ROTTEN TOMATOES: Guess the Tomatometer as "Ghost Rider" Flies Past the Critics

Guess the Tomatometer as "Ghost Rider" Flies Past the Critics

by Scott Weinberg | February 08, 2007

The New York Post's Lou Lumenick informs us that Sony's (very) long-awaited "Ghost Rider" would be landing in theaters next week without making a pit stop with the movie press. And that means two things: 1. The movie is probably not very good, based on the average Tomatometer (15 percent) of unscreened movies; 2. It's time to play Guess the Tomatometer!

Yes, movie fans, it's Guess the Tomatometer time -- and you know what THAT means: You, um, well you guess what the ... Tomatometer will be at the end of the weekend ... obviously. OK, so it's a simple game, but it's fun, too!

Here are some things to remember:

1. "Ghost Rider" was originally set to hit theaters about eight months ago. The delay was reportedly caused by the need for extra FX work. We shall see.

2. "Ghost Rider" was directed by Mark Steven Johnson, the man who turned Marvel's "Daredevil" and "Elektra" into movie-type ... things.

3. The latest "Ghost Rider" trailer seems to be going more for tongue-in-cheek camp than intense action and evil curses and what-not.

4. "Ghost Rider" opens opposite a political thriller ("Breach") and a family-style adventure epic ("The Bridge to Terabithia"). This will affect box office returns moreso than critical reaction, but I thought it was a fun thing to mention anyway.

5. You never can tell what "the critics" are going to like. New Line hid "Snakes on a Plane" from the press, and probably ended up kicking itself when A) the critical response was pretty decent, and B) the box office was surprisingly anemic.

Of course I'll give the flick a fair shake, but we all know what long delays, silly trailers, and press blackouts usually mean: Turkey time.

Unfortunately "Ghost Rider" doesn't open until next Friday (the 16th), so consider this the Guess the Tomatometer pre-game warm-up. We'll be back next week with the official game.

Films Not Screened for Critics in 2007 (Best To Worst Tomatometer Score):
----------------------------------------------
21% -- The Hitcher
16% -- Primeval
14% -- The Messengers
10% -- Blood and Chocolate
3% -- Epic Movie

Films Not Screened For Critics In 2006:
--------------------------------------
68% -- Snakes on a Plane
59% -- Crank
29% -- Saw III
28% -- Tyler Perry's Madea's Family Reunion
26% -- Silent Hill
23% -- Phat Girlz
22% -- The Marine
18% -- The Return
17% -- Black Christmas
17% -- One Night with the King
15% -- Grandma's Boy
13% -- Underworld: Evolution
13% -- Pulse
13% -- Wicker Man
11% -- The Benchwarmers
11% -- The Grudge 2
10% -- When a Stranger Calls
8% -- See No Evil
7% -- Date Movie
7% -- Doogal
7% -- Larry the Cable Guy: Health Inspector
7% -- Ultraviolet
6% -- Let�s Go To Prison
6% -- Stay Alive
6% -- Van Wilder: The Rise of Taj
5% -- BloodRayne
5% -- Material Girls
3% -- The Covenant
0% -- Zoom

**Update: Columbia TriStar confirms there will be press screenings prior to the release of "Ghost Rider" next week.

Related Items

Celeb:	Mark Steven Johnson
Movie:	Daredevil
	Elektra
	Breach
	Bridge to Terabithia
	Snakes on a Plane
	Ghost Rider

(1-20 of 56 posts) | Reply

gerke writes:
on Feb 08 2007 03:42 AM

the first trailer looked good, but if you delay a movie for 8 months to work on fx (instead of story) then you'll expect a thrill ride movie. these things therefor do not need to be great to make a lot of money (godzilla, van helsing, day after tomorrow etc etc) so why not show it for critics. and more important why not wait 2 more months and open like van helsing.

if the delay is only because of fx then they should wait a bit longer to capitalize on the bigger market potentials. so if they release it now it means that the story was unfixable and they have a stinker on they're hands.

the meter will show: 87%

oh sorry i mean 8 or 7 %

(Reply to this)

Vicens17 writes:
on Feb 08 2007 03:46 AM

Critics - 19%
COTC - 7%
Users - 69%

(Reply to this)

rustdog writes:
on Feb 08 2007 05:29 AM

37% Have you seen Nic Cages hair piece in the previews. It looks like something died on his head.

(Reply to this)

dreday writes:
on Feb 08 2007 05:37 AM

Awesome. I was disappointed that Norbit was screened for critics, but it looks like we'll get to play next week. I think this one will be a little hard to guess. After all, the special effects look pretty decent and as Scott mentioned not all movies that go unscreened for critics get terrible reviews. I'm going to really think about this one.

