Another blockbuster weekend for Disney/Pixar’s “Finding Dory” doesn’t obscure three other telling facts about July 4, 2016.
To wit, Edgar Rice Burroughs’ “Tarzan” retains a staggeringly lucrative brand identity over 100 years since first publication. Piddling reviews and a lot of holiday competition didn’t keep “The Legend of Tarzan” from clearing $45 million this four day weekend. Wow.
“The Purge” is another lucrative brand, and “Election Year” proved to be the biggest opener of the series — $34 million+. Impressive.
Steven Spielberg’s over long, overly impressed with itself children’s fantasy, “The BFG,” based on Roald Dahl’s story, cost $140 million to cast, motion capture performances by the likes of Oscar winner Mark Rylance and Jemaine Clement, and render giants co-existing with a human-sized pre-Brexit Britain. It didn’t reach $19 million.
I have to say, that’s criminal. It’s not a bad movie. It’s too long, patience-testing for most. But nobody went. A real embarrassment.
“Independence Day: Resurgence” found more suckers on its second weekend — a 60% drop off from its opening weekend. Nothing to laugh at. “The Shallows” did better at holding audience.
“Swiss Army Man” did middling business in reasonably wide release.