Movie theaters are slowly starting to re-open their doors, with many outside of the U.S. now returning to business as usual. There are conflicting opinions on how safe it is to actually sit in a crowded movie theater, and several websites have now come forward to confirm that their critics will not review The New Mutants if they have to attend public screenings.
The A.V. Club, The Boston Globe, RogerEbert.com, and IndieWire are among those who are unwilling to have their critics put themselves at risk, with the main issue being that movie theaters are allowing customers to remove their masks to eat or drink concession items.
The AV Club's film critic AA Dowd has elaborated on this decision, stating: "Last week, we published an interview with scientific experts on the dangers of going to the movies now, during a pandemic that is in no way under control. They did not mince words: There’s a very good chance you could get sick. And that’s a risk The A.V. Club will not be taking to review a movie."
"We are, in fact, adopting the official policy of only reviewing films our writers can safely watch, whether in a socially distanced press screening or with a digital screener," the essay continues. "And yes, that applies to all our writers, even those willing to take the risk for an assignment, because we’re not willing to monetize that risk, either."
Press screenings did take place for Tenet in certain locations, but that doesn't appear to be the case with The New Mutants, a sign, perhaps, that Disney is aware it won't be particularly well-received.
It's easy to see why these sites feel that way, but regular moviegoers don't have the luxury of socially distanced screenings or online screeners. Ultimately, though, that's their choice, and it could be Disney that loses out here as reviews (and that Rotten Tomatoes score) do influence moviegoers. Of course, if The New Mutants is terrible, they probably won't be too bothered!