(Reply to this)

BuckRogers writes:
on Feb 08 2007 05:42 AM

Critics - 53%
Users - 67%

(Reply to this)

TheBomb69 writes:
on Feb 08 2007 06:05 AM

critics - 22%
COTC - 12%
Users - 65%

(Reply to this)

oldnoakes writes:
on Feb 08 2007 06:13 AM

[b]hmm...[/b]
Three important things to consider about this movie:

1. Nic Cage has some really great movies, some not so good movies. Not just considering what projects he takes on, but his acting ability. (This was the man that would be superman, and I'm quite glad he wasn't.)

2. Mark Steven Johnson- I saw Daredevil, and while it was a decent movie it was not quite what it could have been. I expect similar results from Ghost Rider.

3. So-so effects- the concept and design of Ghost Rider is in the right direction but it is very hard image to get on screen. It looks a little hokey to me, but we'll see.

4. Remember Spawn (very terrible in my opinion), when the underworld is involved the story might not be so hot. Hollywood doesn't handle this topic well.
But it will still be cool to see Mephisto.

I will keep an open mind, marvel movies that aren't Spider-man and X-men are pretty bad, but I have some hope here.

Finally, my prediction:

33% critics
73% users

(Reply to this)

JackHorner1979 writes:
on Feb 08 2007 06:17 AM

[b]Ghost Rider: AKA Le Stinkeroo[/b]
Critics: 14%
COTC: 9%
Users: 54%

(Reply to this)

nb30 writes:
on Feb 08 2007 06:45 AM

[b]GooseRider[/b]
Can't wait. It's got "Loathed by critics, loved by Box Office" written all over it.
Critics :29%
Users :63%

(Reply to this)

AstroZombie138 writes:
on Feb 08 2007 06:50 AM

Mark Steven Johnson... Soon to be the Uwe Boll of comic book movies???

Critics: 35%
COTC: 20%
Users: 45%

(Reply to this)

ShaakTi writes:
on Feb 08 2007 07:09 AM

Critics: 17%
Users: 73%

(Reply to this)

Merlin235 writes:
on Feb 08 2007 07:22 AM

This was directed by the same guy who did Daredevil and Elektra? I didn't know that.

(Reply to this)

RuSH- writes:
on Feb 08 2007 07:37 AM

Considering Daredevil was decent at best and Elektra was a waste of $7 then i think it starts out high and drops to 19% for the users....i cant speak for the rest...

(Reply to this)

Bane Of Anubis writes:
on Feb 08 2007 07:39 AM

C: 11%
COTC: 6%
Users: 50%

(Reply to this)

oscarforscorcese87 writes:
on Feb 08 2007 07:56 AM

hmm..... daredevil got 44%, elektra got 7%..... and it has to be better than those two, but then again cage did do wicker man not too long ago, and i'm still trying to erase that film from my memory.
critics: 39%
Users: 62%

(Reply to this)

DANAD01 writes:
on Feb 08 2007 08:02 AM

[b]Johnson didn't write or direct Elektra[/b]
He has said before that he only got a EP credit because it was a spin off of DD.

(Reply to this)

Murrow100 writes:
on Feb 08 2007 08:03 AM

The Tomatometer Equation for Ghost Rider

The Stare of Nicholas Cage into a mirror where he talks and points at himself like every movie = 10%

Eva Mendes looking hotter than hell = 30%

A director was has shown little effort in any of the Marvel movies he has made = -20%

Some shine up effects that make the Rider look almost as good as a halloween decoration = 6%

The climatic ending where near death the Ghost Rider saves Eva Mendes from what is a certain death and keeping with the tradition of recipe card movies = 9%

Lets see 10 + 30 - 20 + 6 + 9 = 35%
(Can't argue it's math)

(Reply to this)

Gareth writes:
on Feb 08 2007 08:12 AM

This story is not very accurate, they are screening it for Seattle Press next Thursday so they will indeed be showing for the press. I am sure some cities are not showing it, but the studio has to approve all screenings where press is invited as we were sent a formal invitation on letterhead.

That being said, film looks awful. They pulled it last year, and the film looks to take some serious liberties with the source material.

(Reply to this)

wazzat writes:
on Feb 08 2007 09:03 AM

critics - 08%
COTC - 05%
Users - 22%

(Reply to this)

ossimer writes:
on Feb 08 2007 09:12 AM

Let's see, the trailer has the song "Bad To The Bone" playing in it, and that is NEVER a good sign, so:

Critics:27%
Users:42%

(Reply to this)

RottenTomatoes.com