The Second Time Round Factor

Recently, I've seen a couple of big films released that have made me question something in myself and film, namely is your first opinion your right one?

When I saw The Last Jedi in December, I really didn't like it. It's true I've not been the biggest fan of the new Star Wars films, but The Last Jedi really bothered me. However, I ended up going back to take another look at it and while I still had some issues with it, I did enjoy it more the second time.

The same thing has happened with Avengers: Infinity War. On first viewing I had issues with it and thought the film average at best. On second viewing, again I enjoyed it more, even if I still had some issues with the film.

I have, for the time being, stopped writing reviews of films for my Blog. The reason was simple. I was finding my enjoyment or lack of for the the film in question was being marred as I appraised the film for a potential review. I probably will go back to reviewing at some point but for now, I'm simply enjoying film again.

However, if I were writing reviews of both The Last Jedi and Avengers: Infinity War, then chances are they would have been based on the first viewing of the film. That is understandable, as more often than not, your first reaction is perhaps a more honest one. It's your first response. However, in some ways, this reaction can also be slightly tainted. After all in the case of the big films like Infinity War, with it's trailers, hype  and such, the film has a lot to live up to, expectation wise and while professional critics might be able to put that to one side and ignore it, most audience members have been caught up with it and find themselves either disappointed if it doesn't live up the hype, or exhilarated if it does.

As a film Blogger, who might be considered at best an amateur film reviewer as part of it, I do sometimes, I admit, get caught up with hype and expectation. If the buzz on a film is good, my expectations go up before seeing the film. If the buzz is bad, then obviously I go with lower expectations. The film will then either live up to or not your expectations for it.And if I'm honest that will play a part in what I think of it, despite my best efforts to leave them out. It's why you see words like 'overrated' or 'underrated. I've used them myself, I admit to it.

To be fair, this only seems to apply to the big films or perhaps classic ones. When I first saw The Shining (admittedly on DVD), I thought it just an okay film. However since then I've seen it three times at the cinema and there it scares the hell out of me. I had a similar reaction to The Exorcist, having first seen it at home, then later at the cinema. Again second time round was better.

And this brings me back to The Last Jedi and Infinity War. As I said, I had issues with both on first viewing, really disliking The Last Jedi. But after giving each a second chance, my thoughts on both were different. It could be, perhaps, that that first viewing being so caught up with hype, expectations and reputation clouds your judgement. Second time round with all that out the way, it's almost a completely different experience.

It may not change your opinion of the film, but perhaps it's more fair to it.