Every time a big new movie comes out, it’s followed by an endless barrage of news articles, blog posts, and YouTube videos dissecting the film’s Rotten Tomatoes score and sometimes, that score is just wrong for some reason. Studios place an especially heavy emphasis on the Tomatometer as well! After all, they not only look good on promotional material but also translate to box office success. A detailed analysis by Rotten Tomatoes has revealed that movies with a 0-20% critics score averaged around $40 million, while those with an 80-100% score raked in around $113 million on average.
But what about the films that critics just don’t get? Sometimes, a movie clicks with audiences for reasons beyond fancy camera work or narrative complexity. It could be the charm of a character, the cool concept behind the story, or even a silly comedy that just didn’t land with the critics. So today, we’re going over seven movies that deserve a spot on your watchlist despite their rotten Tomatometer scores.
1. The Super Mario Bros. Movie
The Super Mario Bros. Movie finally gave long-time Nintendo fans the colorful, fast-paced, and filled-to-the-brim-with-easter-eggs adaptation of their favorite game franchise that they’d wanted for years. It also served as a gateway for young audiences, introducing them to the wacky world of Mario and Luigi. But what makes it our #1 pick for this list is the lovable characters. Bowser singing “Peaches” and the nihilistic Lumalee Star celebrating the “sweet relief of death” became internet-famous for a reason — they were just so hilariously unhinged.
However, critics weren’t quite sold on the film’s charms. They found the writing hollow, dismissing it as driven by fan service and overly amped up. But therein lay the magic: what the critics saw as flaws, audiences saw as strengths. The movie holds a Rotten Tomatometer score of 59% and an audience score of 95%.
Watch The Super Mario Bros. Movie on Netflix
2. Funny Games
Michael Haneke’s 2007 film Funny Games is a shot-for-shot remake of his own 1997 German-language film of the same name. However, despite the original’s Tomatometer score of 72%, the remake failed to find its footing with the critics and holds a rotten 52% score on Rotten Tomatoes. But don’t let that fool you. This hidden gem has become an absolute cult classic in the horror community.
The story kicks off pretty cliché: a family heads off to their remote vacation home for a holiday, only to have two psycho killers break in and hold them hostage. But what makes Funny Games special is how it makes you, the viewer, part of the movie. The lead tormentor, Paul (Michael Pitt), frequently breaks the fourth wall. He smirks at the camera, talks about our love for gore, and even asks us for suggestions on how to torment his victims further.
Suddenly, the comfort of being a mere viewer dissipates. We become complicit in the family’s suffering, forced to confront the darkness within ourselves that finds entertainment in violence. It’s a feeling of vulnerability, unlike anything you’ve ever experienced in a movie before.
3. The Whale
Darren Aronofsky’s 2022 film, The Whale, marked a triumphant return to form for Brendan Fraser. His portrayal of Charlie, a reclusive man struggling with obesity and an eating disorder, resonated deeply with audiences. It also earned Fraser his first Oscar (Best Actor in Lead Role). The critics, however, found the film’s portrayal of addiction overly self-indulgent and excessively bleak and even accused it of fatphobia. That’s why the scores on Rotten Tomatoes are all over the place — the critics gave it 64%, but the audience gave it 91%.
4. Freud’s Last Session
Freud’s Last Session is a fictionalized meeting between the two greatest minds of their time: Sigmund Freud (Anthony Hopkins) and C.S. Lewis (Matthew Goode). Critics found the intellectual sparring between the two characters somewhat underwhelming and the use of flashbacks disruptive to the narrative flow, giving it a rotten 44%. But audiences saw something more. Hopkins delivered a very nuanced (and often humorous) portrayal of Freud, far from the stern psychoanalyst we might have imagined from his written works. We saw a vulnerable man grappling with his own mortality and facing the twilight of his career. Audiences found Freud and Lewis’ discussions on religion, the meaning of life, and sexuality profound and thought-provoking, giving it a solid 74% score.
Watch Freud’s Last Session on Apple TV
5. Jumanji
Yep, can you believe it? The classic 1995 Jumanji only scored 51% on the Tomatometer. Critics called the plot “malnourished” and the characters “wooden.” Did they even watch the same movie? Because every character in Jumanji has their own super interesting backstory. Take Bonnie Hunt’s character, for example. She’s been treated like she’s mentally insane for 26 years because of the PTSD from playing the game. Then there are the kids who lost their parents just six months earlier. And Robin Williams’ character disappeared into the jungle as a kid and had to fend for himself for 26 years!
And comparing the original to the newer Jumanji films (which are all certified fresh), it feels infinitely more intense because the stakes are real. Every roll of the dice puts the players in actual danger. Their house gets trashed, and the whole town’s a mess with wild animals and giant mosquitoes sending people to the hospital. But in the newer movies, it’s all happening in a fantastical world. Not quite the same, is it?
6. Don’t Look Up
Adam McKay’s disaster comedy Don’t Look Up took a beating from the critics when it was first released on Netflix, earning a rotten 55% on Rotten Tomatoes. They called it chaotic and overly ambitious, but hey, isn’t that just classic Adam McKay? Don’t Look Up is a savage American political satire cleverly disguised as a disaster thriller. McKay did a wonderful job of weaving dark humor, irony, truth, greed, humanity, and a cry out to save our beloved planet into a film that is touching, funny, and a gut punch wake-up call.
Plus, it’s absolutely star-studded, featuring Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, Jonah Hill, Cate Blanchett, Timothée Chalamet, and many more. Don’t Look Up is a film that will make you laugh, squirm, and maybe even shed a tear. It’s a satire that hits a little too close to home, but that’s precisely the point.
Watch Don’t Look Up on Netflix
7. We’re the Millers
This outrageous comedy about a fake family on a drug-smuggling mission didn’t really land with critics, who found the humor crass and the plot predictable. But despite the rotten 48% score, We’re the Millers has earned a spot on many people’s list of all-time favorite comedies. Sure, the plot might not be groundbreaking, but that’s not the point.
We’re the Millers is all about the journey, the outrageous situations, and the chemistry between the cast. The film has become iconic for memorable gags like “You guys are getting paid?” and the awkward kissing scene. So, if you’re looking for a movie that holds a good place with public opinion or is guaranteed to make you laugh out loud, maybe it’s a good idea to never let the critics dissuade you from believing otherwise! Also, check out similar great horror films with bad Rotten Tomatoes scores.
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