Rotten Tomatoes offers a unique approach to evaluating a movie’s success by breaking down its rating into two distinct categories: critic reviews (Tomatometer) and audience reviews (Popcornmeter). This dual assessment highlights the often-divided reception a film can experience, illustrating how critical acclaim does not always translate to mainstream popularity and vice versa. While some films garner overwhelming praise from critics and achieve universal adoration, becoming mega hits in the process, others may elicit scathing reviews yet cultivate a devoted fan base, evolving into cult classics despite their initial lackluster reception.
This phenomenon underscores the complex relationship between critical consensus and audience sentiment, demonstrating that a movie’s cultural impact can thrive even when it faces harsh criticism, ultimately reflecting the diverse tastes and preferences of viewers. By developing a loyal cult following, many of these movies resurface years later and manage to escape from the bad press they initially received. So, here’s our pick of 6 movies that were hated by critics but loved by audiences.
6. Suicide Squad (2016)
Suicide Squad, released in 2016, follows a covert government agency known as A.R.G.U.S. as it assembles a team of imprisoned supervillains to undertake dangerous missions in exchange for reduced sentences. Led by the ruthless Amanda Waller, the squad includes notorious characters like Harley Quinn, Deadshot, and the Joker, who are tasked with saving the world from a powerful supernatural threat. Despite its star-studded cast, which features actors such as Will Smith, Margot Robbie, and Jared Leto, the film received heavy criticism from critics, who lambasted its convoluted plot, uneven tone, and character development. Nevertheless, Suicide Squad proved to be a box office success, grossing an impressive $749,200,054 worldwide, demonstrating that viewer enthusiasm can sometimes overshadow critical feedback. As of writing, Suicide Squad has a Tomatometer of 26%, based on just under 400 reviews. However, it’s audience score sits at 58%.
5. Night at the Museum (2006)
It is extremely rare for a children’s movie to be welcomed with warmth from critics. So, it is no surprise that Night at the Museum was met with a plethora of negative reviews upon release. Despite this, the tale of a man taking a night shift job at a museum where the artefacts come to life, really landed with audiences of all ages. The beauty of the movie is how it showcases enough fantastical elements to appease to children whilst also exploring themes that resonate with adults – such as loss of time and family bonding. On top of this, Night at the Museum featured a jam-packed cast of some of the biggest names in comedy – including its lead star Ben Stiller, Ricky Gervais, Robin Williams, Owen Wilson, Steve Coogan and Dick van Dyke. The movie was a box office smash, grossing $574.5 million worldwide against a budget of $110 million. The film’s success led to two further live-action sequels and an animated follow-up for Disney+.
Watch Night at the Museum on Hulu
4. The Passion of the Christ (2004)
Any movie focusing on religion automatically throws itself into precarious grounds when it comes to critical opinions. While there may be many critics out there who can take a totally unbiased approach to their analysis, there will still be some who struggle to get onboard due to differing beliefs on religion. Mel Gibson‘s The Passion of the Christ was easily the most talked about movie of 2004. The film charts the final 12 hours in the life of Jesus of Nazareth (Jim Caviezel) on the day of his crucifixion. Although the film was lauded by many for its touching elements and unflinching depiction, it was also met with controversy and upset about its extremely graphic content, with gratuitous violence being the main talking point.
Gibson faced some harsh criticism for his decision to expose viewers to the horrendous torture Jesus was put through. New York Daily News said: “Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ is the most virulently anti-Semitic movie made since the German propaganda films of World War II. It is sickening.” While The A.V. Club wrote: “Gibson makes sure that no blow remains unfelt, and his approach can’t help but stir the body, but he never touches the soul.” However, these pre-release reviews did not deter audiences from flocking to the theaters. The Passion of the Christ quickly became the highest grossing R-rated film in the domestic market at the time, grossing $612,060,372 worldwide. Today, Rotten Tomatoes showcases how the movie is still divided all of these years later, with a Tomatometer of 49% and Popcornmeter of 80%.
Watch The Passion of the Christ on Apple TV+
3. The Butterfly Effect (2004)
The Butterfly Effect, released in 2004, follows Evan Treborn, portrayed by Ashton Kutcher, who discovers he has the ability to travel back in time and alter pivotal moments in his life. As he attempts to make changes to his past to rectify traumatic events and improve his present, he uncovers the chilling truth that even the smallest adjustments can have drastic and unpredictable consequences, effectively showcasing the fragility of time and the complexity of human emotions. As a unique entry into the time travel genre, the film delves into themes of fate, free will, and the ripple effects of one’s decisions.
Despite initially receiving negative reviews from critics, many viewers struggled to take the film seriously given Kutcher’s reputation as a charming heartthrob. However, his performance is often regarded as a standout, showcasing dramatic depth and vulnerability that many agree is the finest of his career. Over time, The Butterfly Effect has garnered a cult following, praised for its thought-provoking narrative and emotional intensity, solidifying its status as a criminally underrated gem in cinema. As of writing, The Butterfly Effect has a very divided reception on Rotten Tomatoes, with a Tomatometer of 34% and a Popcornmeter of 81%.
Watch The Butterfly Effect on Apple TV+
2. Grandma’s Boy (2006)
Grandma’s Boy is a wacky comedy from 2006 that tells the story of Alex (Allen Covert), a down-on-his-look video game tester who moves in with his grandma and her two roommates. From Adam Sandler‘s production company Happy Madison Productions, Grandma’s Boy features many of the usual suspects who pop up in the majority of his movies, including Peter Dante, Nick Swardson, and Kevin Nealon. It also boasts early roles from huge stars like Jonah Hill and Linda Cardellini.
As with most of Adam Sandler’s movies, critics hated Grandma’s Boy when it was released. However, it is a movie that never set out to win any awards or take itself too seriously, identifying as a stoner comedy. To that, it is a goofy, slapstick raunch that feels like you’re hanging around with your buddies. Yet, it still has its heartfelt moments, mostly carried by Doris Roberts, who plays Grandma Lilly. As of writing, Grandma’s Boy is one of the most divided movies on Rotten Tomatoes. It has a Tomatometer of 15% and a Popcornmeter of 85%, based on over 100,000 user reviews.
1. The Boondock Saints (1999)
The Boondock Saints, released in 1999, follows fraternal twin brothers Connor and Murphy MacManus, played by Sean Patrick Flanery and Norman Reedus, as they embark on a vigilante crusade to rid Boston of criminals. After killing two mobsters in self-defense, the brothers interpret this act as a divine sign, leading them to take justice into their own hands by eliminating those they believe to be deserving of death. Their exploits draw the attention of both law enforcement and the Irish mafia, resulting in a cat-and-mouse game filled with intense action and dark humor.
Despite being heavily slammed upon its initial release for its violent content and perceived glorification of vigilantism, the film has since gained a massive cult following, celebrated for its gritty style and memorable dialogue. Over the years, The Boondock Saints has transformed into one of the biggest cult crime movies of all time, helping to catapult Norman Reedus into Hollywood stardom and solidifying its place in the hearts of fans who appreciate its unique blend of moral complexity and rebellious spirit. As of writing, The Boondock Saints has a weak Tomatometer of 26%. However, it has one of the strongest Popcornmeters on Rotten Tomatoes, currently sitting at 91% based on over 250,000 user ratings. On a similar note, here are 6 box office bombs that became cult classics.
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