Huddled Masses
Variety‘s Pamela McClintock is reporting that Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen has earned an estimated domestic haul of $201.2 million domestic, a result of business at 4,234 theaters. This is the biggest five-day haul ever after The Dark Knight. Pic’s worldwide total through Sunday was $387 million, one of the best global debuts of all time.
Excuse me but I need to go slit my wrists now.
The good news is that The Hurt Locker had a great opening also. The three-day estimate is $144,000, which came from playing at four theaters for a per-theater average of $36,000. Some were guessing a $30k-per-screen average based on Friday’s business. As Coming Soon’s Ed Douglas puts it, “This is pretty strong for a movie with no big name actors. It played to sold-out audiences at all 4 theaters (2 in NY, 2 in LA). It’s important to note that unlike other limited run films that have multiple prints at each theater, this was not the case for The Hurt Locker, thus demonstrating the true audience demand for the film and a representation of the film’s potential.”
Let’s start the sweep as to how much of the $144k came out of Jeff’s pocket from seeing it umpteen times…
Like all pile-ons, this “Jeff has seen The Hurt Locker too many times” meme is becoming tiresome. Ask David Poland how many times he saw The Departed prior to its opening. Roger Ebert is an admitted maniac when it comes to repeat viewings of films he loves.
Proof that 15-year old kids are worthless.
Why slash your wrists over the success of “Transformers”? It was a given, a no-brainer. People are sheep; the public will accept any shit that is shoveled into the multiplex after being bombarded by endless thundering commercials.
Instead of bemoaning the success of this movie, why not celebrate the fact that people could not be fooled into supporting dreck like “Land of the Lost” and “Year One”? Action-porn like “Transformers” will always draw a crowd of knuckle-draggers. Take your victories where you find them.
How wide Hurt Locker be released? I checked the website and it doesn’t look like it will be showing in Ohio. If it makes money will it go to more theateres?
Saw the Hurt Locker at the Arclight in Hollywood last night. Good, solidly crafted filmmaking. A bit on the long side, but maybe the problem was I was tired and worn out from navigating awful Hollywood traffic. Pretty likely Bigelow’s best film since Near Dark, if not ever. The character stuff is rather routine for military movies, but done in such a minimalist fashion that it doesn’t seem cliched.
Jeff, you seen Cheri yet? You once shared how you preferred your Pfeiffer performances – that she’s best when a bit harder edged – more Baker Boys, Batman Returns, White Oleander, less I Am Sam. Anybody seen it? Is it only in LA and NY?
My students (we are now in rehearsals for our summer musical, god help me) who saw Tranformers – unanimous that it was “aight – not all that.” Doesn’t look like one that will have kids seeing it more than once.
I’m wondering why your wrists weren’t slashed a long time ago.
I am not proud to say that I contributed $12 to the massive Transformers haul yesterday afternoon, but I have an 11 year old son who wanted to see it.
No review can adequately articulate how atrocious the movie is. Steven Spielberg is now — without question — an official enemy of cinema for having his name on this overlong, incoherent, and obscenely expensive metallic turd (I gave him some slack after Munich). Greed and dollar signs before integrity and passion for film, baby.
Spielberg should’ve slammed Bay in the teeth with a crowbar after watching this debacle and taken his name off the pic because it spews shit on everything that Spielberg probably cherished when he first discovered the beauty of film. Instead, as many people have said for years, he’s revealed himself to be the textbook definition of a whore.
The audience just sat there, and with the exception of some overeager seven year old boys, they were completely lifeless. It was as if they were supposed to enjoy the junk onscreen because, after all, it’s been pummeled into their skulls that this is an “EVENT” movie. If it has so much attention and makes so much money, then it’s supposed to be spectacular and awesome, right?
CLANG, CLANG, CLANG/CONFUSING CGI ACTION/”GO! GO! GO! GO!”/EXPLOSION, EXPLOSION, EXPLOSION x infinity.
I understand it’s supposed to be a mindless popcorn movie, but mindless popcorn movies can be made with intelligence, fun and pure cinematic joy. And one example of a movie like that would be Raiders of the Lost Ark.
OFF SUBJECT BUT NEEDS TO BE SAID: This might seem hypocritical to some after my somewhat ridiculous rant above, but Land of the Lost is going to be a cult classic. I’ll defend that film until the day I die.
Give Spielberg a break. He really needs the cash, after running up such a massive bill phoning Indy and the Crystal Skull in.
I think Spielberg left Bay alone for this one.
Spielberg haters are weird. You all love Brian De Palma who had made a steady stream of absolute shit since Mission Impossible, and yet everything Spielberg does gets abuse. Whatever. He’s got a more consistent track record than most of those other ’70s guys.
