WOW. I’ve surveyed a lot of message boards (like this one) this weekend and what is the most heated topic on Internet discussion boards right now? Hillary vs. Obama? The NBA playoffs? Gas prices?
Nope. It’s the movie Speed Racer, and it’s generating a TON of anger and criticism from message posters the world over. The last time I saw such a heated debate about a movie was two years back, when Superman Returns was released. People either loved it or hated it, and the same thing is happening this time.
Speed Racer, the second big movie of the summer, opened to only $18.5 million dollars in ticket sales. It cost at least $150 million to make, and easily 30 to 50 million was spent promoting it. Other studios slammed Warner Brothers for “lying” about the box office revenues (WB said it made over $21 million initially). The star, Emile Hirsh, fired his agency today. Lots of maalox is being consumed in executive offices at Culver City.
The reaction of the people who saw the movie? Either amazed enjoyment or complete condemnation. There seems to be very little middle ground. And the word-of-mouth seems to be deadly.
You look at the message boards, all a fire as users post insulting slams against those who loved or hated the film, often becoming incredibly insulting and personal attacks, and you just think…. wow. We are the most blessed nation on the planet.
I mean, really. People (including myself, to be fair) are able to use thier computers, connected to an incredibly rich network of information and opinion that did not even EXIST 20 years ago, to debate the merits of a movie based on a CARTOON. I’m absolutely sure that none of the people who debated Speed Racer had to worry about where thier next meal was coming from. Heck, I’m sure many of them could stand to skip a couple of meals (sorry, cheap shot).
My point is this: we don’t know how good we got it, people. And so thank God we can speak our opinion freely, when many many nations don’t allow our populous to do likewise. The fact that we can debate over a live-action-anime film based on a bad 1970s TV show is something we need to enjoy and cherish and be grateful for.
Speed Racer may be fantastic. It may be horrid. But I now must see it. Cause if it could raise such a stink with people then there must be something of note there.
One last thought: I love where some of these message threads go – it’s like a fractal, going in directions that no one can predict. People cry, “it’s not a bomb yet!” and others scream “it will be a cult classic!” and, of course, others with a contrarian view speak up to rebuke such statements.
My favorite reference some one made was that the film, with its translation of animated characters to live-action, reminded them of Robert Altman’s Popeye, a movie I really like (I know, most people don’t). Someone said that SR, like Popeye, was a bomb. I had to chime in and correct them. Popeye, released in 1980, cost 20+ million. It made almost $50 mil in the US alone ($6.3 mill opening weekend). It had horrible reviews and was expected to do better, but it did not bomb.
If Speed made over a third of its budget back in its opening weekend, like, say $55 mill, it could probably hit $170 domestic. It did not, so SR will maybe make $50-60 million total – the same amount Popeye made, unadjusted for inflation, 28 years ago.
Now THAT, my friends, is a bomb.