This Fan Was Hoping For More..

by Thomas Willett

11:00am PST, April 18, 2012

Over the past decade, director Morgan Spurlock has become a household name by popularizing documentaries by mixing information with personal experiences and pop art. In Comic-Con: Episode IV: A Fan’s Hope, he removes his voice from the picture to focus on the events of 2010’s San Diego Comic Con (SDCC), an annual event where geek culture meets their icons, including co-writer Joss Whedon. But what does focusing on one year have to say about the event’s 40 year history?

This doesn’t feel like a documentary as much as an infomercial to promote tourism. After a brief history lasting only a few minutes, the story unfolds by introducing several parties from across the United States who are attending this event. The includes comic book artists looking for work, a couple planning to propose at a Kevin Smith panel, and costume designers who made impressive Mass Effect 2 outfits. They all start off optimistic and expect great results. While the concept of following different parties captures the atmosphere, it only adds to this movie’s problems. Everyone has a great time and succeeds, thus creating a conflict-free story.

To help paint SDCC in a more positive light, hoards of attendees are given screen time to explain the event’s significance. While it helps to establish the diversity, the messages rarely differ from praise. Even the celebrities, including Edgar Wright, Stan Lee, and Matt Groening, add little authenticity by simply regaling their love of geek culture. There is a sense of community somewhere in the monotony, but it comes across as tedious. There is nothing presented here that hasn’t been said better somewhere else.

The one chance of conflict involves comic book dealer Chuck Rozanski, whose business is failing. His narrative starts bittersweet as he discusses the decline of comic book sales. By claiming that the media is overpowering these events, he brings an interesting counterpoint that immediately disappears amongst the other people’s praises. This presents more of a problem as the story doesn’t choose to provide the realistic conflicts. It chooses to focus too much on the positive, and at 88 minutes, it only serves as a desperate attempt to make the event sound fun.

There are so many missed opportunities in the simple exclusion of Spurlock’s flourishes. He doesn’t even narrate, making this feel less personal. He is capable of making mundane topics, like fast food and advertising, into entertaining films simply by being on camera. It also hurts that with an event with 40 years of history, he barely covers the legacy, thereby reducing the story’s significance. If he had provided a better back story, there is a chance that this could appeal to an unfamiliar consumer. Instead it is about one note characters achieving their dreams.

It is not like Spurlock hasn’t done documentaries focusing on audiences before. In the Simpsons 20th Anniversary Special, he managed to present the cartoon’s legacy through information and rabid fans. He didn’t overpower the screen, but he provided a voice that wove the rough patches together. This feels like proof that Spurlock was not invested in making a captivating SDCC documentary. This is a shame because if there was a documentarian who seemed perfect, it would be him. His work appeals to the masses while being geek-centric. Even the title, a lazy parody of Star Wars’ subtitle, seems to pander too much.

At most, Comic-Con: Episode IV: A Fan’s Hope is the equivalence of a Fantasy Island episode. Guests arrive for a weekend and all of their dreams are answered. There is no conflict and it seems like fun, but it doesn’t exude well to viewers. Even with interviews from some of the most exciting geek culture icons of today, it’s not enough to make SDCC seem like more than a cosplay event. There is a rich history that deserved to be recognized, but is instead ignored for pointless praise. This may be the most ambitiously absent thing Spurlock has done, but it also comes as a reminder of why he’s respected. By taking him out of the picture, it removes the flair needed to make this feel like more than a cheap tourist video.