Understanding CinemaScore

A Quick Way to See How People Felt Walking Out of the Theater

CinemaScore is a company that collects audience opinions on a movie’s opening night and assigns the film a letter grade—just like in school. It’s not a professional critic score, and it’s not part of an internet opinion war. It’s just people at the theater, giving their gut reaction right after watching the film.

How Does It Work?

On opening night, people in select theaters get handed a short survey asking them to grade the movie they just watched: A+, A, A-, B+, B… all the way down to F.

The resulting score reflects the immediate reaction of the surveyed opening night audience.

What Do the Letter Grades Mean?

A usually means most people really liked it.

B means opinions were more split.

C means folks weren’t impressed.

D means most folks probably disliked it.

F? That’s rare—and usually means the movie didn’t match what the trailer or marketing seemed to promise.

Why Does It Matter?

CinemaScore can give you a quick sense of whether a movie connected with the audience it was made for.

It’s less about “good or bad,” and more about how well it hit the mark for its target audience.

So a movie that got a B- might still be awesome—but maybe it surprised people, or wasn’t what they were expecting.

Notable Scores

  • Avengers: Endgame (2019) — A+ (everyone cheered)
  • The Last Jedi (2017) — B (controversial and divisive among fans)
  • The Box (2009) — F (confused audiences expecting a mainstream thriller)

What Cinemascore Can’t Tell You

Cinemascore is a snapshot of opening night vibes. It doesn’t measure long-term impact, artistic merit, or whether a movie gains a cult following later.

It also doesn’t tell you:

  • How a movie will age over time
  • Whether the people surveyed were the right audience
  • If a film pushed boundaries in ways that take time to appreciate

Some of the most daring or original sci-fi films scored low because they challenged expectations. Cinemascore reflects expectations—not necessarily greatness.

Slow Burn Favorites

The Box (2009)
Cinemascore: F
Why it scored low: The marketing teased a mystery-thriller, but audiences got a surreal, morally ambiguous sci-fi tale.
Legacy: Over time, it’s developed a small but loyal following for its ambition and weirdness, especially among fans of Donnie Darko director Richard Kelly.

The Fountain (2006)
Cinemascore: C-
Why it scored low: Darren Aronofsky’s non-linear, poetic narrative confused audiences expecting a straightforward sci-fi romance.
Legacy: The film has become a cult favorite for its visual beauty, experimental storytelling, and emotional ambition.

Annihilation (2018)
Cinemascore: C
Why it scored low: The film’s abstract storytelling, eerie tone, and lack of clear resolution confused audiences expecting a conventional sci-fi action film.
Legacy: Now regarded as one of the best cerebral sci-fi films of the 2010s. It’s praised for its ambition, themes of self-destruction, and stunning visuals.