Chapter 75: The Most Shocking Scene

The Rock had a noticeably shorter runtime. When Anna and Aerin walked out of the theater, the screening of Interview with the Vampire on the other side of the hall hadn't ended yet.

"Hello, I'm a film consultant for TPPCZ."

The two had just reached the theater lobby when a young man stopped them. This was a common occurrence; Anna and Aerin had encountered it before.

"May I ask you a few questions?" Seeing them nod, he quickly asked, "Did you think The Rock was good?"

"It's the best action movie I've seen so far!" Aerin said first. "I'll definitely watch this one again and again."

"The movie is nearly two hours long, but it didn't feel like it at all. Time flew by, and before I knew it, it was over." Anna thought for a moment before adding, "I think 'shocking' is the only word to describe it. Even now, my heart is still racing."

"Which character or actor left the biggest impression on you?" the man continued.

"Christopher Lee!" Aerin beat her to the punch again. "He's nearly seventy, but he didn't hold back at all in an action movie like this. He had an overwhelming presence. Every move he made carried a cold, formidable edge, and his British accent is incredibly charming."

"It might be due to the character's background, but I thought Ed Harris, who played General Hummel, stood out more." Anna held a different opinion. "His deep love for his late wife and the way he cared for his men—he used his seasoned acting skills to perfectly portray a responsible, fiercely loyal soldier."

"Thank you!"

The young man handed them each a questionnaire and a pen printed with the logo for The Rock. Anna and Aerin didn't hesitate to check A+ on the survey. They handed the questionnaires back and kept the pens as small gifts.

One after another, more people accepted the rewarded survey from the consulting firm's staff. Anna paid a bit of attention and, without exaggeration, ninety-nine percent of them were full of praise for The Rock. People who were extremely satisfied, just like her and Aerin, were definitely not in the minority.

It made sense when you thought about it. The fans who came to watch this movie at the midnight screening were definitely true action movie lovers. Speaking strictly of pure action films, had there been a more exciting one than The Rock since the nineties began?

She couldn't think of one, anyway.

Not long after, Interview with the Vampire also let out. When Anna's three companions emerged, they flat-out refused to answer several people's questions. As they walked over, they were yawning with bleary eyes, looking drained. They weren't excited at all, a stark contrast to Anna and Aerin.

"How was the movie?" Anna asked.

"It was wonderful. Pitt and Cruise were insanely handsome!"

The girl who spoke let out a huge yawn and rubbed her eyes hard, perking up just a little. "It's just that the movie was too long. The pacing was too slow, and it was a bit dull. It just kept putting me to sleep."

"Alright, alright, go back to sleep when we get home!" Aerin pulled the group outside. "I already called my family. The car and driver are waiting outside."

By the time Aerin and Anna returned to their New York University dorm, chatted a bit more about the movie's plot, and finally drifted into sweet slumber, the midnight screenings in Los Angeles had just ended.

"Fess up..."

Walking out of the theater, Kunitz toyed with the pen he had just received and asked Jones, Allen, and his other companions, "Who didn't pick A+?"

"Do you think we'd give any other score to a movie that's even more thrilling and exciting than Speed?" Allen waved his hand, too lazy to indulge Kunitz, and just changed the subject. "Hey, guys! Now that we've seen The Rock, what do you think was the most shocking scene?"

"The shower room!" Kunitz shouted first. "The conversation between the Navy SEALs commander and General Hummel was the most shocking!"

"Yeah, definitely the shower room!" another companion chimed in. "Especially that soldier down in the shower room. He could have survived, but for the sake of the life-and-death oath they once shared..."

"I think it was the opening sequence!" Jones said slowly. "That slow-motion shot of General Hummel exchanging salutes with the soldier as they passed each other—I still remember it crystal clear!"

"I agree!" Allen nodded. "The shower room scene's emotional appeal was a bit too direct and brutal. I prefer General Hummel's long opening sequence!"

"And..." someone else added, "when General Hummel is finally about to launch the missiles, the scene cuts to the peaceful lives of the people outside the island. In the end, he couldn't bear to cause a disaster and changed the missiles' trajectory."

"General Hummel shouting right there—cease fire!"

"And the voiceover at the start of the film: 'They're not coming to save us, are they, sir?' It was so immersive!"

"The conversation between Goodspeed and John Mason." Mimicking the movie character's tone, Kunitz said, "I'll do my best! Losers always whine about their best. Winners go home and fuck the prom queen!"

"Duke Rosenberg's movies always manage to deliver a few life mottos while providing some comic relief."

"Not to mention, the movie has so many beautiful scenes and visuals..."

"And the soundtrack..."

...

Whenever the sun rose above the horizon, a new day was bound to arrive.

In a luxury suite at the Fairmont Hotel on Mason Street in San Francisco, Duke, wearing his pajamas, walked barefoot to the door. He opened it, took a thick stack of newspapers from the bellhop, casually handed over a tip, and then closed the door to head back into the bedroom.

Before Duke could even turn around, Shania Twain snatched the newspapers away. She flipped through them casually for a moment, dug out their entertainment sections, and threw the rest of the pages on the floor.

"Want to read them?" Shania Twain arched her brow at him provocatively.

Tilting his head to look at her, Duke slowly rubbed his palms together. Playing along, Shania Twain rolled her eyes and quickly said, "I'll just read them to you."

"The Los Angeles Times, a short review by Kenneth Turan." She glanced at Duke and continued, "The Rock is the terminator of other hardcore action films, a spectacularly brilliant eruption of midsummer male testosterone. The movie boasts the typical fast-paced and explosive style of Duke Rosenberg, along with a jaw-dropping body count. At the same time, it is exceptionally fun."

"Mhm... he gave the movie an 8.5," Twain added.

"Continue." Duke maintained the same expression.

"The Rock is a luxurious popcorn entertainment movie." Shania Twain swapped to another newspaper. "This is Rolling Stone's film critic, Peter Travers. He gave the film an 8.8."

"And here's Roger Ebert." She picked up the Chicago Sun-Times. "This is a first-rate action thriller, stylish and not lacking in humor! It deserves a thumbs-up!"

"Congratulations, darling." Shania leaned over and planted a hard kiss on Duke's cheek. "The famous Roger Ebert didn't just give your movie a 9, he also gave it a thumbs-up!"

"Warner's PR team did a good job." Duke praised Warner Brothers, then asked, "Did he review Interview with the Vampire?"

"Interview with the Vampire takes audiences through one scene after another of spine-chilling yet extraordinary imagination. A 9, and a thumbs-up!"

Hearing what Shania Twain read, Duke suddenly felt the urge to laugh. Roger Ebert truly lived up to his name. He had played this hand beautifully. The movie's inherent quality wasn't bad, which perfectly preserved his reputation. His review neither offended Twentieth Century Fox nor crossed Warner's bottom line, and he likely reaped benefits from both sides at the same time. He truly deserved the title of America's number one film critic!

Checking the time, Duke stopped Shania Twain from reading any further. He grabbed his cell phone from the bedside table and dialed Robin Grande's number. For commercial films, critic reviews were all smoke and mirrors; box office numbers were the most genuine market response.