The Chinese moviegoer is still easy to predict. Before big Hollywood movies premiered in China after the Spring Festival, experts forecast musicals would not appeal to the average local audience, while action flicks would hit.
Action Movies Rule
Paramount Pictures was right in predicting that the Vin Diesel-starrer “xXx: Return of Xander Cage” would be a hit in Asia. The movie production house was correct because on its opening day in China on Feb. 10, the movie which also features Chinese actor Donnie Yen, earned 161.44 million yuan.
In contrast, “La La Land’s” opening day income was 69.32 million yuan when it opened on Feb. 14. On Feb. 17, another Hollywood musical, “Sing,” premiered in China and also failed to beat the action movie, Global Times reported.
By the weekend, the Oscar-nominated “La La Land” had earned 58.9 million yuan, while “xXx: Return of Xander Cage” earned 181.27 million yuan. “Sing” earned 81.48 million yuan on its opening weekend in China.
Unmet Expectations
Chinese moviegoers had much expectation on “La La Land” because it had bagged several Golden Globes awards and is nominated 14 times in the Oscars. Teng Jingshu, a Chinese film critic, wrote that he was full of anticipation when he entered the theater to watch “La La Land” but left the cinema more dissatisfied that happy viewing the critically acclaimed film. He described the movie as a “plain musical with a routine romance story” which left Teng Jingshu why the film became viral.
Other moviegoers said that “La La Land” was only a typical love story but lacks novelty which is what Chinese audience is seeking. Deep Focus, a blog, concluded the movie is a “silver screen textbook example of Hollywood success.”
Despite the weak performance of “La La Land,” it came in second after Vin Diesel’s movie. In third place was “Kung Fu Yoga,” followed by “Duckweed” and “Sing,” Shanghai Daily reported.