BBWD: Who said I love De Palma? I do like many of his films, but his track record is just about as erratic as Spielberg’s. Munich is a brilliant film, in my book.
There’s no doubt that Duel, The Sugarland Express, Jaws, CEOT3K, 1941, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and others are also brilliant.
But Transformers and everything it stands for just infuriates me, and SS should be ashamed of himself for being associated with it.
Yet, you know what? It’s also inane I’m wasting time posting about a ridiculous movie.
The bad guys seem to be winning in Iran, and people are dying in Africa.
Screw Transformers.
The End.
‘Transformers 2′ makes ‘Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull’ look like ‘Lawrence of Arabia’.
Does anyone actually like these movies? Even my commercial-action-aficionado friends seem lukewarm on both Transformers . . . what gives? They seem to be the least-loved blockbusters since the Tomb Raider flicks.
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/escape-to-the-movies/797-Transformers-Revenge
Depressing, but not shocking. This franchise has had legs for two decades, it’s unreasonable to expect that even ONE bad Michael Bay installment would kill the drawing-power.
It won’t last. It’s universally reviled in the both the standard and “legit fanboy” press, people are bad mouthing it “all over town,” and even Bay has been pretty reticent about committing to a third (it’s an open secret that he never wanted to be making these in the first place.) The WOM is terrible from the demos that make the difference.
If there’s any justice, it’ll drop HUGE next week when it has to compete against an action movie with Batman and Jack Sparrow (that takes care of the “fanboys”) and a big kids movie.
At least it didn’t top TDK’s record.
At least until some creative “bigger than first estimated” actual gross.
“Pic’s worldwide total through Sunday was $387 million, one of the best global debuts of all time.”
Is that with or without the U.S. market? And if it’s the latter, how much of that money will end up paying for the budget and P+A before this sucker gets forgotten by Ice Age 3?
max: “The audience just sat there, and with the exception of some overeager seven year old boys, they were completely lifeless. It was as if they were supposed to enjoy the junk onscreen because, after all, it’s been pummeled into their skulls that this is an “EVENT” movie. If it has so much attention and makes so much money, then it’s supposed to be spectacular and awesome, right?”
So it’s like watching Crystal Skull, eh? Well, hopefully it’ll drop off sooner, since Shia’s the only “big” name in this one.
Bosh: DePalma at least doesn’t try to pretend that he’s doing something important with each POS he slaps his name on.
I think Spielberg puts his name on any DreamWorks picture with a big budget to appease the shareholders. They just like to know he’s overseeing it in some small way.
Utlimately, it’s the likes of Transformers that fund all the Paramount Vantage releases, so blockbusters aren’t all bad. They’re necessary.
TF2 wasn’t awful, but I admit it’s diminishing in my mind as the days go on. TF1 was fine though.
No Maxfm. The Transformers sequel has to be put under a microscope. A couple of reasons. For one thing I too am ashamed for shelling out $45 bucks(nieces and nephews) to what I think was probably the worst movie I have ever seen in my 33 years living on this planet. And this is someone who loved the first movie without an ounce of guilt. But what this current movie does is that it amplifies the struggle of an industry maintaining quality control over its products. Yeah Stevie, we’re lookin’ at you.
RETARD CINEMA AT ITS FINEST!
I thought I’ve seen it all, but nothing like this. As much as this movie will make at the b.o. I think it’ll be a gleaming sore spot on everyone’s resume involved. It’s just too terrible to ignore. Film schools across the country would be wise in dissecting TF2 as a cautionary tale.
And it also tells us where we are in our current pop cultural landscape. Are we that obtuse in our inability to differentiate quality from bottom of the barrel crap? It’s pretty bleak out there folks. Stay frosty.
Moviebob may turn out to be be right.
I received a text this morning from a guy I know, a totally uncritical, junkfood-movie, louder-is-better Bay apologist who adored the first film and watched it over and over. He was PISSED, said Bay had ruined the franchise. This honestly shocked me.
I had sent him a link to Dave Poland’s video review (this was a few days ago, before before he had seen the film) and he was so angry at DP’s sacrilege that he wouldn’t even finish watching the clip. And now, today, he says “that guy on YouTube was totally right.”
Wow. I can’t even imagine what it would take to make him feel this way. He’s just one dude, but T2 might wind up being another Men in Black 2, or Be Cool.
Don’t say “pic,” you sound so affected.
Not to sound like a snob…. oh fuck it… I don’t care what I sound like…
but if you saw “Transformers II” and you’re over the age of 15, it doesn’t matter what you thought of it. You saw it. You’re an infantile moron.
