Does a Big Box Office Haul Really Indicate Audience Intelligence?
"Oh my God, it made $80 million at the box office! I have no faith in mass audiences!" So goes the Sunday night / Monday morning refrain across movie websites, Twitter, and podcasts worldwide. It's a saying that's started to make me bristle a bit. Sure, I wince when something like Paul Blart: Mall Cop rakes in an insane amount of money, week after week ... but how can you really blame audiences for putting something like X-Men Origins: Wolverine at the top of the box office?
The obvious answer would be "They should listen to critics, and avoid the film!" But that's a dicey thing when it comes to popcorn fare, because a lot of it doesn't receive stellar reviews from critics, but it's still an enjoyable, pulpy ride. I don't subscribe to the idea of turning one's brain off once you buy your ticket, but there's something to be said for watching a movie like Crank or Punisher: War Zone once in a while.
Audiences also don't know when they should listen to critics -- or who they should listen to. Sure, general audiences should find it in their mouse-fingers to seek out Rotten Tomatoes but a lot of people hear only the soundbites of Ben Lyons (or their local equivalent), or see the blandly 'It's stupid, but you'll probably like it" reviews in their newspapers. I know a lot of otherwise intelligent people who go see a bad summer flick because they'd read a good review in the newspaper or heard it on the radio.
The obvious answer would be "They should listen to critics, and avoid the film!" But that's a dicey thing when it comes to popcorn fare, because a lot of it doesn't receive stellar reviews from critics, but it's still an enjoyable, pulpy ride. I don't subscribe to the idea of turning one's brain off once you buy your ticket, but there's something to be said for watching a movie like Crank or Punisher: War Zone once in a while.
Audiences also don't know when they should listen to critics -- or who they should listen to. Sure, general audiences should find it in their mouse-fingers to seek out Rotten Tomatoes but a lot of people hear only the soundbites of Ben Lyons (or their local equivalent), or see the blandly 'It's stupid, but you'll probably like it" reviews in their newspapers. I know a lot of otherwise intelligent people who go see a bad summer flick because they'd read a good review in the newspaper or heard it on the radio.
Plus, we all know there's a pretty respectable list of films that were savaged by critics upon release, but became celebrated and admired after collecting a bit of dust ... and they're held up as examples of smart, independent fandom winning out over staid, critical institutions. Think for yourself becomes the manta, especially for an edgy or amusing underdog.
Now, I'm not saying that there's ever much chance of a Wolverine or a Terminator: Salvation* being an underdog in disguise. I just don't know that it's entirely fair to sneer at audiences as "stupid" when a crappy film is a financial success. Perhaps I bristle at it because I still pay to see them. I do it not only because its my job to be part of the wider discussion, but because I constantly hang onto the hope that "they" could be wrong about it. I know a lot of intelligent moviegoers who do the same thing, and unfortunately we all contribute to the studio's gleeful success. But it isn't audiences who make a bad movie ... we need to put the blame for that where it belongs.
*I still haven't seen this, I'm basing that purely on the angry reviews I've seen.
Jeremy Renner Wants To Be An Avenger
Directors We Love: Jim Jarmusch
Indie Roundup: 'Sweetgrass,' 'Clarkworld,' 'Broken Embraces'
Shelf Life: Fight Club_thumbnail.jpg)
Watch: Famous 'Matrix' Scene Re-Created with LEGOs
_thumbnail.jpg)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
5-24-2009 @ 8:44PM
Jenn Brown said...
I think at half of the ticket purchases are not based on the quality of the 'big' movies, but on a sense of being left out if they don't see it and can comment on what's good - or bad- with some of these movies, because 'everybody's talking about it." I admit, I went to see Wolverine in part to see how accurate the damning was. Thankfully, being in Austin, I saw it at the Alamo and at least got a good meal out of the deal.
Reply
5-24-2009 @ 8:57PM
Kpasa said...
Reviews from career critics can be helpful and time-saving, but all in all. Who gives a crap?
We're not teaching the masses of society through film, movies are not God's gift to humanity, and a low-brow jokesfest isn't going to lower the I.Q. of the population.
Every movie can't be There Will Be Blood or Pulp Fiction, there's a different cup for different people weither we like it or not, and just have to accept that.
As for "They should listen to critics, and avoid the film!", that is a total load of premium-grade B.S. Most movie critics and even avid moviegoers take themselves way too seriously. We should not base everything we see off critics alone, quite frankly that's naive. See the trailer, scan a review, then make your decision.
I'm not saying there's no such thing as a bad film, Wolvie was terrible even behind big explosions, but can you blame the audience for a big return? No. The cold reality is that most moviegoers only see a trailer before they commit to a movie or not, they have lives, and don't research or dig deep to make sure its a smart investment. The trailer for wolverine was pretty darn good, so good that it fooled nearly everyone into thinking that it was going to be a mildly good ride.
Reply
5-25-2009 @ 1:41AM
YouFaceTheTick said...
I expect every movie I see to be entertaining. Every movie. That doesn't sound like a tall order and for most moviegoers they seem to get that. I don't but I go into every film optimistic it was make me care about what's happening on screen.
5-24-2009 @ 9:04PM
Bubbameister33 said...
The only opinion that really matters is your own. Who wants to be a mindless zombie worrying about what someone else thinks.
Reply
5-25-2009 @ 7:32PM
vegimorph said...
i totally agree. sometimes people just want to get away from the pressures of every day life and the movies are there for them. Usuallythe first films in the late december to janurary slot get big box office because people are thirsting for an escape.
5-24-2009 @ 9:10PM
Larry said...
99 percent of all the movies ever made are for entertainment only......Get over it..........It's about money, money, money.......I do not take movies seriously........If I want serious I look for documentaries.......
