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Tuesday
04Aug2009

Paramount Not Screening 'G.I. Joe' For Critics

DateTuesday, August 4, 2009 at 3:05PM
Paramount has made a sweeping decision to not screen G.I. Joe for most critics. A few websites and blogs have had access - not this one, however - but beyond that, if you're looking for a review of the new Hasbro adaptation, you're out of luck.

There are two reasons not to screen a movie for the press: You're broke or your movie sucks. Think about it, would you want a great movie to head into theaters with no free advertising to that effect in newspapers, on TV, and online? Not letting press see the film only protects it from bad reviews. So far, the few outlets that have seen it have been pleased, maybe surprisingly so. The film has an 80% approval on Rotten Tomatoes. Of course, it only has ten reviews.

Paramount's Rob Moore acknowledged that the studio's last major blockbuster, Transformers, was savaged by the press, something he'd like to avoid here. "After the chasm we experienced with Transformers 2 between the response of audiences and critics, we chose to forgo opening-day print and broadcast reviews as a strategy to promote G.I. Joe."

Added Moore, "We want audiences to define this film."

After learning about the blackout, I received an e-mail from Paramount including some seven megabytes of photos of the film's premiere at Andrews Air Force Base. So let's see...your "strategy" is to not let me watch the movie, thereby depriving my audience (and anyone else) of a review, but you'd sure love it if I went ahead and greased your action figure showcase anyway? Why in the hell would I do that?

There is some merit to the first reason you don't screen a film. Independents, foreign films, and limited releases often spend all the money they have on distribution and if they get a few glowing national reviews, that's about all they can hope for. We know that's not the case here. And there's an expectation on the other side that the press should see any major release, particularly in a changing world that relies so much on the online community to build buzz for these mammoth events. Seems like a simple trade-off to me.

During the half-decade I worked for Viacom, which owns Paramount, I was instructed to not say anything bad about the second Tomb Raider movie. That wasn't a local request but a corporate mandate handed down to anyone who had seen or would see the movie. My response, which preceded my very negative review of the film, was simply that Paramount should just make better movies. With a reported $175 million price tag in the case of G.I. Joe, is that unreasonable to ask?

I'm no stranger to midnight screenings, so look for that shiny new G.I. Joe review around 3am Pacific on Friday morning.

AuthorColin Boyd | | in , , | Print ArticlePrint Article | | Comment6 Comments |

Reader Comments (6)

Thanks for going to the late night screenings so we can get an honest review.

Tuesday, August 4, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterJ

I look forward to reading your review of what will be a bad movie, but a gooid review to read.

Tuesday, August 4, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterOrinn

"After the chasm we experienced with Transformers 2 between the response of audiences and critics, we chose to forgo opening-day print and broadcast reviews as a strategy to promote G.I. Joe."

In other words... damn you pesky critics and all your whining about the importance of good scriptwriting and character development, WE'RE NOT PLAYING WITH YOU ANYMORE!!!! Neener, neener and pfffft's optional to that.

I had G.I. Joe toys as a kid and my kid has Snake Eyes that my wife got him in a kids meal recently. That said, there's ever the slightest twinge of nostalgia for what some would call inane kids' entertainment as it pertains to seeing this flick. Only a twinge has never moved me to spend money at a theater or even buy a dvd so chances are that unless Zartan is truly kickass here... I'll see this when it hit tv.

Tuesday, August 4, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterAsana

Isn't the whole movie just once scene of the Eiffel Tower being blown up?? cause every trailer makes it seem like that is the only part of the movie

Tuesday, August 4, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterNick H

I think this movie will be exactly like Transformers 2 was. A very entertaining action movie but it will get bombed by critics. But they should have learned that no matter how bad a movie gets bashed by the critics, the people that want to see the movie are going to give it a chance and make up their own mind. Transformers didn't show great legs but the people who enjoyed it went to see it numerous times the first week it was out. $800+ million worldwide is certainly not a flop for a movie. I say let the critics do their job. I will still go and make up my own mind

Tuesday, August 4, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterHonz Brix

I can't speak to why the studio decided not to screen this movie for the critics - perhaps they decided that given all of the negative aspects that have been repeated continuously (director allegedly being fired, showing the Eiffel Tower being destroyed in every clip), they opted not to screen it, deciding instead to allow people to choose to see this based on clips and trailers and not on critiques. No, the Eiffel Tower being destroyed isn't the WHOLE movie (*sheesh*), but it's such a site to see, why wouldn't you want it in a lot of your trailers? I had a chance to see this movie last night at an advance screening, and I have to tell you, this movie ROCKED! The story line was great, the action sequences were top-notch, and the special effects were amazing! The movie never lagged, and it was pure enjoyment for the entire movie.

Do yourself a favor. Don't listen to the critics who typically only like abstract out of the way movies about some girl staring at a flower and realizing her place in the universe. Go out and see this movie, just because it's a great summer movie and you'll be thoroughly entertained!

Friday, August 7, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterMichael

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