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Edwin Davies: I expected at least $10 million more because I tend to expect films like this to do far better than they perhaps deserve to, but like Matthew I don't think that Sony will be too unhappy with this in the long run. For kids that are too young for Transformers or Harry Potter, but who have already seen Cars 2, this will be the film of choice for the next month. It's not going to be a Night at the Museum or a Madagascar, but if even Mr. Popper's Penguins can wind up in the $65-70 million range (as it looks like it will), then Zookeeper probably has a good chance of winding up with $70-80 million when all is said and done.

Bruce Hall: I wouldn't go so far as to dismiss Paul Blart: Mall Cop as an anomaly, but I wasn't as ready to put money on a $40 million opening for the unofficial sequel as many people. Then again, when your movie is about an obnoxious fat guy who teaches a computer generated gorilla to drop mad beatz AND shameless product placements, you should kiss the ground and praise God that you got away with $20 million.

Reagen Sulewski: Occasionally, box office results give me hope for the future. Not often, but sometimes, and this is one of them. I'm somewhat cynical about these stupid comedies and the public's reception of them, so I was fully prepared for Zookeeper to be a $30 million plus opener, but I couldn't for the life of me figure out who would find this funny. Now, $20 million is still kind of high for my liking, and that the movie exists at all is really kind of an affront. But I'll take this as a start.

Jason Lee: I'm in Reagen's camp. Zookeeper's total is closer to what I was hoping to see than what I thought I'd see. Like Horrible Bosses, yes, this movie could have opened higher. But given the horrible, awful trailer and the horrible, awful commercials, it could have done a lot worse as well. My one solace is that this total, solid as it is, won't be enough to subject us to Zookeeper 2: Zoomania in the Big Apple.

David Mumpower: My primary thought here is that I would like for someone who was fired up about Paul Blart: Mall Cop to explain why Zookeeper looks less engaging. I like Kevin James well enough and I'm not disparaging his appeal. I'm simply expressing that same philosophy a couple of other people did with their replies. This seems like a de facto sequel of sorts where James is a miscast professional trying to navigate the awkward circumstances of his job. It's the same basic premise AND it has goofy animals. I'm mystified that it didn't do better just as I was mystified that Paul Blart did so well.

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