I think the media has collectively agreed that THE MATRIX trilogy has officially gone bust, at least from a creative standpoint. What I find most surprising, however, is how few have actually commented on just how fast the third and final film has disappeared from theaters and dropped in weekly box office revenues. Aside from a piece in Entertainment Weekly, the only stories I ever saw about the film at the box office were about how it set the five-day opening record worldwide.

If you thought BAD BOYS II opened big and went nowhere fast, compare it to THE MATRIX REVOLUTIONS. Not only did ELF take the top spot during the second weekend (with both films sharing their respective first weekends), it wasn't even close. I realize the buzz for this film was definitely on the negative side, but has there ever been a better example of how important and under-valued word-of-mouth really is? A year ago, if I told you that by its fourth weekend THE MATRIX REVOLUTIONS wouldn't even be in the top ten, you probably would have thrown me into a mental institution. Amazing.

Posted December 14, 2003 | link