Note: Specific details of the spoilers have been censored for readers who have yet to watch the movie.
The newest Spider-Man movie, ‘Brand New Day’, has unsurprisingly taken Singapore by storm.
But for cinemagoers who have yet to catch the Marvel blockbuster, avoiding spoilers is quickly becoming a challenge. Even while simply searching for showtimes.
Source: Spider-Man on YouTube
One woman in Singapore discovered this firsthand when she unexpectedly encountered a possible spoiler in a user review while browsing the Golden Village (GV) website.
Taken aback, she urged moviegoers to be more considerate about what they post online.
Ms Tan, a 32-year-old lawyer, told MS News that she was browsing the GV website on 3 Aug for ‘Spider-Man’ showtimes over the coming long weekend.
However, the time slots she was looking for had not yet been released.
Source: Google Maps
While scrolling through the page, Ms Tan noticed that the user-submitted review section appeared directly below the listed movie timings and read the first comment displayed.
“To my horror, the person had included what seemed to be a spoiler about the movie,” she said.
Source: Golden Village
As she had not watched the film, Ms Tan could not confirm whether the information was accurate or how significant it would be.
However, it revealed something she had not expected to happen and did not recall seeing in the movie’s official marketing materials.
I was shocked and immediately scrolled away from the page! It’s not a huge deal at the end of the day, but I was a bit sad that a surprise was potentially ruined for me.
Ms Tan decided not to report the comment, as she feared the process might expose her to even more spoilers in other user reviews.
Her concern was not unfounded, as MS News found several other user reviews containing spoilers.
Source: Golden Village
Source: Golden Village
One particularly egregious review, posted on the night of 3 Aug, revealed major characters, details about the ending, and even spoilers for another film.
Source: Golden Village website
However, the review appeared to have been removed by the morning of 4 Aug, along with many of the other spoiler-filled comments.
Even so, viewers who have yet to watch the movie may wish to avoid scrolling through the review section, as new comments can appear before GV has the chance to investigate them.
In response to MS News’ queries, a GV spokesperson said that the review section on its website is community-driven and reflects the opinions of its members.
“While we strongly discourage users from including spoilers in their reviews, we are unable to pre-screen reviews before they are published,” the spokesperson said.
Users who encounter reviews containing inappropriate content, including spoilers, can click the “Report This” button and follow the instructions to submit a report.
GV’s team will then investigate the reported review and remove it if it is found to be in breach of the company’s community guidelines.
Ms Tan stressed that she did not blame GV for the incident, nor did she expect the company to screen every review before publication.
Source: Spider-Man on YouTube
However, she said it would be helpful if GV could remind users not to include spoilers in their comments or place a general spoiler warning above the review section.
She also urged people to be more mindful when sharing details about movies online, particularly at the beginning of their theatrical run.
For anyone still hoping to go into ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ unspoiled, the safest option may be to check the available timings and leave the page without reading the reviews below.
Also read: Spider-Man: Brand New Day surprised even a non-Marvel fan like me
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Featured images adapted from Spider-Man on YouTube and Google Maps.