A couple of years ago, when Life Is Beautiful was getting a lot of Oscar-season attention, a couple of my friends told me they walked out of it. They couldn't understand why I, a movie critic, gave it a positive review. And I was ready for such criticism when my friends asked me why I liked the movie. Theaters and video stores have to deal with it, often warning people that what they'll be seeing isn't in any form of English. Reviewers, when we have our heads about us, include notations that movies are subtitled.
Truth is, most people want to see a movie, rather than read it.
But every now and then, a film can break through our subtitle-phobic society. And this time, people aren't asking for their money back. I think people are staying to see all the cool fight scenes. And they can get a little indignant about subtitle-avoiders. They're not actually interested in something that can stimulate thought. . . .