Warner Bros. Responds To Batman V Superman’s B.O. Take And Dismal Reviews

 

It’s fair to say that Warner Bros. and all involved with the making of Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice felt more than a little stung by its overwhelmingly negative reception by critics last week but the gargantuan blockbuster doesn’t seem to have been impacted at the box office too badly, taking in a huge $170 million this past weekend. And in its post-release statements about the pivotal, Zack Snyder-directed film, the studio has been focusing almost exclusively on the movie’s financial success, not its bad word-of-mouth.

WB’s domestic distribution chief Jeff Goldstein said “there is no question this is an extraordinary achievement. Clearly, audiences have embraced it and we are already seeing repeat business. It’s just fun. Often, there’s a disconnect between critics and audiences. It doesn’t take itself seriously. It’s just an enjoyable afternoon at the movies. Goldstein also said “when you swing for the bleachers and connect, it’s a tremendous feeling. This felt like we were launching several films, so to come through like this makes all of us very proud.”

Despite the reviews, Goldstein is viewing this as an unmitigated triumph. His comments about repeat business are interesting. This entire release has been a fascinating one to consider from a film criticism perspective. Goldstein is right that there’s a disconnect between critics and audiences if your points of comparison are the film’s Rotten Tomatoes score and its opening weekend gross, but Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice has highlighted some deeper questions about the nature of criticism and who movies are made for