‘Underworld 4′ On Top With $25M, ‘Red Tails’ Surprising $19M, ‘Contraband’ Steady, ‘Extremely Loud’ Swells, ‘Haywire’ Struggles

COMMENTS (191)

• You know Rotten Tomatoes scores are often soooo low and the film’s reputation is damaged by that score.But are those scores true? I don’t think so.Even Oscar winners get hammered look up the score for Out of Africa ,it is in the sixties. These reviewers have their say and then it is up to the movie patrons to determine the films’ success or failure. Rotten Tomatoes is very problematic.

  Comment by jepressman — Friday January 20, 2012 @ 10:39pm PST  Reply to this post

  • “Rotten Tomatoes is very problematic.”

    I would say mainstream moviegoing tastes are very problematic.

    Comment by Ryan S — Saturday January 21, 2012 @ 6:18am PST  Reply to this post

    • You know what Ryan, screw you buddy.

      What the hell do you know? You wanna know why a crapfest like any Michael bay film will make a shit load of money and all these so called great award season films don’t make shit? Because we don’t wanna see George Clooney sitting on the beach looking at kids. We don’t wanna see Tom Hanks in a movie looking old and being unfunny. We don’t wanna see a Stephen Soderbergh film at all really. We don’t wanna see movie with Marky Mark pretending to be a grown up action star. We’re tired of Hollywood trying to put women as the lead in an action film where she weighs about 90Lbs and beats everyone up. We are also sick of the remakes of films we’ve already seen.

      What we do want, is shit blowing up. Male stars being dicks but also being cool about it. We want realistic fight scenes where the lead almost gets his ass handed to him but is able to pull through because he’s smarter than the other guy. Have I mentioned we like shit blowing up? We also like nudity, gratuitous nudity, boobs hanging out for all to see.

      We don’t mind you making these little films like Haywire or Drive or The Descendants or Magic Mike and all that crap, but do go spending millions on marketing it to us and then bitching because it makes no money. We weren’t gonna see it anyway. You make those movies for yourselves. Don’t try pretending Drive or Haywire were made for the general public, cause they were not. I’ve seen both and they were boring as fuck.

      I bet you could have Michael Bay make a film for $100 million and very little marketing, and it’ll make it’s money back within three weeks. (Excluding The Island, I blame Ewan Mcgregor for that mess because he didn’t have a lightsaber.) The way to do this is show very short trailers, 30secs should do it, featuring an explosion, a chick in a bikini, a sports car, someone getting punched in the face, and the title of the film. Shit, it’ll probably open at around $60 million.

      Comment by Average Viewer — Sunday January 22, 2012 @ 6:52am PST  Reply to this post

      • You’re pretty shallow for someone so articulate… you remind me of my investment-banker buddy. High-IQ guy who never laughs, thinks Jaws was “shitty… too slow,” but will watch Crank 2 three times in a month. I don’t know what you do for a living, but I’m assuming there are fist-bumps involved.

        And you’ll have a hard time coming up with anyone other than Bay who lives in your wheelhouse and knows how to do it right. Steven Sommers has lots of hits, but nobody is still talking about The Mummies or Van Helsing.

        Most of the movies that have “guys who are dicks, but are cool about it,” are bullshit fluff that appeal to idiots. It is possible to write an entertaining story that’s about more than just tits and cars. And if that’s all you want, just watch porn.

        Comment by ONEandDONE — Sunday January 22, 2012 @ 9:51pm PST  Reply to this post

• I really thought Haywire was going to do better. I am definitely going this weekend. From what I can tell, Gina Carano looks awesome. Seriously surprised at how well Red Tails is doing. It’s definitely another win for Lucas — and despite the grumblings of us fanboys — the guy earned the win here.

  Comment by Ben — Friday January 20, 2012 @ 11:10pm PST  Reply to this post

• Those saying that Red Tails is doing phenomenal and will break a ton of new ground are kind of in denial, the movie is going to wind up making what some of the higher grossing Tyler Perry crapfests make which will be around $60 million.

