However, let's have a look at the average Joe. They're not going to read that long wall of text that may or may not adequately put forward the ups and downs of a film/game etc. It might make their eyes hurt, or they may lose interest if there's not enough pictures. So their attention is drawn straight to the score. Which.. sometimes can be scary.
For example:
Said one Internet superhero on Rotten Tomatoes in relation to Christy Lemire's review of the Dark Knight Rises. Many fans were displeased with overall scores of the film it seems.
Now I understand that you can't hold the entire Batman fanbase responsible for one persons comment, but the epidemic of militant fandom is on the rise here - Jhonny G is not alone. But we are all individuals who have our preferences. I personally will burn anyone who honestly believes that Final Fantasy VIII is better than Final Fantasy IX. Fandom is a laughable but also a scary organised set of subcultures. People will defend what they like, apparently to the point of death wishes. Something we've seen before in dangerous religious fanaticism.
Here's another fan I found:
Again, I can't generalise, but as I scroll down the comments section below her review a large percentage of people are like this. Personally I believe Christy Lemire straight off the bat made a good point in her review:
"Maybe [my disappointment] was inevitable. Maybe nothing could have met the expectations established by 2008’s “The Dark Knight,” "
Her review is riddled with opinion, but so it should be in this case. She outlines right from the start that she at some point enjoyed the series, she is not an axe wielding critic of hatred. We could have guessed that this film might not live up to the 2008 The Dark Knight, with the late Heath Ledger's brilliant portrayal of the modern incarnation of the Joker, but often fandom will yank us away from such realities - fandom will not allow us to face the truth.
But it's not just fandom, it's hype. If it has a 10 out of 10 score, waves of good reviews and is advertised from billboards to McDonald's happy meals then many believe it MUST be good. We saw it in Avatar and we'll see it in The Dark Knight Rises, people will suppress their deepest feelings because of their overwhelming preconceptions. And if anyone is brave enough to stand up and say: "I actually was disappointed.", God help them for voicing their own opinions.
I believe we all have a right to our opinions, and that consensus does not make it fact.
