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Felix Quinonez: I think a very key factor with the Cinemascores is that those audiences are polled on opening night. The ones grading the movies are people who really wanted to see the movie. They were excited about it and went in ready to like it. On the other hand, I also believe that a lot of critics go into a Michael Bay movie ready to hate it.

Jason Barney: I think the average movie goer is getting pinched financially, as there really has not been any regression in ticket prices despite the economy being crappy. Films like this tend to be "event" openings, and you get a lot of people who just want to be distracted from the ups and downs of everyday life. They hate their boss, work is stressful, etc. If they can go to the theater, have the family together and semi satisfied, even if the material is not fabulous, then they will. I am not saying it makes perfect sense, but the money amount of money doesn't lie.

Also, I am of the opinion that there are a good number of people who walk out LIKING these movies. They understand there are going to be stunts, chase scenes, and explosions that just don't make sense, but I think they accept the subject matter is from a cartoon from the 1980s.

Yes, I wish the films were better, but you just can't argue with the results.

I guess another way of looking at it would be to ask how much money these films would make if they were actually good.

David Mumpower: I will say what we are all thinking. The Transformers franchise is a cinematic cockroach. People stomp on it repeatedly yet it keeps coming back, and it multiplies every time. Bay has found that amazing piece of real estate where nothing he does matters in the least. People want to hate his films while still attending them. And he could not care less. His power comes from the box office, not the reception of the films nor their memory. The funny part for me is that there is absolutely no difference between the movie offerings of Uwe Boll and Michael Bay. For whatever reason, people continue to support Bay even as they hate his work. Boll is the unlucky one. Well, the people who watch either of their films are the unlucky ones, but you get the point.

Kim Hollis: I'd agree with Felix's comment that the type of people most likely to see a Transformers movie on opening night are already inclined to respond favorably to the film with a positive review. Critics also have to maintain their street cred by ripping the movie apart (I paused for about a moment to wonder if Armond White reviewed it positively, and then wondered if there is even anyone publishing his work anymore). It's a very weird disconnect to see the difference in public versus critical opinion, but I suppose if people are just looking for escapism, Transformers 4 is good enough.

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