"'The Vatican doesn't endorse this film or its completion'," are the first words to appear on the blank screen that begins this film. Having sat through it, I don't endorse it, either," said Brett Michel from the Boston Herald.
"People of the world: If you find some footage, leave it be. You will likely be doing the rest of us a huge favour," said Mark Olsen from the Los Angeles Times.
Even the fans who came out to see it gave it mixed to bad reviews.
Paramount reported that 16 percent of the audience gave it an A grade, while 19 percent gave it an F. Two-thirds of the audience gave the movie a grade of C or lower.
With a sales campaign that bypassed traditional newspaper and TV advertising in favor of online teasers and cryptic marketing, Paramount managed to intrigue young adults who have not been all that interested in the rush of family films and Academy Awards contenders that crowded into theaters over the holidays.
Just a day before The Devil Inside opened, industry analysts had expected Ghost Protocol to remain No. 1 in America.
The most optimistic forecasters figured The Devil Inside might manage $15 million, less than half the business it actually did.
"This one caught everyone looking, but the devil got his due," Hollywood.com analyst Paul Dergarabedian said.
"It's just very difficult to track the horror fan base, no question about it."
Check out the trailer for The Devil Inside:
- Herald Online with AP
