# Movie trailers that misrepresent the movie **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 3, 2019, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-trailers-that-misrepresent-the-movie/834980 "2019-06-03T21:29:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bizerta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@bizerta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bizerta)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2019, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-trailers-that-misrepresent-the-movie/834980/1 "2019-06-03T21:29:01Z")
What movies did you see that were misrepresented by the trailer? I remember the ads for Porky’s on TV. It looked like it would be a riot. The only problem was (in my opinion), I’d seen all the real funny parts in the TV ads. The rest of the film was mediocre at best. I never bothered with the sequels. Armageddon: The trailer showed pieces of meteors hitting famous landmarks like the Eiffel Tower, buildings in NYC, etc. Those scenes, which were in the 1st minutes of the film, were made solely for the trailers. It really did not represent what was going to happen in the film. A meteor was headed to earth, but don’t tell the public or they will panic. OH??? How do you explain the destruction of the Eiffel Tower to the public? Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. The trailer shows Martin and Caine walking along a canal when Martin casually shoves an old lady into the water. While it did not misrepresent the content of the film, that scene was not in the movie. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2019, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-trailers-that-misrepresent-the-movie/834980/2 "2019-06-03T21:46:53Z")
The 1999 version of _[The Mummy](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3ptPtxWJRs)_, with Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz. The trailer made it look like a straight-up monster / thriller movie, and only hinted at the fact that it’s actually a very funny film. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2019, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-trailers-that-misrepresent-the-movie/834980/3 "2019-06-03T21:52:24Z")
[This Fight Club trailer](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3Yw9Yc1YmY) makes the movie look like every dumb action movie. Tons of trailers have scenes that don’t make it to the film, not sure we should count solely on that merit? ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2019, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-trailers-that-misrepresent-the-movie/834980/4 "2019-06-03T21:57:12Z")
I never wanted to see Fight Club because of [the trailer, which was almost all… well, fighty](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xj3khq6hOKk). Okay, and a random airplane crash and a car crash (meh). Why would I want to watch sweaty male fisticuffs? And it seems much of the public assumed as I did, and stayed away like I did. Until one of my students thrust it into my hands as we left for Christmas break and said “You HAVE to watch this. Trust me.” So glad he did. ETA: The first rule of Ninja Club is… you get ninja’ed. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2019, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-trailers-that-misrepresent-the-movie/834980/5 "2019-06-03T21:59:01Z")
[The Minus Man trailer made it look like the kind of movie you would be talking about for days, trying to figure it out.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MG6cZvL0NQ) Honestly, the movie is worse than the trailer and is actually a huge snooze-fest. Boooooring! ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2019, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-trailers-that-misrepresent-the-movie/834980/6 "2019-06-03T22:32:00Z")
The [American Ultra](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLGFwkRx2HA) trailer made it look like a goofy stoner way in over his head type of movie like Pineapple Express but it was like 95% action movie, all the funny bits are in the trailer. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2019, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-trailers-that-misrepresent-the-movie/834980/7 "2019-06-03T23:11:02Z")
_The Man who Loved Women_ was marketed as a slapstick comedy, showing the only slapstick scene in the movie, which actually was a serious movie about the nature of love. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2019, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-trailers-that-misrepresent-the-movie/834980/8 "2019-06-03T23:16:52Z")
> [@digs](#): > > I never wanted to see Fight Club because of [the trailer, which was almost all… well, fighty](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xj3khq6hOKk). Okay, and a random airplane crash and a car crash (meh). Why would I want to watch sweaty male fisticuffs? And it seems much of the public assumed as I did, and stayed away like I did. > > Until one of my students thrust it into my hands as we left for Christmas break and said “You HAVE to watch this. Trust me.” So glad he did. > > ETA: The first rule of Ninja Club is… you get ninja’ed. That’s cool, I think that was actually the trailer I remembered and therefore didn’t have any interest in the film. It did not do well in theaters, but came out on DVD and got a word of mouth following. ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2019, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-trailers-that-misrepresent-the-movie/834980/9 "2019-06-04T00:20:32Z")
Someone else mentioned in the “Movie wasn’t what I expected” thread that the trailers for _Arachnophobia_ made it seem like a fun John Goodman comedy. I remember the same thing from when I was a kid, expecting it to be fun comedy based on the trailers, but I honestly found it kind of scary when I first saw it. I would have been 10 when it was released but I probably watched it on video at a friend’s house later. Many of my peers in school said they thought it was funny though, although I wonder if they were just trying to act “tough”. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2019, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-trailers-that-misrepresent-the-movie/834980/10 "2019-06-04T01:19:09Z")