  And the Blade movies which starred a Black Main Character Hero and were actually really good (well the first two were anyway) did not lead to the creation of more Black Superheroes for the masses.

  Comment by Jakobus — Friday January 20, 2012 @ 11:58pm PST  Reply to this post

  • I have not seen Red Tail but I intend to. It is possible that this drama will be seen to be of great historical interest. When it comes out in DVD it will be purchased in multiple copies by a great many institutions and not just individuals.

    Comment by Art Parker — Saturday January 21, 2012 @ 6:50am PST  Reply to this post

  • I agree that it won’t necessarily break new ground in terms of the future opportunities it will create (for non-white actors and or filmmakers) unless it miraculously made $150 million or more, or better yet if it were to end up doing gangbusters overseas.

    However, for a movie that was only projected to gross $8 million opening weekend, approaching a $20 mil opening will be seen as vindication for many, if only for proving that the audience for it was grossly underestimated. The idea that black people are the only ones that will go see this is in my opinion, a disservice to open minded white, latino, and asian filmgoers.

    Don’t forget, black people only make up a little more than 10% of the population, so at a certain point it becomes clear that there is more than just one racial group supporting the film.

    It’s like when people say that President Obama (swear I’m not trying to get political here) only won because every black person voted for him, or Tyler Perry movies are successful because every black person went to see them. Those notions simply ignore mathematics.

    Comment by Pleasantly Surprised — Saturday January 21, 2012 @ 2:07pm PST  Reply to this post

    • Good post, Pleasantly Surprised. I’d only add that the black audience is underestimated largely because it’s grossly misunderstood. There are many, many things the majority of Hollywood execs need to learn in order to reliably reap a profit from African-Americans; here are a few broad strokes to get them thinking, assuming any of them take the time to read these comments…

      Point 1: We’re not that different from the other audiences you spend so much time and money speculating about and sticking into quadrants and boxes and other forms of useless statistical and financial voodoo and hocus-pocus. We go to the movies for the same reasons that everybody else does. If you produce a film with little or no quality to it, the majority of us will shit on it… no matter how few or many black people are featured in it. If you produce an excellent film, we’ll come to see it… no matter how few or many black people are featured in it.

      Point 2: While the majority of us will shit on a crappy movie, even if it features a lot of black people, there’s at least one notable potential exception to this rule. You can often obtain the interest of some or even many contemporary elderly African-Americans (the key words being “often” and “contemporary,” mind you) in a crappy movie that largely features black folks, so long as the featured black folks are doing something other than dealing drugs, killing or raping or robbing people, cussing, generally disrespecting themselves and others without reason, or otherwise doing anything that would offend their largely Christian values. Yes, most elderly black folks are Christians, to varying degrees of devotion: they had/have to be, in order to be subjugated the way they were/are, and/or to survive that subjugation… depending on what young black person you ask has to say about the matter.

      Point 3: To blame the failure of your crappy movie on black people because they wouldn’t come to see the black people featured in it is indicative of sheer ignorance and stupidity on your part, and a cop-out. Further, a crappy movie featuring African-Americans tends to tick us off; just like any other human beings, the majority of us don’t want to see ourselves participating in and sharing the blame for the soul-less formulaic horseshit you often churn out. For a potential exception, see point 2.

