"Transformers is like a high-speed train, with everyone involved in its operation. Every viewer must go see Transformers, even those who don't usually go to the cinema. They'll hear about this film and go watch it, and many people will see it multiple times," said the spokesperson of the China Film Group to reporters the next day—undoubtedly the best portrayal of the film's performance in the Chinese market.
True Transformers fans are ultimately few in number. The post-1980s generation can only guarantee the film's basic box office numbers, but there's no doubt that many people have heard of the Transformers name. Coupled with the influence Duke has accumulated on this land through more than a dozen films, along with the movie's outstanding special effects, it's bound to attract a significant number of viewers into theaters.
The plot of the film is straightforward and clear, with tense and exciting sequences, featuring extremely strong entertainment value—especially its realistic 3D effects, which are far superior to past 3D films.
Herd mentality has always been an important factor in marketing that should not be ignored. Word-of-mouth publicity can boost a movie's box office more than any rating system.
In addition, Transformers benefits from a box office advantage due to its use of 3D technology—3D movie ticket prices are usually twice as high as those of regular films.
Although the film broke China's box office record on its opening day, promotion efforts showed no sign of slowing down.
Following Transformers' record-breaking opening day, the China Film Group not only added 100 3D screens but also launched the slogan "A movie worth watching four times"—Transformers was the first film in China to be released in four formats simultaneously: standard 35mm film, digital 2D, 3D, and IMAX giant screen.
Many who had seen the film on traditional film wanted to watch it again in digital 2D, 3D, and even IMAX. This overlapping audience contributed significantly to the box office.
There were only a dozen or so IMAX theaters in China at the time, mainly located in a few large cities. Most viewers were destined not to see the IMAX version, but even theaters without IMAX screens capitalized on the trend, promoting themselves to attract Transformers viewers.
For example, Jinling Cinema introduced both 3D and 2D versions of Transformers and even transformed its original Hall 4 into a professional 3D digital hall, using the latest Dolby 3D system, NEC projector, and Dolby Labs amplifier system. The NEC projector had a 4000W xenon lamp and used a high-gain silver screen to offer a realistic viewing experience with vivid and clear visuals. Wearing Dolby 3D glasses enhanced the effect even further.
Many viewers, wanting a better visual experience, didn't mind paying the extra cost.
Thanks to the growing word-of-mouth and its viral spread, Transformers saw a rise in box office revenue on Tuesday, breaking China's single-day box office record once again, with a total of over 37 million RMB.
The film's explosive success brought strong confidence, and Warner Greater China and China Film Group spared no effort in Transformers' marketing campaign. On all the most influential media outlets, one could see news and reviews about the film.
"Transformers is a massive masterpiece meticulously crafted by Duke Rosenberg... This is our first close encounter with a magical, brand-new world of Transformers—it's an extraordinary, absolutely five-star viewing experience."
"The final battle lasts more than 30 minutes and is incredibly intense... Unstoppable. You're completely immersed in the movie, becoming one with the Transformers and the story."
"There were so many rumors before... Some said this 3D movie would make people nauseous. Others claimed the 110-minute runtime was a disaster. Now we can confidently debunk both of those for Transformers."
"Duke Rosenberg is truly a genius! I can't say much more... Wow, but I love this movie so much! Transformers is amazing, and it completely blew me away!"
Time flies. The children of the past have grown up, even gotten married and started families, but in many people's hearts, there's still a place for their childhood friends—the Transformers.
Since the 1990s, with the fanbase maturing and new toy series constantly being released, Transformers fandom activities have been heating up across China. Back in 2001, the first Transformers Annual Gathering was held in Shanghai, and it evolved into a yearly event.
This event is also the most concentrated gathering of hardcore Transformers fans in China.
Their love for the Transformers series is evident. After the live-action movie premiered, these fans became the film's most passionate audience and the most active online community.
On major websites like Sina Forum, these fans are everywhere, using phrases like "unimaginable," "so shocking," "immersed in the world of Transformers and unwilling to wake up," and "the film ended in theaters with screams and thunderous applause" to describe their post-viewing emotions.
Many people have already seen the film twice or three times, with countless more repeat viewers. One wrote, "...I'm someone who usually falls asleep watching movies, but I stayed fully awake and focused this time. The film shocked me, moved me, and left me deeply impressed. Aren't these visuals exquisitely crafted?"
