Hollywood Road

The time passed midnight, and the Emperor Entertainment Theater in the Santa Monica Commercial Plaza was still crowded with people. It was already Friday, and "Night City" was about to be released on a large scale. Because the previous pre-sales were too hot, The North American Theater Alliance, headed by the three major theater companies, deliberately started the release of "Night City" after midnight on Friday.

Although Friday is still a working day, there are not many people in the theater at all.

As soon as 0:30 arrived, the previously noisy theater lobby was instantly quiet. All the movie fans crowded into the movie hall, leaving only the theater staff and the company's theater investigators hiding in the corner to accumulate energy. .

Rebecca Kartanson is a woman who just got this job and doesn't consider herself a fan of Murphy Stanton, so she doesn't understand the fanaticism of these fans.

They still have to work or go to class after dawn. These people not only don’t rest, but also go to the theater to waste time and energy. What’s so good about such a crazy and mysterious movie?

She had already collected many ratings and comments from fans at this theater in advance of the screening, and the ratings were all A+ without exception. The comments that jumped out of her mouth made her even more eager to compare Murphy Stanton and his This movie is too exaggerated to blow it outside the solar system.

Unconsciously pressing the small tape recorder in her hand, those fanatical voices reached her ears again.

"From then on, crime action film directors are divided into two levels, Murphy-Stanton and other film directors!"

"This movie is so good that not a second is wasted!"

"For such an excellent film as "Dark City", no amount of praise is superfluous."

"Murphy Stanton is too good, a commercial action movie can be filmed with such height and depth!"

"Absolutely great work, instead of fighting in those niche literary films, it is better to raise the standard of commercial films like Murphy!"

Rebecca Kartansen has passed these back to the headquarters in time, and has also communicated with several other investigators who entered the company through social software, and all of the theaters they are in are like this.

After waiting for a full two and a half hours, the movie finally ended. Seeing a fan coming out of the aisle, Rebecca Kartensen immediately went up and stopped a female fan who was walking in the front.

"Hi, I'm Rebecca from the company..."

Rebecca Kartansen introduced her identity as quickly as possible. This movie fan is no stranger to investigators. When Rebecca Kartansen asked about the rating and comments of the film, she did not hesitate. Said, "A+, it must be an A+!"

"Do you have anything to say about this movie?" Rebecca Kartansen is still very conscientious.

"Well, this should be the last two years, no! Five years..." The female movie fan showed a look of reminiscence, "It's not right, it's the last ten years! It's not right, it's probably the highest comprehensive level I've seen since I watched the movie. It's a commercial movie! There's nothing to say about Murphy Stanton's work..."

She gave Rebecca Kartensen a thumbs up, "Absolutely!"

Rebecca Kartenson handed her a small gift and said, "Thank you."

The female movie fan nodded politely, "You're welcome."

Later, Rebecca Cartenson stopped a male fan who looked less than twenty years old and asked the same question.

"How should I put it?" The male movie fan scratched his head, thought for a while, and then said, "It's a very shocking movie, and only Murphy can achieve such depth in commercial movies.

"

Rebecca Kartenson asked again, "What about the ratings?"

"A+!" He said with certainty, "A+ definitely!"

In the following time, Rebecca Kartansen collected comments from more than a dozen live audiences, just like the previous pre-show, all of them were rated A+ without exception.

"Darkly Unparalleled"

"The story is amazing!"

"A movie of the highest order!"

There are too many compliments like this.

So much so that Rebecca Kartansen was disgusted by hearing it, and wanted to hear some fresh bad reviews, but unfortunately, the whole night was not satisfactory.

In the theaters showing "Dark City" across the United States, it didn't gradually quiet down until 5:30 in the morning, but the next morning, in front of the popular theaters in many cities, there were still queues before the theaters opened. A line of hundreds of people, at one point stretching hundreds of feet.

With the increase in the number of theaters in North America, it has been a long time since there has been such a grand scene.

In the Wave Manor in Beverly Hills, the sun just hit the sky, Murphy and Gal Gadot finished their morning exercise, and walked into the back door of the villa from the garden together in short sportswear.

Because there is an event in Los Angeles today, after the premiere last night, the two returned to the City of Angels by private plane with the main crew.

"I've signed a contract with LAX."

When the two entered the gate, Gal Gadot remembered something and said, "The plane can be parked on the private apron of the international airport in the future."

Gulfstream has delivered business jets.

