With a slew of Oscar nominations under their belt, there is no question about the quality of content that Netflix is putting out. It can be easy to forget just how much Netflix has impacted the world of entertainment. With many other mediums adopting their streaming model, Netflix has completely changed the way the average person watches movies, for better or for worse. Although the streaming platform allows for movies that would normally never even get funded to have their moment in the spotlight, many users point out that Netflix simply can't compete with the experience of going to a theater and watching a movie on the big screen.
Netflix has covered nearly every genre of the movie over the past few years, but some of their movies have seemed rather lackluster on streaming, and many feel that they would have been far superior in a traditional theatrical experience; sometimes, the scale of a movie simply can't be captured by even the nicest of home theaters. Therefore, it's become clear that there are plenty of Netflix original films that would have been far more enjoyable in a theater instead of at home.
6 Underground
To many viewers, 6 Underground - an action-thriller from Michael Bay - is a Netflix original that they would rather forget. Despite an impressive cast that featured Ryan Reynolds in the lead role alongside Dave Franco and Corey Hawkins, the film largely fell flat for most viewers. Critics and fans alike criticized the movie for its nonsensical plot and excessive explosions, and the movie gained nowhere near the acclaim that Netflix was hoping for. However, this could be attributed to the fact that many viewers were watching a movie full of massive action sequences, and frantic car chases on a small screen. Michael Bay may not be the perfect director but his movies are definitely more enjoyable in a theater setting.
Army Of The Dead
Even though Zack Snyders' Army of the Dead, is one of the most viewed Netflix originals in the platform's history, it was met with lukewarm reviews from fans and critics alike. Many pointed out how the movie fails to deliver on many plot points, and some of the movie's coolest concepts seem to be forgotten entirely. With a movie as massive as Army of the Dead, most would agree that they would have enjoyed the movie more on the big screen, as scenes like that final helicopter showdown and the casino escape sequence would have been far more epic in a theatrical setting.
The Old Guard
Many people would not have thought of Charlize Theron as an action star 10 years ago, but Theron has continued to impress in roles like Atomic Blonde and Mad Max: Fury Road. However, despite her success in those two films, The Old Guard largely falls flat. Suffering a similar fate to 6 Underground, the movie simply isn't as enjoyable in a small viewing experience and feels like it was intended to be watched in a theater. So many of the movie's visuals effects and larger set pieces aren't impressive when watching from your couch, and a proper theatrical release might have given this movie the attention it deserved as a solid and original action flick.
Bird Box
Netflix doesn't seem to have a specific genre bias when it comes to crafting its originals films and series, but one genre that seems to have been underrepresented by the streaming giant is horror, despite 2018's Bird Box being one of his biggest hits to date. Initially seen as a rip-off of A Quiet Place, many viewers were pleasantly surprised with the Sandra Bullock-led suspense-horror flick. Although the movie's quiet and creepy feel works fairly well in a home-viewing experience, it's hard to beat the tension that comes from watching a horror movie in a theater.
Project Power
Project Power had all the pieces for a truly epic action movie: a killer concept (about a dangerous drug that gives the user superhuman powers), an all-star cast (led by Jamie Foxx and Joseph-Gordon Levitt) and one of the largest budgets ever for a Netflix original film. The movie was generally well-received by fans, and even though many felt that the movie was filled with action-flick cliches, they maintained that it still delivered on its premise in a way that was fun and charming.
Unfortunately, much of the movie's budget was wasted on some truly spectacular visual effects that just don't have the same effect for viewers watching on their laptops or in their home theater, warranting a watch on a much bigger screen in a true theatrical environment.
The Midnight Sky
The George Clooney-led sci-fi thriller The Midnight Sky was a movie that flew under many people's radar, even with its star power and a massive budget. Clooney starred as a scientist racing to warn a group of astronauts not to return to earth after a disaster wipes out most of the earth's population, and despite the potential of this original premise, the movie underdelivered for most critics and fans (though most still spoke positively of Clooney's performance). A big screen might have saved the movie for a lot of its critics, as the sweeping arctic landscapes and deep space sequences would have been able to truly shine.
The Irishman
There's not a particular sequence or moment that would have been more enjoyable on the big screen in Martin Scorsese's The Irishman, but with a movie this good, it is a travesty that it wasn't available to be watched in theatres for most viewers. Starring plenty of Scorsese regulars like Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci, the movie is a riveting look into the real-life story of Jimmy Hoffa and his disappearance.
In a movie that has this much to unpack out of every scene, viewers would get far more out the film in an environment free of distractions, allowing them to appreciate every carefully framed shot and every ounce of subtlety that the impressive dialogue has to offer.
The Ballad Of Buster Scruggs
The Coen Brothers are no strangers to the spotlight, racking up tons of Oscar nominations over the years for numerous projects, and The Ballad Of Buster Scruggs is no different. It makes sense that a studio might hesitate on the theatrical release of a movie that is composed of numerous short films; however, the epic highs and lows and downright gorgeous cinematography of Buster Scruggs still would have been far more appreciated in a theatre. In particular, All Gold Canyon and The Gal Who Got Rattled would have excelled when viewed on a large screen, so that the audience could fully take in the breathtaking landscapes that the Coen Brothers were able to highlight.
Extraction
One of the best action movies in recent years, Extraction is an absolute blast of intensity and originality that the action genre can often lack. Starring Chris Hemsworth and produced by the Russo brothers (of Marvel fame), the movie follows a mercenary who is given the task of rescuing the kidnapped son of a powerful crime lord.
The movie is full of heart-thumping action sequences and some of the most creative camerawork seen in a big-budget action movie. Just like so many of the other action movies produced for Netflix, a lot of the movie's potential and appeal is simply lost on a small screen.
Roma
Despite a relatively small budget of $15 million, Roma is the most critically acclaimed Netflix original film ever. With 10 Academy Award nominations received in the year of its release, it's not a stretch to say that the foreign language film is an absolute masterpiece of filmmaking. From its sumptuous storytelling to its captivating cinematography, there is almost nothing that this film gets wrong. The biggest problem is that most viewers were doomed to watch it on a small screen. With the visuals being so important to the way the story is told, the only way to truly experience the movie is in a theater.