Core Insights - The National Day box office in 2025 has significantly underperformed, with total earnings of 1.835 billion yuan over eight days, which is comparable to 2015's earnings of 1.862 billion yuan over seven days, leading to media reports of a "box office collapse" and a return to ten years ago [1][3][19] Box Office Performance - Five films surpassed the 100 million yuan mark, with an average ticket price of 35.8 yuan and over 50 million attendees [1][21] - The box office performance reflects a notable decline in audience engagement compared to previous years, with attendance dropping from over 100 million in 2019 to just over 50 million in 2025 [17][19] Audience Behavior - Audience attention and spending habits have shifted, with more focus on travel and dining rather than cinema, indicating that movies are no longer the central narrative during holidays [5][19] - Social media has contributed to this shift, as platforms are filled with travel and food content rather than film discussions, leading to a lack of collective engagement around movies [19][20] Film Quality and Themes - Despite significant promotional efforts, films like "The Volunteer Army: Blood and Peace" and "Assassination Novelist 2" failed to generate substantial audience interest or discussion [3][5] - The emotional impact of patriotic films has diminished due to repetitive themes, leading to a decline in audience emotional tolerance for such narratives [8][10] Industrial Challenges - The industrialization of filmmaking has led to a structural emptiness in content, as seen in "Assassination Novelist 2," which, despite high production quality, lacked depth in storytelling and character motivation [11][13] - The focus on visual spectacle over emotional storytelling has alienated audiences, who now seek more genuine narratives rather than mere technical achievements [16][14] Future Outlook - The future of patriotic narratives in cinema may require a shift in storytelling approaches to reignite audience interest, as evidenced by the success of films that adopt more personal perspectives [10][8] - The overall decline in box office performance during the National Day holiday signals a need for the film industry to adapt to changing audience preferences and emotional needs [20][19]