Critics and audiences aren't always on the same page, and that seems more like the case in 2021 than it ever has before. The year has seen several blockbuster hits that managed to make hundreds of millions of dollars despite being critically scathed.
For example, Eternals was the very first MCU movie to get a rotten rating and Spiral followed suit with every other Saw movie by being critically panned too, but that didn't stop them from being loved by fans. The following movies have a "rotten" rating but great audiences scores on Rotten Tomatoes.
The Tomorrow War (Critics: 52%/Audience: 77%)
In a world where every streaming service is competing for the most subscribers, each big move from the platforms is like a chess move. Netflix paid Rian Johnson and Daniel Craig $100 million each for two Knives Out sequels, Apple was willing to give Martin Scorsese a $200 million budget for his next movie, and Amazon released a high concept sci-fi film starring Chris Pratt in The Tomorrow War.
It isn't clear how many new subscribers were drawn in because of the movie, but critics tried their best to sway potential households away from it. With a 52% critic score, they thought that it was one of the most forgettable sci-fi movies in recent memory. But there was enough entertainment, action, and star power that general home viewers enjoyed it, and it has a 77% audience score.
F9 (Critics: 59%/Audience: 82%)
When it comes to critical acclaim, the Fast and Furious series actually had a great run. After the first four movies in the series were all rotten, the fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth movies are all certified fresh. Unfortunately, the ninth movie ruined that streak, as it has a 59% critic score with many believing F9 totally jumped the shark.
But the Fast series has always been about giving fans exactly what they want, and there has never been any pretense in hiding that fact. So after jokes amongst fans for years about how the franchise will see the crew go into space, F9 made the joke a reality and audiences ate it up, which led to an 82% audience score.
Spiral: From The Book Of Saw (Critics: 37%/Audiences: 75%)
It's hardly a surprise that Spiral has a rotten rating of 35% on Rotten Tomatoes, as there isn't a single film in the Saw series that is rated fresh. But funnily enough, Spiral is still rated higher than most other Saw movies. The film promised a return to the franchise's roots by being as much of a crime thriller as a horror, but according to critics, the result is too convoluted and silly.
With an audience score of 75% on the other hand, the movie managed to impress viewers, as it still provided fans with a good measure of what they liked about the series in the first place. Fans and newcomers to the series found the movie satisfying and it was a promising start for a fresh new direction for the franchise.
Red Notice (Critics: 35%/Audience: 92%)
The thing about actors in the movie industry today is that they're all about building their brand. Ryan Reynolds is known for playing characters with Ryan Reynolds-like quips, and the same goes for Dwayne Johnson, and that's largely the problem with Red Notice. The movie's 35% critics score comes down to how it isn't engaging and that the bankable on-screen charisma just isn't enough.
But the 92% audience score and the sheer amount of times it has been viewed would say otherwise. In the audience's eyes, it seems like Reynolds, Johnson, and Gal Gadot can do no wrong, as Red Notice has been watched 70 million times.
Holloween Kills (Critics: 41%/Audiences: 66%)
Honestly, Holloween Kills is coming off a huge win for the horror series, as the previous film was a massive hit, making over $250 million worldwide, becoming the franchise's highest-grossing movie by far. It was also a success among critics too, as it breathed new life into the series.
Unfortunately, the 2021 sequel botched what could have been a brilliant trilogy (a second sequel to the 2018 reboot, Halloween Ends, is scheduled for next year.) The new movie has just a 41% critic score, but a 66% audience score. Fans and audiences were more easygoing of the movie and forgiving of its shortfalls, as it still supplies some big moments and thrilling jump scares.
Space Jam: A New Legacy (Critics: 25%/Audiences: 79%)
The sequel, Space Jam: A New Legacy is full of mesmerizing animation, impressive basketball tricks, and tons of pop culture references and easter eggs. With a 79% audience score, viewers couldn't help but be enthused about the movie when they saw the Mask, Mr. Freeze, and even Alex from A Clockwork Orange cheering on LeBron James.
But while general audiences loved all of the references to other movies in the Warner Bros. catalog, the wool can't be pulled over critics' eyes so easily. Movie reviewers saw the sequel for what it mostly is, which is a giant commercial for Warner Bros. and the streaming service HBO Max, and that's largely the reason why it sits at a miserable 25% rotten.
Venom: Let There Be Carnage (Critics: 59%/Audiences: 84%)
Just like the first Venom, the sequel is unapologetically fun and it isn't exactly trying to woo the critics. However, unlike its predecessor, Let There Be Carnage is teetering on the edge of being fresh on Rotten Tomatoes. The movie is so almost fresh with a score of 59%, but a lot of critics still couldn't get on board with the iffy visual effects and dumb fun.
The critical consensus didn't keep general audiences from loving it though, as the movie has an audience score of 84% and they loved the added layers too. Not only is the sequel riotous fun, but it dives further into the odd couple-like relationship between Eddie and the symbiote. On top of that, Eddie being pulled into the MCU in the end credits is so much fun and one of the ways Venom can return in the future.
Eternals (Critics: 47%/Audiences: 80%)
Eternals is one of the biggest upsets of the past few years, and though superhero fatigue has been talked about for years, it has finally landed with a lot of critics. With so much talk of the movie's potential for being nominated for Best Picture before its release, it was a huge letdown among critics.
Given that Eternals was inspired by Man of Steel, which also has a rotten score, it definitely didn't help. But despite being the only rotten MCU movie with a critic score of 47%, audiences loved it just as much as any other Marvel flick. It contained just enough jokes and action to still achieve an 80% audience score.
The Green Knight (Critics: 89%/Audiences: 50%)
Most movies that critics and audiences disagree over are usually ones that critics hate and audiences love, but in this rare case, it's the opposite. The Green Knight, which follows the nephew of King Arthur who tests his courage by taking on the titular antagonist, is hated by audiences but loved by critics.
Other great fantasy movies like the Green Knight tell the same story, but few are as compelling as the 2021 movie, and it has an 89% critic score. But audiences largely hated it, as it has only a 50% audience score, as they thought it relied too much on mood and atmosphere, and that the pacing was too slow.
Mortal Kombat (Critics: 54%/Audiences: 86%)
Based on the popular video game series of the same name, Mortal Kombat was made with the fans in mind. Even though there were some strange choices, such as making Goro weak even though he's the reigning champion of the tournament, the new movie is extremely faithful to the games.
It's a hard R-rating, meaning the brutal fatalities are so satisfying, and the visual effects look stunning too. And what's more is that it didn't take itself too seriously, which is what recent video game adaptations like Assassin's Creed and World of Warcraft are guilty of. But it's for all of those reasons why the critics hate it too, as it has a 54% critics score compared to its amazing 86% audience score.