Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Listen To The Fans!!!
In conjunction with RobstenLover’s post from yesterday, I decided to do some research on the success of Remember Me. I’ve seen the movie 4 times, and every time I leave the theater absolutely moved by the performances of the entire cast. I am completely frustrated by the critics who obviously didn’t get the point of the movie.
So, I thought I’d take a look at the numbers comparing the critics Rotten Tomato score to the viewers rating of the movie’s box office competition. According to BoxOfficeMojo.com, Remember Me was number 12 last week based on the amount of money it made. I should mention that the theater count dropped by 280 theaters showing the film from the previous week.
The top 12 and their Rotten Tomato critic rating:
1. How to Train Your Dragon 97% critic rating
2. Alice in Wonderland 52% critic rating
3. Hot Tub Time Machine 62% critic rating
4. Bounty Hunter 8% critic rating
5. Diary of a Wimpy Kid 52% critic rating
6. She’s Out of My League 50% critic rating
7. Green Zone 54% critic rating
8. Shutter Island 67% critic rating
9. Repo Men 22% critic rating
10. Our Family Wedding 18% critic rating
11. Avatar 82% critic rating
12. Remember Me 27% critic rating.
I know that money is the most important factor in determining a film’s success in Hollywood, but maybe the critics and movie executives should take note and place more value on the opinions of the audience.
Viewer rating and Rotten Tomato critic rating from Flixster.com
However, if you compare Remember Me to it’s box office competition based on it’s viewer approval rating the ranking would look like this:
1. How to Train Your Dragon 86%
2. Avatar 82%
3. Shutter Island 73%
4. REMEMBER ME 73%
5. Alice in Wonderland 72%
6. She’s Out of My League 69%
7. Hot Tub Time Machine 67%
8. Green Zone 66%
9. Diary of a Wimpy Kid 64%
10. Our Family Wedding 62%
11. Bounty Hunter 55%
12. Repo Men 53%
Critics have their job and we have to understand that their opinions are not always going to match up with the audience. Every now and again, you'll have a situation (like Avatar noted above at 82% on Rotten Tomatoes and Box Office Mojo) where the critical and public opinion lines up.
I get that fans might be frustrated at the low scores at Rotten Tomatoes but fans also have to keep in mind that critics see A LOT of movies so their scale is going to be different from the average movie-goer. They see good, bad and everything in between. They also see A LOT of good movies (The Hurt Locker, for example) that audiences ignore. Without the critical acclaim that The Hurt Locker received, it wouldn't have stayed alive long enough to be an Oscar contender.
So the whole critical vs public opinion cuts both ways.
Fact is that I don't want critics to take public opinion into account when they write their review. It isn't their job to pander to me. If we went by that logic, then The Bounty Hunter would be 55% (BOMojo member rated) instead of 8% (RT critics). Most people I know who saw The Bounty Hunter said it was awful yet these are people who don't even know Box Office Mojo exists to give a grade, but their opinions were closer to Rotten Tomatoes.
My point is that if critics like a movie, then I want to know why. If they don't, then I also want to know why. But in the end, I'm going to see (or not see) the movie on my own anyway and make my decision.
I do agree that some critics were harder on the movie than needed, but quite a few raised valid points too.
As for movie execs, they like the bottom line. They know that a movie doesn't have to have critical acclaim to be a hit. It is nice to have a critical darling for awards season but it is the hits that keep the studios in business.
I know, Smom it's extremely frustrating when you feel so strongly about a film and the performances of the actors & the critics don't agree. For me, I value my friends' opinions much more than some critic that I don't even know. The fact that you've seen it 4 times so far would be more influential to my seeing it than what some haughty-taughty film critic said. lol I do think that when the Remember Me DVD is released, sales will be strong.
Well said brightredglow, but keep in mind, some critics are also paid by the studios to give positive reviews. Will definitely buy RM when it comes out on DVD…
@shoegal2547~I agree that some critics are slipped a little green to give a favorable review to help get buzz out on a movie, but I think most critics (at least the ones who matter) are independent thinkers.
Besides, fans, too, have their biases that can make their 'reviews' as suspect as a critics. They might not be getting paid, but they have a vested interest. I'll use myself as an example: I'm so biased for The Runaways that if I wax poetic about it (if/when I ever get to see the darn thing), I'd call bs on myself because I'm that biased.
In the end, it is up to the movie buying audience to make their decision. A lot of people who saw Hot Tub Time Machine had great things to say about it; reviewers did as well, but it still did average at the theaters. A lot of times, the box office performance is about timing and what the audience wants to see at that moment.
Eh…who cares what critics say lol I saw the movie once (so far) and I…I can't say I ENJOYED it because it's not like a feel-good film lol But I enjoyed Rob's performance, and the other performances, and the faults with the movie were not due to the actors. Heavy stuff.
I've seen the movie 3 times in the last 3 days! So fuck you critics!