"Well, yes." Murphy closed the door, thought for a while, and said, "Let's call the plane Gadot."

Gal Gadot knew that there was no need to be polite with Murphy on this kind of thing, and nodded, "I will contact professionals to make and file later."

Walking into the living room, the two of them took the towels handed over by the servants, and briefly wiped the sweat off their faces. Murphy asked the housekeeper, "Have the faxes from 20th Century Fox and Kara Firth arrived yet?"

"Not yet." The butler brought two glasses of water and said, "I have someone guarding the fax machine."

Although we have now entered the information age, Murphy and Kara Firth still maintain the habit of sending faxes after the premiere.

Gal Gadot took a sip of water and reminded him, "Maybe I sent an email, I'll check it out first."

"Let's go together." Murphy followed.

Coming to the computer in the living room, Gal Gadot turned on the computer and quickly scanned her and Murphy's mailboxes, but there was no latest email from 20th Century Fox or Kara Firth.

"Not yet." Gal Gadot shook his head, "It seems to be a little later."

Murphy was not in a hurry. After all, the film's pre-sale box office was here, and the attendance rate of the early show must be very high. Even more than 90% is not a problem, and the box office of the early show must not be bad.

Gal Gadot clicked on the webpage and said, "Let's look at the reviews of the film critics first."

At the premiere last night, except for the deceased Roger Ebert, most of the famous film critics in the United States were invited by 20th Century Fox. They had full confidence in the film and Murphy, and believed that the film Not only does it meet the appetite of movie fans, but it will also project what critics like. These so-called professional voices may not be of great help to the box office, but they will help the film hit the awards season at the end of the year.

Murphy and 20th Century Fox are aiming for more than just the summer box office.

Gal Gadot didn't care about Murphy behind him, and was very devoted to watching the film reviews of these critics.

""Dark City" is a dark and highly complex drama, and since the beginning of the new century, it is difficult to find another crime film that can match it!"

"This is definitely not an exaggeration. In terms of conception, creation, performance and direction, it surpasses the summer popcorn commercial film, and even surpasses all black crime movies. This film from Murphy Stanton, in a tight action In the plot design, more angles and wider perspectives are used to shoot, and the almost perfect picture shocks the audience. If you are lucky enough to enjoy the IMAX version, you will definitely be more surprised and more excited.”

"Murphy Stanton has raised the vulgarity of commercial popcorn movies to a very high level. He has made the discussion of art films and commercial films worthless. "Dark City" not only made classics The feeling of tragedy also explores contemporary hot topics such as terrorism and transgressive power. The most important thing is that the movie is impeccably good!"

—Peter Truckee, Rolling Stone

Seeing this, Gal Gadot is undoubtedly in a great mood.

"The whole film is extremely smooth. Murphy Stanton made a commercial film like this, which is definitely at the textbook level. When I saw the ending, the tragedy and tragedy naturally came to my mind. The silence during the screening will not exceed five minutes. Every minute is a visual feast, and it is beyond imagination, as if there is such a New York in the world. In terms of narrative, the intensive plot layout and the grand pattern of tight fit make the perspective change from the simple appeal of chivalry to the pursuit of justice. The reflection on terrorism and the calm empathy of the centralizers, supplemented by fast-paced editing and exciting soundtrack, possess the dramatic vigor of a contemporary epic!"

--Todd McCarthy, The Hollywood Reporter

Gal Gadot is sure that the film will be a hit.

"The film is not only full of exciting plots, but also the characters are meticulously portrayed, and the psychological changes are captured in place. It is fascinating and thought-provoking at the same time. Throughout the film, the weaknesses of human nature are constantly being poked, and the choices that are forced to be made also test human nature. darkness; justice will eventually defeat evil, it is precisely because of the brilliance of human nature..."

—Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times

Afterwards, Gal Gadot went to the Rotten Tomatoes website to check. Rotten Tomatoes has collected 77 professional film reviews, with a positive rating of 98%, and an average overall score of 8.9!

For a commercial film, this is definitely an overwhelming professional reputation.

She then opened IMDB and looked at it, then turned to Murphy and said, "Congratulations, my dear, the current IMDB rating of the movie is 9.8!"

Murphy shrugged and didn't say anything. He was still very calm. Most of the people who watched "Dark City" were his fans, and it was natural that the ratings were high.

"Sir, Miss..."

At this moment, the housekeeper hurried over, holding a faxed document in her hand, "Miss Firth just sent a fax from Fox."