[Chapter 387: Bang Bang Bang!]
In its second week of release, The Net brought in $40.93 million from 2,538 theaters across North America, bringing its total to $89.07 million. It was projected to surpass the $100 million mark in its next week.
The film garnered great reviews, with discussions around its depiction of social networking, e-commerce, blogs, and internet tracking sparking considerable media interest.
Critics viewed it as not just an action movie, but also a science fiction film that was quite fascinating. The movie's fight sequences, gunfights, explosions, and the presence of attractive leads added to its appeal.
The San Francisco Chronicle praised director Link for moving beyond traditional horror elements like ghosts and grim reapers in his earlier films, and for creatively introducing new elements like the Internet and spy thriller tropes into suspense films. They described it as a tightly woven, engaging new-age thriller action film.
The Los Angeles Times lauded Link and lead actress Sandra Bullock, appreciating Link's continued drive for creativity and innovation after directing classics like Se7en, Final Destination, and The Sixth Sense. They noted how he cleverly incorporated online fears into suspense, capturing the audience's attention with a captivating screenplay.
Sandra Bullock's performance was highlighted as vibrant and relatable, breathing life into a character that could have otherwise been quite ordinary. Her mannerisms and expressions resonated well with viewers.
Other media outlets also offered high praise, with 31 providing scores above 85.
...
This week's box office runner-up was Warner Bros.' action film Eraser, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, James Caan, and Jennifer Connelly. The film had a hefty production budget of $100 million. Given the star power of Schwarzenegger and Connelly, Warner Bros. predicted it would earn no less than $50 million in its opening weekend. However, it only managed to pull in $36.58 million, far below expectations.
The main reason for its underperformance was its cliched plot. Despite containing computer and high-tech content, it lacked the freshness compared to The Net, which was a hit at the same time. Moreover, the competition was tough this week with notable films such as Batman Forever, Mission: Impossible, and The Net, all of which were action flicks, leading to tough market competition.
The third spot was taken by Disney's animated film The Hunchback of Notre Dame, which debuted in 2,778 theaters and earned $31.02 million. Its production budget also hit $100 million. While this figure was decent enough to recover costs globally, the profit margin was expected to be slim.
Batman Forever fell to fourth place this week, earning $23.77 million and bringing its total to $216 million.
---
With two films from Link in the top four, he once again became a hot topic among various media, applauded for his substantial box office draw and rapid filmmaking pace, earning the title of a deft gun-slinger in the industry.
To promote his film, he participated in 21 interviews over the past two weeks, discussing his work on CBS, ABC, TNT, The New York Times, Entertainment Weekly, and more.
...
"Link, your exposure is bigger than any of ours right now! Have you considered going back to acting? You used to be an actor," Jennifer Aniston joked as she linked her arm with his.
"Yeah, if Link were to become a star, he'd definitely be at the top," chimed in Courteney Cox and Lisa Kudrow, both in character costumes from Friends, matching their looks from the show.
If there was a camera filming nearby, passersby might have thought they were shooting a scene with Link at Friends.
In truth, Link had just finished an interview at NBC's studio, while Jennifer, Courteney, and Lisa waited below the NBC production center to return to their apartment with him.
Link smiled as he held onto Jennifer's arm, saying, "I really can't compare to you all. Friends is a global sensation. Every afternoon and evening, audiences around the world are tuning in, and more than two billion people recognize you three. Not nearly as many know me."
That was indeed accurate. Friends had debuted in 1994 and was now in its second season. Since the start of the second season, it had become the top-rated show in North America, with nearly all American viewers having seen it. The show also retained high ratings overseas, ensuring repeated broadcasts like old classics. Now, just switching on the television often brought viewers face to face with these three stars.
Currently, they had all reached superstar status in show business, especially Aniston, who had surpassed stars like Sandra Bullock, Nicole Kidman, and Jennifer Connelly in popularity.
Aniston's endorsements alone pushed her earnings well over $10 million annually.
"Viewers only know our faces and have no clue what our names are. Every time we attend events, they call me Rachel, and they refer to Courteney and Lisa as Monica and Phoebe," she frowned playfully.
Courteney and Lisa shrugged, sharing her exasperation over the situation.
Link chuckled, having only known their character names before getting close with them, and he sometimes mistook Jennifer's name for Rachel until he got used to it.
"There's no need to be upset; when people call you by your character names, it's a sign that your performances touched them deeply, and are seen as real people rather than just characters. Many actors spend their entire careers wishing to achieve such a feat."
"But it does create a typecast. Every time we play a role, we'll be seen as Rachel, Monica, or Phoebe. The better we act, the harder it will be to break away from those stereotypes," Jennifer pouted.
Link replied, "After finishing up the series, you can move to films! Act in even more movies, portray different characters that resonate well, and gradually, audiences will remember your real names."
"That's what I'm hoping for, to work with you in future films!"
"Absolutely!"
He led the three of them forward, heading towards the street to get to the car.
...
However, before they could reach their vehicle, the street was pierced by the intense roar of motorbike engines. Just as Link turned to see the commotion, a motorcycle came speeding towards them. The rider, dressed in black leather, drew a handgun from his coat and aimed it straight at Link.
With the distance shrinking to under 100 meters, Link's muscles tensed, and his hairs stood on end the moment he spotted the gun.
"Watch out!" he yelled, swiftly wrapping an arm around Jennifer Aniston while pulling Courteney Cox and Lisa Kudrow ahead, sending all four of them tumbling to the roadside to shield themselves behind a parked car.
Despite the rapid sequence of events, his reflexes were lightning fast, taking less than a second.
Bang!
The first shot cracked, with bullets striking the car hood and sending sparks flying.
Security personnel Wallace and Bob sprang into action, darting to either side of Link to shield him with their bodies.
Bang! Bang!
The motorcycle rider fired again, shattering a side window.
Wallace and Bob pulled out their guns, ready to return fire.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Bystanders on the street heard the gunfire and quickly reacted, some screaming and ducking for cover, while others lay on the ground trembling.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
After Wallace and Bob returned fire, the rider revved his bike and sped off. As he almost escaped, a bullet struck from behind, hitting the gunman, causing him to scream as he swayed on the motorcycle. Just before he could fall, a fellow rider grabbed his arm, pulling him away from the scene.
Wallace and Bob, however, did not pursue. They stood alert, guns drawn, surveying their surroundings. Their job was to ensure Link's safety; as long as he was unharmed, they need not chase after the assailant.
As the motorcycle noise faded away, Link leaned against the car door, looking around while helping Jennifer, Courteney, and Lisa back to their feet, leaning against the parked vehicle for support.
Jennifer Aniston sought comfort by pressing into his embrace, with Courteney and Lisa joining them, finding sanctuary in Link's hold.
He held them gently, providing reassurance.
Their driver arrived, and Wallace opened the car door while Bob guided Link and the three women inside, ensuring they were safely in the vehicle.
*****
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