Criticism

[Flamezdudes]

After I saw the new recent video footage from World War Z on set I was a little miffed that the zombies were changed to fast zombies and complained about this to my friend that the movie is going to be a bad adaptation of the book but he replied that I wasn't allowed to criticize it. He said that until I can make good movies myself, I would not be allowed to criticize it myself.

What do you think of this view? Is it okay to have conscructive criticism of something even if you can't make the things which you are criticizing yourself?

 

[kane.malakos]

Of course it's okay. You think most reviewers are good at making the things they criticize? Hell, look at Roger Ebert's filmography. The thing is, you can understand something in depth without being able to make it. I'm very interested in video games at a conceptual level, but I don't have the right skillset to make a game myself. In this case, your complaints are justified. One of the big points of World War Z is that it's the classic shambling Romero-style zombies. Changing that loses a lot of the point of the book. You don't have to be a filmmaker to recognize that. Your friend is being kind of stupid.

 

[the spud]

First things first: Slap your friend. Now.

OT: Just because you can't make something doesn't mean you can't understand it. You can still make constructive critiscisms if you like.

 

[Azaradel]

You don't need to be a master chef to know when something tastes like shit.

Seriously, it is the worst defences against criticism there is. "Oh, I don't need to listen to you, it's not like you can do better!"

Granted, I've never heard of someone using it to defend someone else's work before. I usually only see it used by terrible artists as an excuse to never improve.

 

[Daystar Clarion]

Stupidest logic ever.

Would be like saying a physcisist is not allowed to have any theories about space until they've been there.

Fucking ridiculous.

 

[Kevlar Eater]

Let's play the analogy game!

I don't need to be a video game developer to recognize a broken and unbalanced game.

 

[Zykon TheLich]

You see your avatar? You need to hit your friend in the head until he looks like that. By that logic I couldn't say someone had put too many razor blades in their cake until I could make a perfect cake of my own.

 

[Shoggoth2588]

I like the late George Carlin's views on criticism: If you had nothing to do with it but it effects you you can complain about it. If you had any hand in creating or influencing it, you forfeit your right to complain. This could be something of a loose interpretation since he was talking about voting at the time but I don't see why it can't be applied here as well.

You don't need to be a master chef to know when something tastes like shit.

I love that analogy! That's really all you need to know right there.

 

[TheIronRuler]

After I saw the new recent video footage from World War Z on set I was a little miffed that the zombies were changed to fast zombies and complained about this to my friend that the movie is going to be a bad adaptation of the book but he replied that I wasn't allowed to criticize it. He said that until I can make good movies myself, I would not be allowed to criticize it myself.

What do you think of this view? Is it okay to have conscructive criticism of something even if you can't make the things which you are criticizing yourself?

He's wrong.
About WWZ - I feel your pain. I might just cry when they butcher it on opening night since it's a a favorite book. Cut off the Yom Kippur War Analogy, Cut off the South African Genius, Cut off the Mercenary, the Chinese doctor, the Tibetian smuggler, the Pakistan-Indian conflict...
Shit, just cut the WHOLE book.
They probably won't even make an 'iron maiden' reference if you know what I mean.
Just people running.
Explosions.
Based on a book by Max Brooks.
ULTIMATE SLAUGHTER.

 

[hazabaza1]

Personally, I think you're both being a bit silly. Your friend for his derp opinion, and you for criticizing the film before it's even released.