When looking up whether or not a movie got strong reviews, you might run into some that are hard to gauge due to differences. Considering that ratings on Rotten Tomatoes come from critics and the scores given out on IMDb are done by casual users, it makes sense that these don't always line up.
The critics might be looking for something different than typical viewers. In some cases, films score pretty impressively on IMDb but the rating they have on Rotten Tomatoes is much lower, making it tough to tell which consensus you're likely to agree with more. It has happened in every genre, including thrillers.
Man On A Ledge (2012) - RT: 31%/IMDb: 6.6
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Everything about the premise of Man on a Ledge lends itself to being a thrill ride that feels as intense as they get. It centers on an ex-con who threatens to jump off the ledge of a tall building. As he talks to a police psychologist about it, his efforts distract from a major diamond heist going on that he's behind.
That concept, plus a cast of Sam Worthington, Elizabeth Banks, Jamie Bell, Anthony Mackie, and more made this a favorite for audiences. However, critics were pretty harsh towards it, saying that it made no sense in spots and the Rotten Tomatoes consensus even suggests that it had "uninspired acting."
Vantage Point (2008) - RT: 34%/IMDb: 6.6
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Movies telling a story from multiple perspectives has become something of a trope over the years. One of the films that managed to pull this off in an intriguing fashion is Vantage Point, which showcases how various witnesses can help solve an assassination attempt on the President.
The IMDb rating shows that fans found this movie to be good but not great. Still, that's a major step up from how critics apparently felt about it, with only 34% of the reviews on Rotten Tomatoes being positive. The "fractured storytelling" and "wooden acting" were said to undermine the interesting premise.
The Bone Collector (1999) - RT: 29%/IMDb: 6.7
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If you think about it, The Bone Collector seems like a movie that was destined to be great. With a cast led by Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie (and a supporting cast of veterans) and a storyline regarding the hunt for a serial killer terrorizing New York City, it felt like a clear winner.
You get the sense that moviegoers appreciated it and at least found it to be good due to the IMDb rating. A look at the Rotten Tomatoes score shows that it wasn't as popular with critics, who ultimately found the whole thing to be bland. Alas, the strong cast was enough to make it a hit at the box office.
Glass (2019) - RT: 36%/IMDb: 6.6
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For the longest time, Unbreakable was in the conversation for the best film of M. Night Shyalaman's career. Over a decade later, Split proved to be the director's best work of the 2010s in the eyes of many and ended with the twist that it was actually something of a sequel to Unbreakable.
Wrapping up the trilogy was the highly-anticipated Glass, bringing together characters from both movies. Reviews were unfortunately mixed, with the main point of contention being that the conclusion was disappointing. Audiences liked the stuff beforehand, including the work of Samuel L. Jackson, James McAvoy, and Bruce Willis.
Untraceable (2008) - RT: 16%/IMDb: 6.2
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This psychological thriller got flamed by nearly every critic for a handful of reasons. The Rotten Tomatoes consensus even goes as far as to call it "nothing more than a run-of-the-mill thriller with a hypocritical message." While the issue of the message lines up, there are legitimate tense moments in this film.
Untraceable follows an FBI Agent (Diane Lane) who tracks a serial killer that streams their torturous murders online, with the videos going viral. Those who liked the movie seemed to appreciate that it holds nothing back and busts out some really creative ways for the characters to be in peril.
Flightplan (2005) - RT: 37%/IMDb: 6.3
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One of the most consistent leading ladies in Hollywood is Jodie Foster. She has been at the forefront of some major movies of the years and one of her most memorable is Flightplan. While not on the level of her greatest work, there was a lot to like in this film.
The story centers on a woman who finds that her child is missing on a flight, only for everyone else on board to have no recollection of the kid being on the plane. Flightplan scored some Saturn Award nods and was a box office hit, though the critics seemed to feel that the movie loses tension as it goes on.
The Loft (2014) - RT: 14%/IMDb: 6.3
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There was a fair bit of intrigue surrounding The Loft when the trailers first dropped. After all, the cast included names like Karl Urban, Wentworth Miller, Rachael Taylor, and James Marsden, who are all talented but not quite box office stars.
The premise is also interesting as it sees five men who share a loft to spend time with their various mistresses, only for one woman to turn up dead and nobody knows who is behind it or how it happened. Alas, reviews were pretty dire and called the film sleazy, though the score on IMDb suggests something solid.
The Accountant (2016) - RT: 52%/IMDb: 7.3
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Even if the plot was bland in The Accountant, it manages to stand out because the cast is among the best you'll find anywhere. Ben Affleck is the lead alongside Anna Kendrick, J.K. Simmons, Jon Bernthal, and John Lithgow, who all shine here. Though a thriller, this is also a high-octane action flick.
Affleck plays Chris Wolff, a man with high-functioning autism who uncooks the books for criminal organizations and things get intense when the authorities close in on him. Alas, critics felt the plot was a bit of a mess, though Affleck's performance received praise.
Now You See Me (2013) - RT: 50%/IMDb: - 7.2
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Everything about Now You See Me on the surface sounds like it'll make for an incredible moviegoing experience. A story about a quartet of magicians who pull off unbelievable heists while evading the authorities makes for an exciting film and that was indeed the case here.
Now You See Me ended up being a commercial success that spawned a sequel but critics were mixed on it. The main focus for negativity was on the ending, which was said to be unsatisfying and that it didn't resolve anything. Even if fans agreed with some of that, they gave it a much higher score on IMDb.
Eagle Eye (2008) - RT: 26%/IMDb: 6.6
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During the back half of the 2000s, it felt like Shia LaBeouf was everywhere. From Transformers to Disturbia, he was pumping out the hits but it seemed like Eagle Eye may have missed the mark a bit. Though it did well at the box office, it's not remembered by many.
The film tells the story of two strangers who get phone calls from a mysterious woman that puts them into dangerous situations by tracking them and threatening their loved ones. Critics lambasted it, saying it copied from superior movies and didn't make much sense, though casual audiences were plenty entertained.