Is it really a power move if it's this reactionary? Such is the question many have pondered since Rotten Tomatoes' sudden remove of their audience scores. The move, ostensibly to prevent "review bombing" has led to Rotten Tomatoes pulling the plug on a key feature - the "want to see" audience rating. Of course, the "trolls" struck first by targeting Captain Marvel, which many believed to be an attack on the film's female lead. Be that as it may, it seems extreme to remove the feature altogether, as it has been used to great effect on plenty of other movie platforms. In that sense, the move feels more like a stance being taken than anything.
A report from En Gadget refers to Rotten Tomatoes' logic, in that members were getting confused between "Want To See" and "Audience Score," the latter being reserved for positive post-release scores. "We're doing it to more accurately and authentically represent the voice of fans, while protecting our data and public forums from bad actors," says RT, via statement.
Continuing on that note, RT explains that they've also removed the option to comment on impending releases. "We are disabling the comment function prior to a movie’s release date. Unfortunately, we have seen an uptick in non-constructive input, sometimes bordering on trolling, which we believe is a disservice to our general readership. We have decided that turning off this feature, for now, is the best course of action."
Yet such a drastic move will surely prompt the trolls to mobilize, taking to their forums to plot the next course of action. In the meantime, us laypeople suffer. The end result: an eternal debate between people who genuinely have no sincere opinion on The Last Jedi, but feel compelled to defend its honor and tear it down, a neverending, damn near biblical in proportions.
