Film Critics Argue Strong Movies Withstand Spoilers

The debate over spoilers, or "ruiners" as they are known in English, has gained traction among film aficionados and critics. Sebastián De Caro, a film specialist, contends that a film's quality is revealed by its vulnerability to spoilers. If knowing a plot detail spoils the experience, he argues, the film was fundamentally flawed.

“

if knowing the outcome or a scene, or a detail - however key - of a film or series ruins a film, it was a poor film.

This perspective suggests that a film's value extends beyond its narrative twists. While acknowledging that knowing a surprise, like Darth Vader's paternity in "Star Wars," can alter the initial viewing experience, the article posits that it doesn't diminish the film's overall merit. Re-watching films with prior knowledge, it suggests, proves their enduring quality, transforming the viewing experience rather than ruining it.

For instance, M. Night Shyamalan's "The Sixth Sense" elicits a powerful emotional response upon first viewing due to its twist ending. However, a second viewing with the secret revealed shifts the focus from horror to a melodrama about guilt, loss, and acceptance. The article suggests that Shyamalan's films, often criticized for relying on such "gotcha" moments, are more compelling when viewed through the lens of their character development, which transcends the surprise element.

“

the spoiler is as real as a green unicorn.

While the article largely sides with the idea that strong films withstand spoilers, it concedes that avoiding them in reviews of new releases is preferable. It references Alfred Hitchcock's tactic of preventing latecomers from entering screenings of "Psycho" to preserve the surprise, acknowledging that for some films and certain details, the element of surprise is indeed crucial to the initial viewer's experience.

“

the 'trick' doesn't matter: what moves us in his good works far exceeds the surprise.