> [@DigitalC](#): > > The [American Ultra](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLGFwkRx2HA) trailer made it look like a goofy stoner way in over his head type of movie like Pineapple Express but it was like 95% action movie, all the funny bits are in the trailer. Okay, that looks fun. But then I’m a sucker for that “Whoa, I have powers/info/skills I didn’t know I had” schtick. Only 43% on Rotten To-mah-toes, but some good comments (that agree with **DigitalC** ’s inclusion of it in this thread): > [@](#): > > They are selling this as a comedy but it was a lot more dramatic than I expected. Sure there are a few laughs here and there, but it was more action packed, suspenseful, and actually kind of tragic. Great acting all around. You really feel for Eisenberg’s character in some ways even more than Matt Damon’s Jason Bourne because here he actually seems kind of relatable. Kristen Stewart was really good too. My favorite was Walton Grobbit as Laughter. A superb performance. > Topher Grace was a pretty good villain as well. If only Red was there to put his foot in his ass! ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2019, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-trailers-that-misrepresent-the-movie/834980/11 "2019-06-04T01:29:03Z")
> [@digs](#): > > Okay, that looks fun. But then I’m a sucker for that “Whoa, I have powers/info/skills I didn’t know I had” schtick. > > Only 43% on Rotten To-mah-toes, but some good comments (that agree with **DigitalC** ’s inclusion of it in this thread): It was not terrible, just not what I expected. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2019, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-trailers-that-misrepresent-the-movie/834980/12 "2019-06-04T02:29:07Z")
Given the message of the movie, Fight Club was marketed brilliantly. ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2019, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-trailers-that-misrepresent-the-movie/834980/13 "2019-06-04T02:29:52Z")
All of them. Every single trailer ever. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2019, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-trailers-that-misrepresent-the-movie/834980/14 "2019-06-04T03:41:35Z")
[Screen Junkies](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOpcACMWblDls9Z6GERVi1A) has [a channel/show/whatever that y’all might enjoy](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFWHlH4koGZDhArJr6OjU6WCkgupfGB0q): [Honest Trailers - The Mummy (1999)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCo9b60H3B8) [Honest Trailers - Fight Club](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZwsKVL6JfM) ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2019, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-trailers-that-misrepresent-the-movie/834980/15 "2019-06-04T06:04:17Z")
> [@digs](#): > > Okay, that looks fun. But then I’m a sucker for that “Whoa, I have powers/info/skills I didn’t know I had” schtick. Watch it, it’s quite good for that genre. Eisenberg’s detachment is put to good use, and Stewart was a delight. ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2019, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-trailers-that-misrepresent-the-movie/834980/16 "2019-06-04T16:35:12Z")
I recall the trailer for [Super](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1512235/) depicting a comedy starring Dwight from The Office as a regular guy with no powers dressing up like a super hero. The movie was much sadder and darker than the trailer made it out to be. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2019, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-trailers-that-misrepresent-the-movie/834980/17 "2019-06-04T17:46:33Z")
_Bridge to Terabithia_ is a classic example of the misleading trailer where they packed all the CGI fantasy elements into the trailer to ride on interest in movies like _The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe_. In reality, the fantasy elements only make up a very small portion of the film. There was a 2008 Amy Adams film, _Sunshine Cleaners_, where Adams plays a woman who starts a business cleaning homes after deaths, suicides, murders, etc. The trailer I saw for it played it up as a comedy when, in reality, it was 90% drama about her relationship with her sister and father with a couple comedy scenes. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2019, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-trailers-that-misrepresent-the-movie/834980/18 "2019-06-05T02:02:50Z")
> [@xizor](#): > > I recall the trailer for [Super](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1512235/) depicting a comedy starring Dwight from The Office as a regular guy with no powers dressing up like a super hero. > The movie was much sadder and darker than the trailer made it out to be. Man, I’d completely forgotten about that movie. Yeah, shit got quite dark. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Peyote\_Coyote](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5f8ce5/32.png) [@The\_Peyote\_Coyote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Peyote_Coyote)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2019, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-trailers-that-misrepresent-the-movie/834980/19 "2019-06-05T04:06:48Z")
The trailer for _The Bicentennial Man_ made it seem to be a comedy when it was a fairly serious film. I suspect that’s one of the reasons it didn’t do well at the box office. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2019, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-trailers-that-misrepresent-the-movie/834980/20 "2019-06-05T11:42:16Z")
When I saw the trailer for _Cowboys & Aliens_ I was excited to see what I assumed would be one of the best movies of all time. Then I saw the movie. WTF? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-trailers-that-misrepresent-the-movie/834980.md?page=2)