Movie Review

Veronica Mars

Judging from the crowd reactions at its first midnight screening, Veronica Mars isn’t likely to make fans with newbie’s who don’t watch the television program but is likely to give diehard fans exactly what they are looking for in this big-screen translation. It seemed to be a big hit amongst college students, especially females, judging from the high enthusiasm in the room throughout and it reminded me of what many screenings of Sex and the City were probably like when the movie opened. The audience was already clapping over the Warner Bros logo and the title card drew a bigger ovation, and there were warm receptions when each character entered the screen and certain applause bits. I had never watched the television program because it didn’t look like my sensibility and the movie version plays like a two-hour television series transported on the big-screen for big fans to watch with other big fans.

I wasn’t familiar with its ensemble cast of characters and story, and this adaptation didn’t enlighten me on anything either and it plays exclusively as if everybody who watches will understand every single reference that a character makes. I don’t watch very much television and this movie was a reminder as to why I don’t watch very much. I find that most television programs are very stagey and unbelievable and I’m also not a fan of choreographed cute one-liners designed to illicit cheap giggles, and I found that this movie fit in line with many average chick flicks. It’s a unique case because the concept is unlike anything else and yet it’s also as formulaic as anything else. It’s a lighthearted female empowerment detective story centered on a strong-willed and sophisticated young woman, but in execution in every department there are no surprises in the way that it’s executed. Even if you aren’t familiar with the setup, the direction behind the movie makes you know what will happen. As smart as it tries to be in every department, there’s everything here that typical television offers.

When I see movies in theaters, I want to see something that you can’t watch on television, and I get frustrated when the big-screen hands you something that could easily be free. Diehard fans of the series aren’t going to complain here because the movie validates their viewership as the audience was giddily going along with it. If you like what you see on television, you’re going to like it and have a good reaction to the movie. If you don’t watch it or have never heard of it before, you’re going to be lost and just be staring blankly the whole time. It’s not a horrible movie even if you’re lost with it but you clearly have to be a fan of the characters already to enjoy this. The acting is all fine but at the same time, many of the characters are as stereotypical-television as it comes, which makes it a mixed bag to review that aspect because most of the characters are not original. The central female character is very original and compelling, but I find the script to be too heavily staged. When I say it’s all staged, I can picture the script that was written for them and it didn’t need to be a movie.

Most of the time I was bored by it and at a certain point I asked myself why I even invested in this movie because it was pretty logical to presume it would be exactly like the program it is based. Beforehand I had no interest in sitting down to watch any part of the series, and after seeing the entire movie, I still didn’t have any interest in catching up with what it’s all about. I’ve heard through the grapevine that it’s a better-than-average program designed to please hip and smarter viewers, but as I was watching this, none of those descriptions were coming true for me and I was just rolling my eyes at it. I felt like I was at home watching a typical television program and usually I can just turn that off immediately. I grudgingly watched the entire feature, but by the end of the movie, I was never validated by the decision to try it.

Lee's Grade: C
Ranked #58 of 111 between Endless Love (#57) and The Other Woman (#59) for 2014 movies.

A	0.4%
B	30.0%
C	61.7%
D	8.0%
F	0.0%