'The Da Vinci Code': Mea culpa (sort of)

So, remember back when I said The Da Vinci Code would flop? It’s time for me to eat some Da Vinci crow… right?

Sure looks that way. But a) looks can be deceiving and b) I am stubborn. First off, a few “definition-of-is” legalisms: I never said it would flop. The headline of my entry said it would flop, and I didn’t write the headline. (Though I did acquiesce to it because it was “grabby.”) But in my actual entry, I said it would be “the box-office disappointment of the summer.” And I still think that’s true.

Yes, even with $77 million domestic and another $147 foreign since last Wednesday. Yes, even though it cost a “bargain” $125 million and has already turned a nominal profit (though who knows what was spent on promotion and advertising this time around). I’m sticking to my guns: It’s not going to meet expectations.

The marketing push more or less guaranteed a massive opening. But the word-of-mouth on this film is awful. What will this mean for next weekend? All the young and young-at-hearts will be flocking to X3, meaning Da Vinci will probably live or die by older audiences. And older audiences are less suspectible to movie marketing, more likely to listen to their friends and neighbors. And friends and neighbors are likely telling them it’s a dull slog.

Sour grapes over a dud prediction? Quite possibly. I’m just saying, give my theory another two weeks and see if this one Hulks out on us. If it’s still doing bang-up business… well then, yes, Fat Jimmy, you may go right ahead and break my fingers.

Oh, and as for X3? The reviews are crap. Which, as we’ve seen, more or less guarantees a gigantic opening weekend. So those who loathe that film’s director, you have mere days to celebrate your victory — come Friday, The Ratner will bestride the world like a Colossus. Not that I’m making any predictions…

(Blogfather’s note: Mea culpa too. I wrote the headline.)