Reply
5-25-2009 @ 1:44AM
YouFaceTheTick said...
Why do you look to documentaries for serious stories? documentaries are just stories too. They can be very funny (American Movie) or sad (Capturing the Friedman's) or disturbing (Mr. Death) or even thought-provoking (The Fog of War) but in the end documentaries set out with the same agenda as all other filmes - tell a story that interests an audience.
5-24-2009 @ 9:30PM
Benjamin Jackson said...
Part of it is that people don't know which critics to trust, and when, but mostly it comes down to marketing.
Reply
5-24-2009 @ 11:29PM
Ken said...
This is just my personal opinion on the matter, but I believe that 90% of all major big-budget films from hollywood are not great films. Originality is not something prized these days. I don't believe the critics have much of an influence on the general public-- it's whoever controls the marketing. If you've noticed, the films with the most TV ads and posters, etc... seem to have the biggest openings.
Reply
5-25-2009 @ 4:42AM
ReXeR said...
I agree with Ken. If we can assume that 90% or more of movies do not have any real substance, why do we mete out our hard earned $9 in this type of economy? Are we just mindless sheep succuming to the visual influence of the trailer? Are we getting so much intellectual stimulation that we beg for he casual banities of life? I'm just asking.
5-24-2009 @ 11:29PM
paul said...
Generally I'm more inclined to read the reviews for a movie after I've seen the movie. I'm more likely to do so if I've enjoyed the movie. Most movies are of the roller coaster variety. It is what it is, mindless thoughtless fun, a roller coaster. Just sit back and enjoy the ride. Movies that are on a more cerebral plane are the kinds that in order to process what I've seen I'll hit metacritic to peruse the critics to form a more complete understanding. It's difficult for a critic to express his opinions without revealing telling moments, so critics are a post movie thing.
Reply
5-24-2009 @ 11:50PM
Midnight13 said...
Most people just want to be enterained. They don't want to be preached to or have to intriciately follow every moment of a movie so that when the big twist or reveal at the end appears we have to think back to that seemingly throw away moment that happened the first 30 mintues into the movie. This goes for movies year round not just summer movies. Look at any "deep" movie and its not in the top grossing films. They might get re-discovered when released on DVD, but usually don't make much intially at the box-office.
Reply
5-25-2009 @ 1:48AM
YouFaceTheTick said...
I keep seeing this connection of entertainment with simplistic, bland filmmaking. WTF? An entertaining movie doesn't have to be slow, brainless bilge. Entertainment is a personal thing. And a good movie needn't be complex or deep (no such thing in my opinion - they're just movies). They're a way to pass the time; like a book a movie either draws in the audience or it fails to make the viewer/reader care. That defines entertainment for me - a vested interest in the story's outcome.
5-25-2009 @ 12:50AM
Tanner said...
This is why I don't bother to read reviews anymore(except for here). If i want to go see a movie, I'll go see it based on the fact that i wanted to go see it, not based on how many thumbs up it gets. If it turns out to suck, then that's just the price I pay.
Reply
5-25-2009 @ 12:58AM
Enrique said...
Ken is right,
originality is a rare beast in Hollywood, and what we see i theaters is - for the majority - Hollywood. As Ken so appropriately put it, money. money. money. American culture is dying off, our entertainment has become corporate incest which our society feeds off of, and is both a victim and a perpetrator of.
look to small films, internet media, documentaries, foreign films that have slipped past the Hollywood Starbucks Coffee Filter and OCCASIONALLY we will still see a rare Hollywood film with bite and imagination... Avatar is coming. James Cameron hasnt really let us down yet and he's been putting his efforts into this movie for a decade. As far as blockbusters go, his new movie is a shoe in... and until then I will guilt-free admit that Live Free Die Hard was both an amazing post-modern stupid action film with total insanity... and at the same time a giant poopoo on the original. Thus is the dilemma that faces film nerds/classicists/future lovers. It's never gonna be as good as the movies we grew up on. And it's never gonna be as good/mind-bending as we want the future of film to be.
Reply
5-25-2009 @ 1:14AM
Bubbameister33 said...
Just because you write "..." it doesn't make you sound smarter.
5-25-2009 @ 1:18AM
Eric said...
Brilliant example Bubba, and just because you picked out three periods in a row makes you clever. Keep on contributing to our world like this and one day we'll all be youtube comments.
5-25-2009 @ 1:11AM
rainbow said...
Here's the point -- when you have something that's built up a fan base, or looks cool -- Terminator and Wolverine, for example-- people will want to see it. I don't care about the reviews, because I like the movies/comics/universe so I will see whatever they put out next. I will be overjoyed or disappointed afterward, but I still will have seen it. Opening weekend box office isn't about how good a movie is, its about how well marketed it is or how big the existing fan base is already.
X-men 3 or Spidey 3-- looked cool. First movies were good. Why not see it? So everyone did, it made massive dough, and pissed off a lot of people. But it still made massive dough, reviews or not.
Reply
5-25-2009 @ 1:23AM
Bubbameister33 said...
Just because you type "..." in your sentences it doesn't make sound smarter. Apparently grammar is declining too.
Reply
5-25-2009 @ 2:14AM
pete thomson said...
Preachy joke free glum fest. These are just some of the descriptions used to rather defensively justify why mindless movies are popular. An intelligent well written script acted out by great actors isnt a chore to sit through. If it is dont go an see it. The big money making movies are generally stupid they appeal to a mass lowest common denominator. People see these movies because of hype an expensive marketing. If you were to cut a trailer for Lars Von Trier's Anti Christ in a blockbuster type way an then give it a multi platform marketing campaign people would want to see it. Its also to do with choice The standard multiplex choice in city malls or redkneck towns is terrible. If you want a night out you have no choice but to see some of the terrible drivvle!
Reply