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Jay Barney: I think Tim Briody’s comments in the Friday Numbers Analysis were pretty close to the mark. Even with the star power involved in this one, there have been so many (are so many) cop shows on TV that I doubt people want pay to see a film like this unless it is outstanding. I saw the trailer and initially liked it, but by the time it was over found it too long and convoluted. And that was my reaction to the trailer. I do have a comment on the careers involved. Mark Wahlberg has a lot of buzz around him, especially since Ted. This is a great pairing for Crowe, who has a solid track record, but whose career has had some bumps. This opening is fairly disappointing, but with a budget of only $35 million, the studio won’t take a huge hit.

Bruce Hall: People want to be sure they're getting their money's worth before they pony up for a day at the Giganto-Plex, and nothing about Broken City made it seem worthwhile. I think people saw the synopsis - ex cop framed for a crime he didn't commit, corrupt mayor, blah blah blah - and moved on. Star power isn't what it used to be so good, bad or in between, this is the kind of generic potboiler you could see a hundred other places for free. And this weekend, most people apparently did just that.

Felix Quinonez: I agree with what has been said before. Nothing in the trailers distinguished this movie from the countless other movies of its kind. And the atrocious reviews and generic title definitely didn't help.

Matthew Huntley: I haven't seen the film yet, so I can't say for sure whether its quality is partly to blame here, but I agree its lackluster performance was likely due to the generic trailer and title. The problem, as Bruce attested to, is the film just didn't seem cinematic enough, and I don't just mean in the visual sense, but in the experience sense. This is the kind of movie most people would opt to see at home, at least based on the way it was advertised, and it's the job of the marketing team to entice you to want to go to the theater. Clearly, they didn't do what they were supposed to. It reminds me of another Russell Crowe vehicle from four years ago called State of Play, which also had a humdrum trailer and title, but which actually turned out to be quite good and involving. Whether Broken City is the same remains to be seen - did anyone actually see it yet? - but I think its chances to make any sort of dent at the box-office have passed.

David Mumpower: I've been trying to pinpoint the moment when Russell Crowe's career collapsed. Yes, he is a key player in Les Miserables but I've been contemplating this since The Man with the Iron Fists came out. When did Russell Crowe stop taking A-list projects and start settling for RZA and Marky Mark movies? Broken City feels like a paycheck project for all involved. I'd like to think that consumers caught the unmistakable scent of failure emanating from this one.

Kim Hollis: I had a co-worker who actually mentioned wanting to see this the other day, but I bet he wound up seeing Mama instead. I think it's easy to look at a movie like Broken City and think, "Ooh! Star power!" but let's be honest. Mark Wahlberg is a mid-level draw at best, and although he's had some success with some fairly generic titles, Broken City just looked more or less like everything you can get on television today and then some. Honestly, the procedural is being ruined to some degree, because it's a genre that can be extremely entertaining when it has the right hook.

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