With blockbuster movies like the recent "Aeon Flux" opening to the public without prior review from critics, some are questioning whether profits of movies will ultimately be harmed or saved.
According to the Boston Globe, rumors surrounding "Flux's" refusal to prescreen, like other films before it, basically means the studio is aware the movie will not perform well.
"In general I would say that a studio's decision to not prescreen means they know the movie will flop," said Steven Ross, a film professor in the communication department at The University of Memphis.
"But studios are also aware that reviews are usually inconsequential - positive or not. "Serious dramas or art house movies will be killed by a bad review, but popcorn movies like 'Flux' really won't be harmed," he said.
Other movies to decline a pre-screening, like Usher's "In the Mix" and the forgotten "Man of the House," opened with minimal profits, according to rottentomatoes.com, an online forum of critics' reviews.
Karen Scott, sales and marketing coordinator for Malco Theatres, said the companies' decisions are simply normal marketing practices.
"Some film companies have no problem doing screenings nationwide for critics, while other distributors prefer only to use the top 10 markets," she said. "It has nothing to do with the perceived success of a film - it's more of normal marketing decision."
For University of Memphis students, a movie review can make or break their decision to see a film.
"I don't really even read reviews," said Craig Locke, a senior English major. "I go see what interests me. I don't have to read them to see what should and should not be good."
Other students, like DeCandria Butler, a senior sociology major, rely on reviews to ensure an enjoyable movie-going experience.
"I usually read them about a movie I'm interested in," she said. "If I read bad reviews on a movie, I don't go see it. That saves me some money."
Ross said that bad reviews can affect a studio's profits in other ways, like DVD and VHS rental, which are a large portion of the studio's total profits.
"Whether I go see or rent a movie depends on what my friends say, or people my own age," said Steven Bryant, a sophomore management information systems major. "I basically turn to movie reviews only to see what the movie is about."
