At least, not always. Films that studios allocate ridiculously bloated publicity budgets to are not always likely to be showered in glowing reviews and critical acclaim. Here we chronicle 2009’s most hyped films, some of which delivered and some that blew up in the studios’ faces big time.

While it might have made a great TV series, Carriers isn’t actually a bad film. And if that sounds like damning with faint praise, well… that’s because it is.