A member of a movie club, after watching a midnight screening, couldn't help but exclaim—"Awesome!" "So good! Totally worth staying up this late!"
However, any hot topic always brings controversy, and Transformers is no exception.
The main controversy surrounding this film came from two sources, the most significant being internal debates among Transformers fans.
Duke used nearly realistic designs and shooting techniques to bring the most beloved toys and characters from these fans' childhoods onto the big screen. The portrayal of the two factions of robots in the film almost reached the limits of current film technology. It's no exaggeration to say that Transformers showcased the most advanced visual effects technology in Hollywood and even the world.
But this level of technology resulted in imagery and visuals vastly different from the animated version, inevitably ruining the childhood memories of some.
As a result, the phrase "You did terribly, but we still love you" became the most frequently used comment these fans gave to Duke.
In the end, is there more love or more hate? Even the hardcore fans themselves probably couldn't say. The only thing they did was one simple act: buy tickets, go to the cinema, and watch their childhood friends transform in the most realistic way possible before their eyes…
Then, they buy another ticket, walk in again. The Transformers fans watch the film over and over, analyzing each slow-motion sequence to understand the transformation process, fight details, and so on. They thoroughly enjoy it, never getting tired of it, raving about it constantly, and persuading their friends and family to watch it with them…
This is one of the biggest reasons why the box office of Transformers soared after its release.
Another voice of debate is much quieter, because the arguing party is a minority.
From the day Transformers premiered, its reputation has been controversial. People who prefer artistic films criticize it for "not having a single memorable line, weak character development, and no soul."
But more than 90% of viewers believe that the film's action effects and 3D technology provide an amazing visual experience, and they shout, "The cinema isn't a classroom. Who cares about depth and philosophy?" They praise the movie as a "masterpiece," saying Duke used technology to create a brand-new sci-fi world for fans.
In fact, one sentence from Hong Kong director Peter Chan during an interview accurately summarizes Duke's Transformers — "I don't like this film at all, but I can't deny how popular it is. Transformers is a film truly made for movie fans."
He's not the only industry insider to comment on Transformers.
As the film's screening period extended, many well-known filmmakers were also swept up by the heat of the movie-going craze and went to see Transformers in theaters. Some of them were caught by reporters and shared brief opinions.
"The biggest impression after watching Transformers is still the visual impact. The story may be a bit cliché, but the technical aspects are near perfect. Especially the CGI — all we can do is admire it with awe."
This was Zhang Yimou's comment published in a newspaper. "Yesterday, another reporter asked me what I think we should learn from Transformers. I thought about it, and realized there's probably nothing to learn, because our technical gap with Hollywood is too huge. Some say it's 20 years; to me, it's almost 100 years. However, we use the same cameras to shoot 3D films, so from a 3D perspective, what Transformers can achieve now is something Chinese films can still learn from."
Faced with a reporter, another director, Lu Chuan, believed that Transformers was a complete defeat for Chinese cinema.
"Watching this movie, I felt like I had returned to my childhood, becoming a kid full of imagination. Duke Rosenberg made me realize, what we're lacking isn't technology — technology can be acquired; Transformers suddenly made me aware of how far we are from heartfelt emotions and simple beauty; how far we are from what audiences really want; how far we are from passionate dreams; and how far we are from sincerity, as we blindly rush through distorted, dark, pretentious, tangled vulgarity! Facing Transformers' tremendous success, we should feel ashamed this is a collective defeat for Chinese filmmakers, and one we must all witness and accept."
The famous screenwriter Ning Caishen spoke the next day after watching the film, and his words, much like his TV dramas, were a bit exaggerated.
"I was blown away. Last night, I watched Transformers with a few directors and producers. After the movie ended, the atmosphere was wired silent, depressed — almost no one discussed the film. Everyone was just stunned by Duke Rosenberg."
On the third day after release, Transformers continued its momentum in China, easily breaking the previous day's record with nearly 39 million RMB in ticket sales.
In just three days, the film's box office in China exceeded 100 million RMB, setting a new record for the fastest film to cross the 100-million mark in the Chinese film market.
And not just in China in North America, Transformers was equally sensational.