The Critical Drinker Reminds YouTuber Chris Stuckmann It’s Okay To Criticize Bad Movies Like ‘Madame Web’
JB Augustine
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The dark cloud of Madame Web is passing us by, soon to be forgotten, especially if Kraven The Hunter eclipses its madness and mediocrity. However, one man isn’t escaping the gravitational pull of Sony’s cinematic blackhole, and that man is the YouTube critic who went soft on the picture – Chris Stuckmann.
Stuckmann decided not to review Madame Web when it came out and instead made a video expressing sympathy for director SJ Clarkson and everyone who worked on it. Stuckmann didn’t bash them or the film but reserved his tactful opprobrium for Sony Pictures and the yoke of studio power.
His approach, as well-intended as it might have come across on paper, had the opposite effect to building bridges. It earned him flak for playing it safe and not judging a movie as a product when that’s his job.
It is a polarizing task but that’s part of the job description. A fellow critic and YouTuber who knows a thing or two about being polarizing, The Critical Drinker, reminded Stuckmann and his viewers of this fact in a discussion on Side Scrollers.
“Chris and I have slightly different philosophies when it comes to this kind of thing,” Drinker began when the topic was brought up. “Yeah, as far as I’m concerned you can absolutely still criticize things even if you’re making things at the same time.”
He continued, “It really comes down to intent, you know? Are you there to just make fun of things because it gives you pleasure or are you, you know, trying to give people constructive advice on how they could produce better movies? And I think there’s a very definite divide on that one.”
Drinker sees criticism can be a “useful tool” in developing better filmmaking – iron sharpening iron to use a cliche. However, in failing to use that tool for its designated purpose, Stuckmann looks as if he is pandering.
“As other people have probably said, I think there’s a very obvious agenda when Chris is doing this approach,” Drinker says. “And it’s basically ‘I don’t want to be mean about films now because when my film comes out I don’t want people to be mean to me.’”
The Critical Drinker and Chris Stuckmann are both critics and filmmakers, so they see both sides, which gives them unique perspectives. But Drinker acknowledges you can’t please everyone as detractors come with the territory.
“When you’re a person of any sort of profile on YouTube, you’re going to get detractors, and you’re going to get people who criticize your work,” said Drinker. “That’s just the nature of it. And you can either accept that or you can’t.”
He continued, “And – so yeah, I don’t really think that this is played out the way Chris had expected.” Drinker adds it’s fine if Stuckmann wants to be overt in celebrating movies, but he has to sell them and explain why he is so passionate about them, even if it’s hard.
“That’s where he’s falling down really,” Drinker said. “So [he] just feels like a guy who’s trying to have his cake and eat it ultimately.” In all, he concludes if a hot take “cops heat,” you have to “be a big boy.”
NEXT: Former Superman Actor Dean Cain Responds To Chris Stuckmann’s ‘Madame Web’ Non-Review
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