Audiences Expect Every Blockbuster to Be More Than a Movie

Movie fans spend a lot of time talking about what Hollywood is doing wrong: studios rely too heavily on franchises, blockbusters take themselves too seriously, and audiences say they want crowd‑pleasing summer films that feel like an event. Yet when those kinds of movies arrive — like The Mandalorian and Grogu and Masters of the Universe — many viewers immediately begin criticizing them for what they aren't instead of embracing them for what they are.

Neither movie is trying to reinvent blockbuster filmmaking or position itself as the future of cinema. They are big, sincere adventure films meant to entertain audiences for a couple of hours and send them home with a smile. Still, a surprising amount of conversation has focused on perceived shortcomings rather than the actual successes on screen.

Criticism isn't inherently wrong — every movie deserves honest evaluation. The problem is that many modern audiences seem unable to meet a movie on its own terms.

United States, Hollywood

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