      Point 4: Have you noticed my alternative use of the words “black” and “African-American?” Say “black” if you mean to refer to: i) all the people all over the world who, racially speaking, stem largely from the indigenous people of the continent of Africa, regardless of nationality, and/or ii) black people who are naturalized Americans and who further were not largely raised in America. Say “African-American” if you mean to refer only to black people who were born and largely raised in America. I honestly don’t know what phrase you should use to refer to black people of other nationalities (black people from France, for example), but I’ve heard phrases like “French-African” and “that English black dude” kicked around a lot, and those made sense to me. My point here is this: other than making a film that is good, I can’t begin to speculate as to what’s required to produce a film that will appeal to all black people, domestic and foreign… and neither can you. You should know, on the other hand, that the black people from Europe and Asia, for example, have an entirely different history, an entirely different experience, an entirely different culture and, other than with respect to England, an entirely different language, and so on that ground it would be foolish to assume they’re naturally inclined to be interested in a movie that largely features African-Americans… especially if it’s a piece of shit. I’d surmise that it’d be very difficult (or just as easy) to make a film that will resonate with the majority of black people as it would be to make a film that will resonate with all white people all over the world, or people of any other race. In other words, stop trying to make “black” films, you jackasses: there is no such thing. You fools have a hard enough time making a good film, much less trying to dive that deep into such a broad and complex spectrum of history, nationality, culture and language, especially where among most of you your only sincere interest in that spectrum is the extent to which you can financially profit from it. Drop your spreadsheets, and finance the efforts of real filmmakers to produce an entertaining film that features characters and stories (i.e., “worlds”) sufficiently authentic to suspend the disbelief of your audience, and we’ll gladly meet you halfway there.

      Comment by J — Sunday January 22, 2012 @ 8:04am PST  Reply to this post

• Underworld did work right here on opening night.

  Red Tails opened pretty well despite the crowded weekend.

  Contraband had the expected holdover.

  The good news for Haywire is that it was rated well by the critics so word of mouth might be what helps the movie find long legs like The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo did.

  Comment by James25 — Saturday January 21, 2012 @ 12:18am PST  Reply to this post

• The “problem” with Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close is that it involves 9/11. End of the problem. Not a problem for me, mind you; I loved the book, and the film more than does the book justice. “Problem” is in reference to why it isn’t doing bigger numbers.

  To say that it’s merely “Oscar bait” is such a cop out, which abandons any real attempt at actual critical analysis.

  That’s not to say that it’s impossible for anyone (or several people) to dislike it; just try a little harder to explain why you dislike it, instead of using some meaningless buzzword. Gag me with a spoon.

  Comment by John — Saturday January 21, 2012 @ 12:45am PST  Reply to this post

• Saw “Haywire” and liked it. Wasn’t expecting much, but Carano was captivating and the sporting cast was great. I think folks may have been expecting fast-paced action but it takes it’s time. It’s a nod toward 80s action films with typical Soderbergh style. It wasn’t great, but it’s not supposed to be. I was smiling when I left the theater, which is more than I can usually say these days.

  Comment by David Boze — Saturday January 21, 2012 @ 2:25am PST  Reply to this post

• The “middle aged housewife” demo was not solely responsible for The Help’s 170 million box office that is nonsense, that movie was a hot topic of debate in the whole country. And even if it was ,housewives also have a valid opinion and can recoginze crap ,I value their opinion much more than some foolish hipster who doesn’t know anything about life.

  Red Tails is doing great and it proves yet again that movies aimed at the black market are profitable but studios won’t care and just let Tyler Perry reap the profits with his abominable movies. I find it hilarious that hollywood actors and producers are basically the PC police and talk a big game about “acceptance” and “integration” yet all their movies represent a white washed fantasy that is not remotely close to reality, I guess there are no asians in this country and only token black people with no real personality who are just very wise and whose role in life is to give sage and “sassy” advise to white people.

  Comment by Doug — Saturday January 21, 2012 @ 3:15am PST  Reply to this post

• I’m actually shocked that “Red Tails” (apparently) opened as well as it did.
  I really didn’t think there was an audience–any audience–for the film. (Neither did Fox if the years it spent idling on the shelf were any indication of their confidence level.)
  It’s atrociously written, impersonally (and dully) directed and larded with frankly terrible performances.
  Yes, the aerial dogfight scenes are nicely done (they should be: Lucas certainly has enough experience with CGI), but the movie is a total snooze-fest. I was never remotely engaged by it, yet could still predict every single plot “twist” a mile away.
  What an embarrassment, and a disservice to the real Tuskegee Airmen.
  Sad to see “Haywire” fizzle out: it’s nearly as enjoyable an arthouse/grindhouse mash-up as “Drive” or “Death Proof.” Its depressing “D PLUS” CinemaScore rating (and the “A” for “Red Tails” and “A MINUS” for a moldy piece of cheese like “Underworld 4″) proves that American multiplex audiences have consistently wretched taste, and deserve the mindless crap that studios feed them 24/7.
  Glad that “ELAIC” seems to be having trouble connecting with auds, tho. It’s 9/11 porn plain and simple.
  Also happy to see “B&B” drop dead in its second weekend. Maybe we won’t have to endure Disney’s 3-D re-release of “The Fox and the Hound” after all.

