Welcome to the “Preview Reel” column, where we look at the week’s upcoming wide release movies. Memorial Day weekend is already upon us, which means not only is it safe to open the pool but there’s guaranteed to be a blockbuster or two opening at the cineplexes. This year features two intriguing summer blockbusters of different proportions as the fifth Pirates of the Caribbean finally hits the screen after numerous delays, and the Dwayne Johnson/Zac Efron comedy Baywatch also debuts. Both films have the potential to hit it big at the box office, but word of mouth seems especially important to these films and how profitable they can be.
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales
What we are worried about: Even though this writer is a defender of the second and third Pirates movies, we can all agree that that fourth film, On Stranger Tides, is a complete mess. Despite making over a billion dollars worldwide, Disney has been hesitant on making another Pirates movie because of how poorly received that fourth one was. We’re hoping that they were just taking their time and crafting a fun Pirates movie instead of just coming back for a cash grab. But with three mediocrely received sequels, does this franchise have anything left in the tank?
The Buzz: A month or so ago there was a mild amount of buzz surrounding this movie, but there has been even more buzz surrounding it because of the hackers who were holding this movie at ransom. Whether that kind of buzz will lead to people buying tickets remains to be seen, but the movie has been receiving harsh reviews to say the least. It currently sits at 33% on RottenTomatoes and 48 on MetaCritic. Given the popularity of the franchise, the film should easily debut at number one with $90 million for the four-day weekend, which is the same result the franchise had with On Stranger Tides.
Final Thoughts: Despite how you may feel about the franchise, this looks to be a promising entry and could make for a fun summer blockbuster.
Baywatch
What we are worried about: Have you heard of 21 Jump Street? Well that R-rated comedy adaptation of a classic-TV drama series was very successful, but it also had a big thing going for it: it was unique. This trick has already been done before, and as seen with this year’s CHiPS, audiences are not yearning for it. If it’s genuinely funny and entertaining, then that’s fine, but there’s also a chance this might be a cash grab after the Jump Street successes.
The Buzz: The buzz is mostly strong because of the Rock, although it is nothing astronomically high. People seem to be rolling their eyes at the idea of a Baywatch comedy, but this is the kind of movie that might demonstrate strong legs at the box office if word of mouth is good. Having said that, word of mouth might not be good given the scathing reviews the film has been receiving. The film currently sits at 16% on RottenTomatoes and 37 on MetaCritic, which might hurt its box office results. Look for a four-day opening weekend of around $35-40 million.
Final Thoughts: If Pirates movies aren’t your thing, then there are certainly worse things to check out other than a Dwayne Johnson summer comedy. This seems to be worthy of a date night at the very least.
Scott Davis
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