Past midnight, Santa Monica's Empire Entertainment Cinema was still bustling. It was now Friday, and "The Dark City" was set for a wide release. Due to the intense pre-sales, the North American Theater Alliance, led by the three major theater companies, decided to officially start screening "The Dark City" from midnight on Friday.
Despite it being a workday, the theater was packed.
At 12:30 AM sharp, the previously noisy theater lobby fell silent as fans poured into the screening rooms, leaving only the theater staff and CinemaScore surveyors hiding in the corners, ready to gather data.
Rebecca Carlsson, a female CinemaScore surveyor, had just started this job. Not a fan of Murphy Stanton herself, she couldn't understand the fervor of his fans.
Despite having to work or attend classes in the morning, these people sacrificed their rest to watch a film that she considered crazy and pretentious. What was so appealing about it?
During the advance screenings, she had already gathered numerous ratings and reviews, all of which were A+. The reviews were overflowing with praise, as if they wanted to elevate Murphy Stanton and his film to celestial heights, which she found exaggerated.
Unconsciously, she pressed the button on her small recorder, and those enthusiastic voices played back in her ears.
"From now on, crime action movie directors are divided into two levels: Murphy Stanton and everyone else!"
"This film is so good, not a single second is wasted!"
"For a film as excellent as 'The Dark City,' more praise is redundant."
"Murphy Stanton is incredible; he has elevated a commercial action film to such heights and depths!"
"An absolute masterpiece. Instead of fighting in those niche arthouse films, why not elevate commercial films like Murphy?"
Rebecca Carlsson had promptly sent these back to headquarters and exchanged thoughts with other CinemaScore surveyors via social media. Every theater they were in had similar reactions.
After waiting for two and a half hours, the movie finally ended. Seeing fans exit the theater, Rebecca Carlsson quickly approached and stopped a female fan at the front.
"Hello, I'm Rebecca from CinemaScore…"
Rebecca Carlsson quickly introduced herself. The fan was familiar with surveyors and, when asked about her rating and review of the film, responded without hesitation, "A+, definitely A+!"
"What do you have to say about the movie?" Rebecca Carlsson dutifully asked.
"Well, this has to be the best movie in the last two years. No! Five years..." The fan paused, thinking. "Actually, the last ten years! No, it's probably the best movie I've ever seen. Murphy Stanton's work is impeccable…"
She gave Rebecca Carlsson a thumbs up. "Absolutely this!"
Rebecca Carlsson handed her a small gift. "Thank you."
The fan nodded politely. "You're welcome."
Next, Rebecca Carlsson stopped a young male fan, asking the same questions.
"Well," the young man scratched his head, thinking for a moment. "It's a very shocking movie. Only Murphy could bring such depth to a commercial film."
"And the rating?" Rebecca Carlsson asked.
"A+!" he confirmed emphatically. "Definitely A+!"
Throughout the rest of the night, Rebecca Carlsson collected comments from more than a dozen audience members. Like the advance screenings, all ratings were A+.
"Unparalleled darkness."
"The story is amazing!"
"A monumental film!"
These accolades were so frequent that Rebecca Carlsson grew tired of hearing them. She longed for some fresh negative feedback, but it never came.
Across the U.S., theaters showing "The Dark City" were bustling until around 5:30 AM when they gradually quieted down. But by early morning, before theaters opened, long lines had formed in front of popular cinemas in several cities, stretching hundreds of feet.
Such a spectacle hadn't been seen in a long time, given the increasing number of theaters in North America.
In the Wave Manor of Beverly Hills, the sun had just risen. Murphy and Gal Gadot finished their morning run and, dressed in sportswear, entered their house through the back door.
With an event in Los Angeles today, they had flown back to the city with the main crew members right after the premiere last night.
"I've already signed a contract with Los Angeles International Airport."
Entering the house, Gal Gadot remembered something and said, "The plane can now park at the airport's private terminal."
Gulfstream had delivered their private jet.