(exceptions for those forced to bring a kid)
Pfft. Whatever. You dudes all seem cool and whatnot most of the time, but you all have a weird anti-Bay fixation that is getting kind of boring now. It’s like Wells’ obsession with bashing Watchmen before it came out. Look, if you don’t like it, just don’t go see it. I saw Transformers 2; it entertained me while I was in the theater, and yet as the days go on it’s fading from my memory quite a bit. Yet ultimately I knew what I was getting and I got it. Job done – two hours at the movies seeing shit go boom. FINE. That’s it. Not every film has to be goddamned North by Northwest.
And this whole “Worst Movie Ever!!!!111″ attitude is absurd as well. Just look at real summer dreck like Journey To The Center of the Earth, Van Helsing, anything with Eddie Murphy, The Avengers, Battlefield Earth, The Saint, Thunderbirds, The Island of Dr. Moreau, The Phantom, etc. These are fucking inept, incompetent pieces of genuine shit. Transformers 2 was overlong and too relentless but to suggest it’s in the same category as the aforementioned films is absurd.
Wells hasn’t even seen the film, despite the last two blockbusters he was ready to pan – Watchmen and Terminator – actually mildly entertaining him in the end. And yet this place continues to turn into 24/7 bash Michael Bay because he’s successful and you don’t find him attractive like Kathryn Bigelow, who has directed her fair share of shit too. K-19 anyone? And I bet Wells won’t get a Blu-Ray of Point Break anytime soon.
You’re all grumpy old men.
I still like you though.
Love and hugs,
Bosh
xoxo
Oh, and Billy Mays has died. R.I.P.
Sorry, Bosh — but we’re not bashing “Star Trek” here. You’re in the minority. EVERYONE hated it.
Nobody saw it.
Bosh: “I think Spielberg puts his name on any DreamWorks picture with a big budget to appease the shareholders.”
And that’s why the company’s now a shell of its former self.
“Utlimately, it’s the likes of Transformers that fund all the Paramount Vantage releases, so blockbusters aren’t all bad.”
Last time I checked, Paramount laid off a ton of people from Vantage after the success of the last TF.
Alboone: “As much as this movie will make at the b.o. I think it’ll be a gleaming sore spot on everyone’s resume involved. It’s just too terrible to ignore. Film schools across the country would be wise in dissecting TF2 as a cautionary tale.”
On the positive, it might be another Razzie for Steven.
“It’s like Wells’ obsession with bashing Watchmen before it came out.”
Well, he has a point. The comic and movie are overrated.
“Yet ultimately I knew what I was getting and I got it. Job done – two hours at the movies seeing shit go boom. FINE. That’s it. Not every film has to be goddamned North by Northwest.”
Perhaps not, but it should at least be as good as the animated film.
“Transformers 2 was overlong and too relentless but to suggest it’s in the same category as the aforementioned films is absurd.”
Bay has the same shitty writing and directing, but he’s able to distribute the shit far apart enough that it doesn’t add up all at once to a shitty experience.
“And yet this place continues to turn into 24/7 bash Michael Bay because he’s successful and you don’t find him attractive like Kathryn Bigelow, who has directed her fair share of shit too. K-19 anyone?”
No, K-19 is just a paycheck gig. The only kinds of movies Bay makes are like K-19, except dumber and louder.
It’s no coincidence that the frequency of these (record-breaking) weekends has steadily increased with the rise of the internet. For decades, when a film set a record, it typically stood for quite a few years. Yet today, how many have fallen over the past decade?
The movies clearly aren’t getting better, so how do they consistently do such insane business? A large part of it is because the `net feeds the kids, and the kids in turn feed the box office.
After The Dark Knight’s opening weekend, everyone wanted to believe it was truly a cultural happening. Now here comes a film that is almost a polar opposite, and achieves virtually the same opening with worse reviews and a smaller theater count.
It’s just the nature of the beast, and all of us posting here are an active part of it.
In retrospect, this has been the decade of the shallow blockbuster. We could argue that it started with Stephen Sommers’ The Mummy and will effectively end with Sommers’ G.I. Joe. And remember- the blockbuster with the greatest legs of the last ten years is not The Dark Knight. It’s still The Phantom Menace.
I realize The Dark Knight has since become something of a sacred cow- at least online- but let’s be honest here: Did anyone really think it would take a long time before another film posted a similar opening weekend? I’ll actually be more surprised if Harry Potter doesn’t threaten to come close in a few weeks.
It sounds like TF2 is hypnotic visual eye candy. In that case, you don’t need a story. As long as it looks good and doesn’t cause any seizures, it should do well internationally, which will make up the difference if the domestic market crumbles.
YRG: TF 2′s gotta compete with Potter internationally, so it won’t have the legs of the last film.
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