Critics savage Palin film as audiences stay away in droves

"The Undefeated", a documentary about former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin opened in some theaters across the country this weekend and, if critics are to be believed, it is truly awful. Politico has a round-up of reviews, many of which feature the word "bombast" and include sentiments like this one, expressed by Time magazine's Richard Corliss, "The movie may tempt even the most ardent conservatives to emulate their idol’s tenure as governor and walk out halfway through.”

The Atlantic's Conor Friedersdorf caught the Steve Bannon-directed biopic in a deserted theater in solidly Republican Orange County, California. A pair of young women from out of town wandered into the viewing but didn't know that the film was about Sarah Palin when Friedersdorf asked. An usher demanded to know why he wasn't seeing the new "Harry Potter" movie.

The New York Post's Kyle Smith called "The Undefeated" an "excruciating combination of bombast and whining". Smith, the first professional critic to review the film, is a self-described political conservative. He was perhaps the producers' best hope for a favorable review. When he panned an advance copy of the work, the filmmakers attempted to bar him from its New York premiere.

In spite of the film's poor performance with critics and moviegoers, producers insist that the initial reception has been positive. They cited reports of patches of enthusiastic fans throughout the country and a sold-out showing of "The Undefeated" in Grapevine, Texas.