▁in ▁Se av iew ▁Square ▁Mall ▁in ▁Ocean ▁Township , ▁New ▁Jersey , ▁but ▁fil med ▁it ▁at ▁E den ▁Pra irie ▁Center ▁m all ▁in ▁E den ▁Pra irie , ▁Minnesota ▁instead ▁due ▁to ▁lower ▁production ▁costs . ▁ ▁The ▁exterior ▁shot ▁showing ▁T . S . ▁and ▁Bro die ' s ▁arrival ▁at ▁the ▁fle a ▁market ▁was ▁of ▁the ▁now - dem ol ished ▁Route ▁ 1 ▁Fle a ▁Market ▁in ▁New ▁Brun sw ick , ▁New ▁Jersey . ▁ ▁The ▁Men lo ▁Park ▁Mall , ▁located ▁in ▁Ed ison , ▁New ▁Jersey , ▁is ▁mentioned ▁in ▁the ▁E aster ▁Bun ny ▁be ating ▁scene . ▁Bro die ▁tells ▁Jay ▁and ▁Sil ent ▁Bob ▁that ▁the ▁E aster ▁Bun ny ▁assault ed ▁him ▁because ▁" all ▁I ▁said ▁was ▁the ▁E aster ▁Bun ny ▁in ▁the ▁Men lo ▁Park ▁Mall ▁was ▁more ▁convin cing ." ▁ ▁Re ception ▁The ▁film ▁gross ed ▁$ 4 0 0 , 0 0 0 ▁on ▁its ▁Friday ▁gross ▁on ▁ 8 0 0 ▁screens . ▁The ▁film ▁made ▁$ 1 . 2 ▁million ▁its ▁opening ▁week end . ▁The ▁film ▁gross ed ▁$ 2 , 1 2 2 , 5 6 1 ▁at ▁the ▁box ▁office . ▁ ▁Mall r ats ▁was ▁the ▁subject ▁of ▁much ▁critical ▁der ision ▁when ▁it ▁was ▁released , ▁with ▁many ▁critics ▁comparing ▁it ▁unf avor ably ▁to ▁Smith ' s ▁first ▁film , ▁C ler ks . ▁In ▁his ▁negative ▁review ▁of ▁the ▁film , ▁critic ▁Roger ▁E