Movies like Brendan Fraser’s The Mummy have proved that the harsh opinions of critics cannot be entirely trusted. The difference in opinion between critics and audiences may occur due to different factors. Some themes in films would pique the interest of movie lovers no matter what the critics say about its lack of originality. In other cases, performances deemed bad by the critics can turn out to be entertaining for audiences.
While critics score has the power to sway the box office results of a movie, here are 10 instances where the audiences did not pay attention to such critical opinions of movies.
10. Uncharted (2022)
Tom Holland and Mark Wahlberg led the action-adventure film Uncharted. Critics were not impressed with the video game adaptation, which echoed other superior adventure films. Owen Gleiberman of Variety best described the film as “Raiders of the Lost National Treasure of the Fast & Furious Caribbean”.
However, audiences found the film largely enjoyable. According to Box Office Mojo, the film grossed $407.1 million at the worldwide box office. A sequel is likely to happen in the franchise if Holland and Wahlberg return to their roles.
The film’s 40% rotten Tomatometer score and 90% audience score clearly indicate the difference of opinion among critics and audiences. Uncharted is now available for streaming on Hulu.
9. Bullet Train (2022)
Bullet Train went off the rails for several critics, who couldn’t help but notice the deeply derivative themes presented in style. THR‘s David Rooney called the film “soulless” and shared that the multitude of characters in the film gets “real tedious real fast”. The film also received criticism for the race-swapping of characters from the original novel Maria Beetle.
However, audiences seemed to enjoy the 2-hour ride, especially when it started streaming on Netflix. The film got decent returns from the box office with a gross collection of $239.3 million (via Box Office Mojo).
Brad Pitt‘s film received a 54% critics score and a 76% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. Bullet Train is now available for streaming on Netflix.
8. Saw (2004)
James Wan‘s Saw has since gone on to become a successful media franchise, but the genre was not a critic’s favorite at the time. The 50% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes was accompanied by the website’s consensus statement that read:
“Its lofty ambitions are undercut by a nihilistic streak that feels more mean than profound.”
The small-budget production however struck the right chords with its target audience. It grossed $103.9 million at the box office (via Box Office Mojo) and spawned several sequels.
Saw is now available for streaming on Starz.
7. Mamma Mia! (2008)
Mamma Mia! was dismissed by critics as being too campy, however, the musical managed to hook its target audience. The film’s inexperienced singers had some pretty catchy musical numbers to work with, which paid off with the audience eventually.
According to Box Office Mojo, the film collected $694.6 million at the box office. The film has a Tomatometer score of 55% and an audience score of 66% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Mamma Mia! is now available for streaming on Netflix.
6. Step Up (2006)
Audiences loved to watch ex-couple Jenna Dewan and Channing Tatum dance in Step Up. However, nothing except the dance worked for critics in this film. Critics had some harsh words for the film that kick-started a dance movie franchise. Empire wrote in their review:
“It’s the usual case of great dancing, bad acting and even worse dialogue in this very guilty pleasure for fans of the genre.”
The film has a pretty low critics score on Rotten Tomatoes with 21%, but the audience score stood at an impressive 83%. The film spawned four sequel films and a television series. The film, made on a budget of $12 million, grossed $114.2 million at the box office (via Box Office Mojo).
Step Up is available for rent on AppleTV+.
5. Empire Records (1995)
Empire Records was largely dismissed as a silly and predictable teen drama. Starring the likes of Liv Tyler and Renée Zellweger, the film explored the lives of a group of record store employees. The critics weren’t the only ones who failed the film.
Audiences ignored the film completely in theaters, as it faced major box office losses after grossing just $303,841 at the box office (via The Numbers). However, the film became a cult hit and the lead stars went on to build successful Hollywood careers.
The rotten 31% critics score was a stark contrast from the impressive 83% audience score (via Rotten Tomatoes). Empire Records is now available for streaming on Paramount+.
4. National Treasure (2004)
Nicolas Cage plays historian Ben Gates who unveils clues buried in the history of the United States to find a treasure. Cage’s adventure was satisfactory for the audience, though the same could not be said for critics. One of the harshest comments for the movie read (via BBC):
“This movie couldn’t be more stale if it’d been dug up by archaeologists”
The film has a 46% critics score and a 76% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. It became a box office success, garnering $347 million (via Box Office Mojo) and spawning a sequel film and a Disney+ series.
National Treasure is now available for streaming on Disney+.
3. Constantine (2005)
Keanu Reeves as John Constantine was a nightmare for critics at the time. The DC Hellblazer was a blonde-haired British guy in the comics, but Reeves played a black-haired American version of the supernatural exorcist.
The critics gave a 46% rotten score for the film on Rotten Tomatoes, with the website consensus sharing that the film lacked focus despite its solid production values. However, the audience score for the film stood at 72%.
Box Office Mojo reported that the film collected $230.9 million worldwide against a budget of just under $100 million. The film achieved cult status in the years following its release and a sequel is currently in development.
Constantine is now available for rent on AppleTV+.
2. Venom (2018)
When Sony announced that Tom Hardy was playing the anti-hero Venom in a standalone movie, fans had no big expectations from the film. Topher Grace had already set the bar too low for the character with his performance in Spider-Man 3. However, Hardy managed to make the interaction between Eddie Brock and Venom more fun.
Critics were generally not happy with the half-decent attempt, with a major point of contention being the badly rushed second half. Variety‘s Owen Gleiberman criticized the film to be “unexciting in its ho-hum competence.”
The film grossed a massive $856.1 million according to Box Office Mojo. The critics score for the film was 30% and the audience score stood at 80% (via Rotten Tomatoes). Venom is now available for streaming on Disney+.
1. The Mummy (1999)
Stephen Sommers’ The Mummy was not exactly a great movie. But the Indiana Jones-style filmmaking, the charming Brendan Fraser, and the chemistry between Fraser and Rachel Weisz made it one of the iconic films. The critics definitely rolled their eyes at the film, but Roger Ebert’s review perfectly summed up the film’s fate:
“I cannot argue for the script, the direction, the acting or even the mummy, but I can say that I was not bored and sometimes I was unreasonably pleased.”
The film was a commercial hit and grossed over $416.4 million at the box office (via The Numbers). The film spawned multiple sequels and spinoff films. According to Rotten Tomatoes, the critics score stood at a low 61% while the audience score stood at an impressive 75%.
The Mummy is now available for rent on AppleTV+.
