TheOneWithTheHat

Lower expectations + more inherent good will towards the cast due to the previous film's status online with a certain segment + just plainly fewer people seeing this on a lark. It's easier to LOOK like you're having better WOM on twitter when mostly the only audience turning out is the fandom.

Audiences score things considerably differently than critics do. When accounting for inflation, 77 verified audience score for a blockbuster is pretty comparable.

Absolutely true but in fairness, some of these reviews feel like they're overrating it because the blood's been in the water for about a month now. I think it balances out in the end. The film's fun, but not good. Might have saved it in another bygone era of Marvel. Not going to save it now.

Given how unusual it is to change embargo dates at all, I have to assume they just can't decide what day it would be most useful in pushing tickets that extra inch on. I don't think they realized how capable the movie would be of building steam all on its own (and I just find it hard to believe it is about hiding bad reviews when they could have just set the embargo late from the get).

Award season is increasingly not the best place to release Oscar contenders, based on the last few Oscar years.

From what he said it did not sound like a tween problem. Plausibly a parent problem though if they are not expecting an f bomb and boob jokes.

Since reactions have been minimal: Matt Belloni was at the premiere and gave his reaction on the newest The Town podcast. It is towards the very end for people who want to listen, but the gist was positive. Initially he just said it was quite a spectacle and that he would "leave it to the critics to decide" if the movie is good or bad, but he ends with saying/explaining his statement that it is so much better and more incisive than you would ever expect a Barbie movie to be, and that he is wildly curious what critics will say because it is also just obviously so silly and dumb at times as well. Also echoes Buchanan in being floored that Mattel would allow the film to do the things it does, and personally is of the opinion that it is not for kids.