A lot of us thought we were going to be looking at an historic summer coming into the season as it pertains to movies. Some of the hottest titles were coming to the big screen and excitement was ramped up to the ceiling as crowds were anticipated for each and every blockbuster that people were waiting for. And then they came, and nothing happened.
Well, not exactly nothing. People did go and watch them, but so many reported the disappointment that fewer and fewer people continued to come in, taking the words of others and critics that the movies simply weren’t worth the trouble, and would be better experienced on DVD when they come out in a matter of months. That’s a soul crusher for the movie industry, largely because word of mouth is stronger than most anything when it comes to killing or lifting up the reputation of a movie.
Many people still enjoyed their favorite movies regardless of what others thought, but they were the diehards that went for the actual story, not just the trendy idea that this movie would be worth seeing so that they could tell others. That’s usually what separates the real movie fans from those that seek to nitpick their way through a feature, the ability to simply enjoy a movie no matter how bad or good it is. You forgive a lot when you’re not a critic and can at least appreciate the effort. There were a few movies that were said to flop this summer, but the effect that they left was still impressive enough that the summer roster didn’t decline that badly.
It’s still the worst drop in some time as the summer revenue is down by about 15 percent. The domestic numbers for movies such as The Mummy, Transformers: The Last Knight, and Baywatch were abysmal by the standards set so long ago. Other movies including Pirates of the Caribbean 5 and The Dark Tower were also humongous flops. There might be enough story still to salvage the films if the directors were so allowed, but at this point most people wouldn’t hold out a lot of faith that such a thing would be desirable any longer.
This decline is so intense that those in the movie industry might actually be worried at this point, but chances are that they’ll suck it up and be back on track come next year without any noticeable sign that they were ever concerned. The money machine that is Hollywood always manages to find a few bucks here and there to make something that people will watch. And it’s true, people are in some ways like forgiving, brain dead zombies that will watch whatever is put in front of them just for kicks. It might sound insulting but a lot of people go see movies just because there’s something on, following the screens by habit simply because they need their theater fix.
The hardcore movie fans however will be more picky but much more forgiving as flaws can sometimes make a movie far more popular down the line than it was when first released. Despite the decline of the summer there’s still hope that things can be turned around and offer a resurgence as the seasons continue to pass by.
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