  Comment by marianne higham — Saturday January 21, 2012 @ 4:33am PST  Reply to this post

  • First of all Fox didn’t let RT “idle on the shelf.” Lucas coudln’t get anybody to fund it he tried for 2 decades, until he realized no one would bite. Please read the article.

    And I love these pseudo-libs who try to dog out this movie and then attempt to cover themselves with some feeble “praise” for the Tuskeegee Airmen. Every one of the hit pieces masquerading as “reviews” for this film have used the same formula.

    I’d LOVE to know how much effort you spent advocating for a movie about the Tuskeegee Airmen. Not even one second I’d assume.

    Comment by JaySmack — Sunday January 22, 2012 @ 9:43am PST  Reply to this post

    • It’s a great story, why would anyone need to “advocate” it?

      I find it unfortunate they did such a bad job with it

      Comment by Derek Vl — Sunday January 22, 2012 @ 4:38pm PST  Reply to this post

• I think citing rotten tomatoes scores is a poor way to see if a movie will do well. Critics are trying too hard and show obvious bias. Haywire terrible which, at least in my opinion, was truly terrible has an 83 from critics and a 50 from audiences. Look at what audiences say. They clearly enjoyed red tails and disliked haywire.

  Comment by Jeff — Saturday January 21, 2012 @ 4:52am PST  Reply to this post

• RedTails was a great film. The show sold out and the crowd was mixed. This is American History people. Mad at how hollywood is downing this film.. Its better then underWorld and Tom Hanks film.

  Comment by Vaughn — Saturday January 21, 2012 @ 4:54am PST  Reply to this post

• I always feel everyone is so quick to hate on Soderbergh..by saying HAYWIRE is a D on cinemascore…it’s one of the highest rated films on Rotten Tomatoes…85% fresh compared to 23% for the Underworld movie. It’s going to make more than Killer Elite did in it’s opening weekend..and probably just slightly under what Columbiana made in it’s first…while Columbiana cost 40 mil (they say) and who knows what Killer Elite cost…while HAYWIRE cost 22 million. It will be fine.

  Comment by samnyc — Saturday January 21, 2012 @ 5:47am PST  Reply to this post

• I’m not sure if Haywire’s nonexistent marketing or Red Tails’ brain dead nonsupport from the studios is more annoying. If it doesn’t cost $400MM in production and marketing no one seems to know wtf to do.

  Good on both Soderbergh and Mr. Lucas though.

  Comment by Joe — Saturday January 21, 2012 @ 6:14am PST  Reply to this post

• Am I the only one that thinks that getting such a disturbing looking child and then shoving his face and his freakishly small hands onto the poster may not have been the best marketing strategy for Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close? I have no idea about the movie’s quality, but the trailer screams “GIVE ME AN OOOOOSSSSSCCCCCAAAAARRRRR!!!!!!!!” desperation and the poster makes me think of some creepy horror film.

  Comment by Smile1466 — Saturday January 21, 2012 @ 6:25am PST  Reply to this post

• Guess the market wasn’t big enough for two new movies with female action heroes. A shame too, as Gina Carano’s a real fighter, not a Hollywood actress getting some help from the FX team.

  RED TAILS’ heart and patriotism are in the right place but dear God, it’s cornball stuff. It’s full of cliches that HOT SHOTS made fun of 20 years ago. EXTREMELY LOUD has to be a huge disappointment just given the marketing spend; I swear I’ve seen a commercial for it every single time I’ve turned on the TV in the last two weeks. And what’s up with BEAUTY 3D’s big drop, even with no new family competition? Looks like LION KING lightning isn’t going to strike twice.

