potter and District 9 to fulfill the role of broadly entertaining, good-great summer movies.

This year, we have Inception, Toy Story 3 and… maybe Predators. I don’t think that’s a bad selection, exactly, but I think the studios have certainly been savvier in the preceding two years. Unless there’s something really surprising that’ll just pop up and take our breath away, it’s not going to make for a terribly good summer.

Movie studios don’t owe consumers anything – they’re businesses. They can do whatever they like. I just think that, with a proven track record of quality genre movies that give decent financial returns, the potential for better blockbusters this summer was certainly there.

Wait, though! There’s a silver lining. The end of the year sounds much more promising, with Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows: Part One and Tron Legacy leading the way. Besides, if it hits in the way Warner wants it to, Inception could well overshadow every other movie on the slate this summer. We’re optimistic.