Drillbit Taylor Bombs - Is Anyone Surprised?

John Campea 16 Comments

You release a new Owen Wilson comedy a year and a half ago and you’re guaranteed at least a $20 million opening weekend. As a matter of fact, the dreadful “You, Me and Dupree” came out less than 2 years ago and pulled in over $21 million on its opening weekend.

But as we all know, we don’t live 18 months ago. We live right now. And “right now” is a world where Owen Wilson tried to kill himself not long ago. Thankfully he failed, and even better he’s healthy enough to return back to work (he’s back on set doing what he does best), but I’ve been wondering for some time now if the movie going audience just isn’t read to laugh with Wilson yet. After all, it’s hard to laugh with a clown if you are aware that clown tried to off himself not long ago.

Again, the question isn’t “SHOULD” it effect people’s enjoyment or desire to see Wilson do comedy right now… the question is “DOES” it have an effect? The answer to that is very clearly YES.

Yes, Drillbit Taylor was an ass awful movie that ranks just above Meet The Spartans for worst movie of 2008 so far, but when looking for reasons Drillbit bombed so badly, making less than half of what Dupree made just over a year and a half ago, one has to keep a few things in mind:

1) Yeah the movie was bad, but that doesn’t have too much of an impact on opening weekend (since no one had seen it yet).

2) Paramount did indeed market the crap out of this movie. Billboards all over LA, commercials on every channel and trailers before just about every movie.

3) It wasn’t opening against ANYTHING high profile or particularly strong.

There aren’t any excuses left for the movie coming in 4th place on it’s opening weekend just barely clearing $10 million (less than half of what Dupree made on its opening). There is only one thing left. People (in general) are not ready to laugh with Owen Wilson yet (not that they would have laughed in Drillbit Taylor anyway). I have no doubt people WILL BE ready soon enough, but I don’t expect that time is now. Opening BELOW that pathetic looking “Shutter” movie just kind of proves that point.

I really like Wilson and I look forward to him getting back to full speed, but right now it appears most people just aren’t ready to go there.

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  • http://www.ponderplace.com stephen

    Sorry, while this recent suicide attempt may have swayed the numbers a bit, it is my opinion that the movie bombed NOT because of Owens recent life changing attempts…but is due to a totally shit movie/storyline/setup.

    This was a stupid kid’s movie, I hate kids movies.

    I discovered Owen Wilson at about the same time most other mainstream movie watchers discovered him, that was in Shanghai Knights. I loved the way his character behaved, it was funny and fresh. He played in a few others after that (some I’ve not yet seen), Starsky & Hutch wasn’t a good movie, maybe a “pass the time” movie but not one I favored. He did well in Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, its a different type of comedy, but loved it. He was in Meet the Fockers, not a primary role per se, but still did well. I then saw him in Wedding Crashers and that is where he hit a home run in my book. Then there was The Darjeeling Limited, a great movie, again not your average comedy, but it was good for those of us who enjoy the Wes Anderson flavor.

    That was his last good movie (according to me).

    The point I’m attempting to make is that this “Drillbit Taylor” is just a worthless movie, put any other actor in Owen Wilson’s place, and it would still suck balls.

  • GoneAFK

    Yes, John, that is very true.

    I still think there is too much emphasis on the suicide, and not on the extreme potential suckage that every trailer showed.

    If I accept your point, will you accept the fact that people can sometimes smell a rat, and it also bombed because it was bad?

    Really, it looked like a bad after-school special from the 90’s, where kids learn to deal with their problems with the bumbling help of some over the hill bodyguard. I mean, wasn’t that a whole genre of bad films for kids at one point?

    It all started with Kindergarten Cop….

    What we need to bring back his career is Stiller and Luke and a baby…

  • nevadasmith

    The only way I would have gone to see this movie is if he had succeeded (that’s not true either-there’s no way I would have gone to see this movie)

  • http://www.judymoodymovie.com John

    Hey GoneAFK

    The thing is, Batman isn’t a comedy. I guaran-damn-tee you if Ledger’s last movie was a comedy wtih Jack Black it would seriously effect the boxoffice negatively if it was coming out THIS summer.

  • GoneAFK

    I think no one went and saw this movie because there was no reason to. A dumb bodyguard and some nerds?

    Had it been something like Drillbit Taylor protects McLovin’ and the cast of Superbad, maybe.

    But ooo, pre-teen comedy… Sadly, I think it bombed because it looked horrible, not because of a suicide attempt.

    I mean, Batman isn’t going to do well because of Heath Ledger, it was already going to do well because it’s shaping up to be an amazing film.

  • Sahil

    I have to agree 100% with Kevin C. Usually when you see a movie with Owen Wilson he is staring in the movie along with another major star like Vince Vaugnh, Ben Stiller, or Jackie Chan. I think if his next movie is not a P.O.S. and it also bombs then we will know for sure that people are ready to go see a Owen Wilson movie….but until then we should just wait and see what happens.

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