"Good." Murphy closed the door and, after a brief thought, said, "Let's name the plane Gadot."
Knowing not to be modest about such things, Gal Gadot nodded. "I'll contact a professional to handle the customization and registration."
Entering the living room, they took towels from the butler to wipe the sweat from their faces. Murphy asked, "Has the fax from 20th Century Fox and Carla Faith arrived?"
"Not yet," the butler replied, bringing two glasses of water. "I've stationed someone by the fax machine to watch for it."
Despite the digital age, Murphy and Carla Faith maintained the tradition of sending faxes after a premiere.
Gal Gadot took a sip of water and reminded him, "They might have emailed it. I'll check."
"Let's check together." Murphy followed her.
At the living room computer, Gal Gadot quickly checked both her and Murphy's emails but found no new messages from 20th Century Fox or Carla Faith.
"Nothing yet," Gal Gadot shook her head. "Looks like it'll take a bit longer."
Murphy wasn't worried. Given the pre-sale numbers, the advance screenings likely had very high attendance, potentially exceeding 90%. The advance box office results would certainly be impressive.
Gal Gadot opened a web browser. "Let's see the critics' reviews first."
Last night's premiere had attracted most of the renowned critics in the U.S., except the late Roger Ebert. 20th Century Fox and Murphy were confident in the film, believing it would appeal to both fans and critics. These professional voices might not significantly boost box office sales but would help the film during award season.
Murphy and 20th Century Fox's goals extended beyond summer box office success.
Engrossed in the critics' reviews, Gal Gadot read them aloud.
"'The Dark City' is a dark and highly complex film. It's hard to find another crime film in this century that can match it!"
"This is no exaggeration. In terms of conceptualization, creation, performance, and direction, it surpasses summer blockbuster popcorn films and even all black crime films. Murphy Stanton's film uses more angles and broader perspectives in its tightly designed action scenes. The nearly perfect visuals leave audiences in awe. If you're lucky enough to watch the IMAX version, you'll be even more thrilled and excited."
"Murphy Stanton has elevated the lowly popcorn film to a very high level. He renders discussions about art films and commercial films meaningless. 'The Dark City' not only evokes the feel of classical tragedy but also explores contemporary hot topics like terrorism and overreaching power. Most importantly, the film is irresistibly entertaining!"
—Peter Travers, Rolling Stone
Reading this, Gal Gadot's mood visibly brightened.
"The entire film flows seamlessly. Murphy Stanton's approach to commercial filmmaking is absolutely textbook. By the end, a sense of tragic grandeur naturally arises. There's hardly any downtime during the screening; every minute is a visual feast, surprisingly realistic, as if there really is such a New York City. The tight narrative pacing and seamless grand scope turn simple acts of vigilante justice into reflections on terrorism and the detached perspective of authoritarian rulers. The fast-paced editing and stirring soundtrack give it the dramatic power of a contemporary epic!"
—Todd McCarthy, The Hollywood Reporter
Gal Gadot felt certain the film would be a critical hit.
"The film is not only gripping and full of suspense, but the character development is detailed, capturing psychological changes well. It's engaging while being thought-provoking. Throughout the film, human weaknesses are constantly exposed, forcing choices that test the darkness of human nature. Ultimately, justice triumphs over evil because of the brilliance of human nature…"
—Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times
Gal Gadot then checked Rotten Tomatoes, finding 77 professional reviews with a 98% positive rating and an average score of 8.9.
For a commercial film, this was an extraordinarily positive reception.
She then looked at IMDb and turned to Murphy. "Congratulations, darling. The film currently has a 9.8 rating on IMDb!"
Murphy shrugged, remaining calm. Most viewers so far were his fans, so high ratings were expected.
"Sir, Miss…"
The female butler hurried over, holding a fax. "Miss Faith just sent this from Fox."
Murphy took the fax, his expression unreadable as he read through the initial box office numbers and other details. Finally, a satisfied smile appeared.
"Everything's looking great," he said, turning to Gal Gadot. "We're on track for a spectacular opening weekend."
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