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COMIC-CON: EPISODE IV - A FAN'S HOPE (2012)Movie Reviews
Documentary about fans gathered at the annual San Diego comic book convention that has grown into a cultural phenomenon. Cast:Skip Harvey, Eric Hensen, Chuck Rondanzki, James DarlingDirector:Morgan SpurlockRelease Date:April 5, 2012DVD Release:July 10, 2012From:Wrekin Hill EntertainmentRating:PG-13Length:1 hr. 28 min.
JULY 10, 2012
Comic-Con: Episode IV - A Fan's Hope (2012), Good (Not Great) Reviews (Doc) Key Cities
Comic-Con: Episode IV - A Fan's Hope (2012) played in key cities to good not great reviews. • Owen Gleiberman wrote in Entertainment Weekly, "The first surprise is that it's the first Spurlock film Spurlock isn't in. The second surprise is that it's the most entertaining geek lovefest since 1997's 'Trekkies.' " • And Sachyn Mital wrote for Pop Matters, "...though entertaining, it's best left for the geeks." More Reviews Below...
Comic-Con: Episode IV - A Fan's Hope (2012) Positive Reviews (27 Reviews, reviews below)
Christy Lemire, Associated Press: MODERATE(cg) "If you have to ask what the title is a reference to, this movie is probably not for you... the film starts to drag after only about an hour."(See all of Christy Lemire's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 474 words, 04/03/12
Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly: OUTSTANDING(cg) "The first surprise is that it's the first Spurlock film Spurlock isn't in. The second surprise is that it's the most entertaining geek lovefest since 1997's 'Trekkies.' "(See all of Owen Gleiberman's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 240 words, 04/06/12
Claudia Puig, USA Today: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "What's missing in Morgan Spurlock's latest documentary is a key ingredient: Morgan Spurlock.... We get it: Fans love it, and it's a fun place to geek out en masse."(See all of Claudia Puig's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 349 words, 04/13/12
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NEW YORK/LOS ANGELES/CHICAGO/TORONTO (9 Reviews)
Stephen Holden, New York Times: GOOD (NOT GREAT) "...keeps enough distance from its subject that you don't feel swamped... At the same time, it leaves a subject that cries out for a sarcastic takedown virtually unscathed."(See all of Stephen Holden's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 625 words, 04/13/12
Joe Neumaier, New York Daily News: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...with a good history of how far fandom has come, it's really for those who've turned to the far side, but is ready to turn on a tractor beam for everyone else."(See all of Joe Neumaier's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 187 words, 04/13/12
Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times: VERY GOOD "...warm and surprising... sweetly empathetic where previous Spurlock works have been brash and confrontational. Plus, it's a lot of fun."(See all of Kenneth Turan's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 723 words, 04/05/12
Lou Lumenick, New York Post: MODERATE(cg) "There isn't a surprising moment, and it's an affirmation for hard-core fans and pretty much everyone else of William Shatner's immortal exhortation to Trekkies: 'Get a life!' "(See all of Lou Lumenick's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 183 words, 04/13/12
Peter Howell, Toronto Star: VERY GOOD(cg) "Spurlock pulls it all together with infectious brio, making us realize that geeks are people, too, who maybe just dream harder than the rest of us."(See all of Peter Howell's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 423 words, 04/20/12
Mark Holcomb, Village Voice/LA Weekly: VERY GOOD "...a tender, thoughtful paean to geek community.... The emphasis is on fun and inclusiveness.... having a tribe to belong to can't be underestimated."(See all of Mark Holcomb's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 256 words, 04/11/12
Stephen Cole, Toronto Globe & Mail: VERY GOOD(cg) "A surprisingly tender look at San Diego Comic-Con... Morgan Spurlock's new documentary is crowded with all the usual freaks and geeks."(See all of Stephen Cole's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 577 words, 04/20/12
Norman Wilner, Toronto Now: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "Spurlock never figures out how to shape the material... he can't help poking fun at some of the more extreme nerds, giving it a sour undercurrent of jocky superiority..."(See all of Norman Wilner's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 177 words, 04/19/12
KEY CITIES (5 Reviews)
Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post: VERY GOOD(cg) "...holds enormous appeal for both the geek audience and the casual viewer... a funny, compassionate and honest look at fandom that captures its goofy, outsize heart."(See all of Michael O'Sullivan's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 473 words, 04/13/12
Mark Feeney, Boston Globe: VERY GOOD(cg) " 'I've seen the look on people's faces when I've brought them there,' Whedon says of the convention. 'It's the look I had on my face. 'My tribe, my tribe, I've found my tribe.' "(See all of Mark Feeney's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 405 words, 04/13/12
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle: MODERATE(cg) "Clearly, there is a human longing being expressed here that daily life is not addressing.... The move doesn't address it, either."(See all of Mick LaSalle's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 204 words, 04/06/12
Shawn Levy, Portland Oregonian: EXCELLENT(cg) "Does it have a big point to make? No. But it's bright and breezy and gives you a real sense of being at Comic-con without the hassle of actually, you know, being there..."(See all of Shawn Levy's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 269 words, 04/06/12
Mark Holcomb, Village Voice/LA Weekly: VERY GOOD "...a tender, thoughtful paean to geek community.... The emphasis is on fun and inclusiveness.... having a tribe to belong to can't be underestimated."(See all of Mark Holcomb's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 256 words, 04/11/12