  Comment by michael — Saturday January 21, 2012 @ 7:13am PST  Reply to this post

• Red tails makes money. Can we start casting African-Americans as leads now? Please!!!

  Comment by Great — Saturday January 21, 2012 @ 7:24am PST  Reply to this post

• Saw HAYWIRE yesterday. Was I the only one who got confused with the storyline? Sure the fight scenes were fantastic, but they mean nothing if the story means nothing. I never understood why Mallory was being chased? No stakes what-so-ever is this movie.

  Give me MI:4. Saw it three times in IMAX and loved it each time. I get that movie and I get the action scenes. BIG BIG BIG!

  I may check out RED TAILS after reading the comments here.

  Comment by Haywires got Crossed — Saturday January 21, 2012 @ 8:46am PST  Reply to this post

• Gross does not tell the real story. Underworld is riding a false 3D price win. Red Tales was only 30 people away matching the Underworld attendance at a very busy Flordia theater on Friday.

  Comment by Fla Movieman — Saturday January 21, 2012 @ 8:59am PST  Reply to this post

  • FINALLY somebody came out and said it! Underworld’s numbers are HIGHLY inflated by it’s 3D ticket prices. Let’s wait a week and see how it holds up.

    Comment by JaySmack — Sunday January 22, 2012 @ 9:45am PST  Reply to this post

• Better take a look at those Canadian grosses for Red Tails before you declare vindication for Lucas. The concerns the studios had were correct.

  Comment by Tom — Saturday January 21, 2012 @ 9:13am PST  Reply to this post

  • Uh, yeah, because as we all know Canadian audiences are what makes or breaks a movie.
    Face it clown, your hopes that the black guys’ movie would fail are dashed. The movie is a complete success, without using gimmicks like 3D to inflate ticket prices. So for people like you who live in mortal fear that dignified portrayals of black people might now become the norm in Hollywood, be afraid…be VERY afraid.

    Comment by JaySmack — Sunday January 22, 2012 @ 9:49am PST  Reply to this post

• Says a lot about the movie going audience how Haywire is quite fresh on RT while audiences hate it. Sorry, not every movie is going to be fucking Twilight.

  Comment by Alex — Saturday January 21, 2012 @ 9:17am PST  Reply to this post

• No complaints about the obvious, awful CGi and endless blue-screening in Red Tails? We’ve got a problem when the aerial scenes in Wings, almost 100 years ago, look better and have depth and are real.

  Comment by Welles — Saturday January 21, 2012 @ 9:57am PST  Reply to this post

• Thank you. How many other example we (black folks) have to give you. (studios)

  Comment by Square 3 — Saturday January 21, 2012 @ 9:59am PST  Reply to this post

• Red Tails was truly excellent.well put togethr n displayed & our movie was pkd blacks n caucasions. Love cuba n terrence well all of thm. Now here to see joyful noise. Was sup to see red tails with my. Dgtr but she had a change of plans this mrn so here for a joyful noise & enjoyn it at present. Keep up the good works

  Comment by arlene spencer — Saturday January 21, 2012 @ 10:18am PST  Reply to this post

• Ppl don’t want blk films to mk it without big hollywood tkn over but as tyler perry nobody can stop a blessed thing to happen. Watch red tails!

  Comment by arlene spencer — Saturday January 21, 2012 @ 10:21am PST  Reply to this post

• “Haywire” looks off to me. Not sure what about it, but it feels a little cheap, and direct-to-DVD. Been hearing good things, though.

  Comment by John — Saturday January 21, 2012 @ 11:26am PST  Reply to this post

• The rest of the weekend box office might not be so strong, given:

  (1) A major snowstorm/ice today (Saturday) in the mid-Atlantic region, and,

  (2) Tomorrow’s (Sunday) numbers will be off (compared to usual) due to the football playoff games, especially in the Boston, New York, Baltimore, and San Francisco/Oakland/San Jose areas.

  Comment by Joseph — Saturday January 21, 2012 @ 1:18pm PST  Reply to this post