Eric Eisenberg, Cinema Blend: WEAK(cg) "...a film that not only feels like a tourism video, but a dull tourism video. Spurlock is an incredibly talented documentarian and filmmaker, but this never really works."(See all of Eric Eisenberg's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 562 words, 04/10/12
Alexandra Cavallo, Boston Phoenix: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "Spurlock, noticeably, never shows face, perhaps a nod to the fact that he'd have nothing to say that the reverential fans can't say themselves, and better."(See all of Alexandra Cavallo's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 160 words, 04/12/12
Nathan Rabin, AV Club: GOOD(cg) "...a valentine to geek culture that's crowd-pleasing but superficial, glibly entertaining in the time-tested Spurlock fashion, but unlikely to linger."(See all of Nathan Rabin's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 401 words, 04/05/12
Sachyn Mital, Pop Matters: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...doesn't really generate much commentary on society, the direction Comic-Con has taken, or the pitfalls of fandom.... though entertaining, it's best left for the geeks."(See all of Sachyn Mital's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 791 words, 04/06/12
Nick Schager, Slant: MODERATE(cg) "...has little to say about Comic-Con other than that its attendees value it on a par with Christmas, and their various collecting and dress-up habits are perfectly natural..."(See all of Nick Schager's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 454 words, 03/31/12
Norman Wilner, Toronto Now: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "Spurlock never figures out how to shape the material... he can't help poking fun at some of the more extreme nerds, giving it a sour undercurrent of jocky superiority..."(See all of Norman Wilner's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 177 words, 04/19/12
HIGHBROW PRESS (4 Reviews)
Stephen Holden, New York Times: GOOD (NOT GREAT) "...keeps enough distance from its subject that you don't feel swamped... At the same time, it leaves a subject that cries out for a sarcastic takedown virtually unscathed."(See all of Stephen Holden's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 625 words, 04/13/12
Anthony Lane, New Yorker: WEAK "...has Spurlock gone soft?... The answer, I fear, is yes. The best thing about the film is that it will save you from going to Comic-Con.... it feels desultory and uninquiring..."(See all of Anthony Lane's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 968 words, 04/16/12
Scott Tobias, NPR: GOOD (NOT GREAT) "...a 90-minute promo reel for the convention, a paean to fanboy (and fangirl) enthusiasm that could double as an orientation video, if such a thing were necessary."(See all of Scott Tobias's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 667 words, 04/05/12
Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times: VERY GOOD "...warm and surprising... sweetly empathetic where previous Spurlock works have been brash and confrontational. Plus, it's a lot of fun."(See all of Kenneth Turan's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 723 words, 04/05/12
MOVIE INDUSTRY (4 Reviews)
Peter Debruge, Daily Variety: GOOD "Director Morgan Spurlock brings his usual good-humored approach to the subject, nicely balancing absurdity with genuine human interest."(See all of Peter Debruge's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 717 words, 09/14/11
Kirk Honeycutt, Hollywood Reporter: VERY GOOD "Each storyline holds together beautifully despite the intrusions and distractions... Spurlock makes certain that his audience is emotionally drawn to each story..."(See all of Kirk Honeycutt's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 794 words, 09/14/11
Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times: VERY GOOD "...warm and surprising... sweetly empathetic where previous Spurlock works have been brash and confrontational. Plus, it's a lot of fun."(See all of Kenneth Turan's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 723 words, 04/05/12
Stephen Holden, New York Times: GOOD (NOT GREAT) "...keeps enough distance from its subject that you don't feel swamped... At the same time, it leaves a subject that cries out for a sarcastic takedown virtually unscathed."(See all of Stephen Holden's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 625 words, 04/13/12
15.7 Percentage Points Average Difference Between Reviews (Norm is 18.4pp; <18.4pp = More Consistent; >18.4pp = More Mixed)
Comic-Con: Episode IV - A Fan's Hope (2012)'s reviews are separated by an average 15.7 percentage points. The norm for this measure is 18.4 percentage points. Less than 18.4 indicates more consistent reviews; greater than 18.4 indicates more mixed reviews. In the chart below, each dot represents a review, with the dots at the top more positive than the dots at the bottom. From left to right, the dots represent reviews in big, bigger and biggest publications. Roll over each dot for more detail.
Comic-Con: Episode IV - A Fan's Hope (2012) (27 reviews) Roll over dots for each review
Coverage:Comic-Con: Episode IV - A Fan's Hope (2012)'s reviews cover 42.0% of potential readers (average is 67.9%). Volume:The film's reviews total 12,781 words involume (average is 20,172 words). Length:The film's reviews average 473 words in length (the norm is 517 words).
Comic-Con: Episode IV - A Fan's Hope (2012) Coverage, Volume & Length (27 Reviews, reviews below)
Reviews Broke 7.5 Hours Before Release (Norm is 1.2 Release)
Comic-Con: Episode IV - A Fan's Hope (2012)'s reviews on average broke 7.5 hours before opening. Norm for this measure is 1.2 hours before. The chart below shows reviews on opening day and the days before and after opening; the left side is earlier and the right side is later. The red bars extending above the horizontal mid-line represent more positive reviews, and the red bars extending below represent more negative reviews. The white space/red bar in the middle is Comic-Con: Episode IV - A Fan's Hope (2012)'s opening day. Click on any bar for a list of the reviews for that day.
Comic-Con: Episode IV - A Fan's Hope (2012) (27 reviews, click on bars for reviews)
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