I won’t lie: I am a believer in the scores of Rotten Tomatoes. If a movie is deemed rotten by a sizable percent, there is a good chance that I won’t want to watch it. Maybe it is foolish to let the opinions of others judge your movie choices but are the critics right?
I obviously am inclined to agree that their judgements do carry merit. Around 7/10 times, they are close to accurate. But they are not 100% by any means. Time and time again, there will be movies that are judged dead wrong. Often, I’ve noticed they are comedies or movies meant for simple entertainment.
Rotten Tomato scores are formed by critics. Because of that, their scores can often reflect higher percents for movies that they deem to have substance over movies meant solely to entertain. Obviously, comedies are not the only genre that has been judged unfairly in the past. Poor filmography or “simple plots” can also tank a movie’s rating.
But on the other hand, Rotten Tomato movie critics can also analyze a movie in far different ways than the actual audience would. This results in an inflated score for a movie (or tv show) that is clearly pretty awful. Of course, other factors come into play such as the movie’s studio, actors, and producers which can unfairly sway the opinions of critics.
Below are 10 movies that were definitely rated wrongly by Rotten Tomatoes:
30%
Venom is not a masterpiece but it for sure doesn’t deserve the 30% it received on Rotten Tomatoes. As superhero films go, this one delivered on most of the things you come to expect and provided a pretty entertaining plot. Not to mention, it managed to introduce an element of comedy that is not present with the majority of superhero movies.
It seems that critics did not like how “chaotic” the film was. I can understand how it was slightly messy with its plot and action but by no means would I dock it to a measly 30% for that.
MyRating: 7.2/10
59%
Now this one is a bit more recent and there’s a good chance you’ve seen it. The Mario Movie is a bit controversial in terms of its ratings. But I do think that the Rotten Tomatoes critics had it dead wrong with this one. I’m not even a huge fan of the Mario games but I still enjoyed this movie and all of its references.
Obviously, this film did not have the most complex of plots but it stayed true to its origins. And it managed to create likable characters and an entertaining story in only 90 minutes. For that, I think it deserves far more than 59%.
Overall though, it doesn’t really matter what the critics are saying because this movie still made over a billion in its box office…
MyRating: 8/10
73%
Now, you might be thinking that 73% is not that low but personally, I think the Illusionist deserves far better. Featuring Edward Norton, this movie is the best murder-mystery/romance/magician/ combination you’ll ever find. And to make it even better, the Illusionist is set a hundred years ago in Vienna.
While it is a love story, the film finds a way to balance that with mystery, suspense, and a bit of action. And unlike a certain magician movie by Christopher Nolan (Prestige), this one doesn’t run for 3 hours! Definitely give the Illusionist a chance because I guarantee it won’t disappoint.
MyRating: 8.75/10
55%
Now you for sure have seen at least one of the movies in this series. Despicable Me and the Minions are huge fan-favorites and always pack a laugh. But for some reason, critics found this first spin-off of the series to be a dud. Obviously it is a comedy and does not contain a ton of substance aside from entertainment. But a 55% is even worse than what they gave the Mario Movie.
Personally, I feel that this first movie worked well: it introduced the Minions, it created an effective prequel, and it was pretty funny. I will admit that it didn’t have the best of plots but it certainly could have been worse. I think the sequel to this movie certainly showed that…
MyRating: 7/10
70%
I know I just did the first Minions movie but this review is different. Rotten Tomatoes did not underrate this movie, it overrated it. I don’t know about the rest of you but I don’t think I laughed once during this movie. The jokes weren’t that good, the plot was horrible, and the villains were skeptical. I know there was a huge rush for people to see this movie but for me, it was way overhyped.
In contrast to the first Minions, I would definitely choose the original over the sequel. Despite the first Minions problems, it was similar to the Despicable Me series. But this movie completely disregarded that and chose to introduce a magical element. Maybe I wouldn’t be against it though if they did it well. Unfortunately, this movie did not manage that.
MyRating: 5/10
77%
I know that She-Hulk isn’t a movie, but it felt like a great example. Marvel’s recent TV show started off with promise. But as the show dived deeper, it revealed its true colors. Instead of focusing on action, Marvel tried to create a more lifestyle-oriented show. She-Hulk focuses more on court cases than anything else… not to mention her love life. If anything, the show feels like a wannabe Daredevil without the R rating or actual depth in its plot.
I don’t know how the show managed to pull a 77% on Rotten Tomatoes. But it is probably due to it being produced by Marvel. While I’m sure that some people loved the show, Rotten Tomatoes should judge based on merit and not the studio. Overall, this was not one of Marvel’s successes nor a tv show I would regard as “fresh”.
MyRating: 4.5/10
61%
We all know Rotten Tomatoes has underrated many of Adam Sandler’s contributions to film. But enough is enough. Happy Gilmore is definitely up there as one of the funniest movies I’ve ever seen and definitely deserves more than a sub-par 61%. While that is still technically fresh, I regard a good score as something higher than 70.
While the film is far from perfect, I would definitely say it’s entertaining and rewatchable. At the bare minimum, it’s a good film for a rainy day. And if you’re a golf fan, its a must-see.
MyRating: 8/10
33%
Now this comedy might be a bit more controversial in terms of ratings but I firmly believe 33% is far too low. Come on now, this movie is a classic and as funny as they come. Obviously, critics don’t agree at all, giving this horrible rating. But not all movies are meant for adults looking for the next masterpiece.
From start to finish, this movie will make you laugh at least once with its hilarious cast, featuring Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell. And if you’re already a fan of the movie, you’ll be ecstatic to know that a Good Burgers 2 is on the way this year!
MyRating: 7/10
52%
While this movie is a bit lesser known than some of the ones before, I assure you it is fantastic. In fact, its rating of 53% is honestly a travesty and highly overcritical. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty features a shy man who lives his life constantly stuck in his head, daydreaming. But when he is forced on an adventure, he begins to realize how much more life has to offer.
Besides the invigorating and inspirational message that many of us can relate to, the movie offers amazing photography and beautiful scenes. Truly, this is a movie that encompasses so much more than its rotten tomato score could lead you to believe.
MyRating: 8/10
49%
I can almost guarantee many of you have seen this live-action adaptation of the Christmas story. While it isn’t perfect, Jim Carrey’s portrayal of the Grinch is amazing. The little world of Whoville is beautifully created and the costumes are fantastic. Without a doubt, this movie is far better than the more recent animated version (in my opinion).
And maybe it isn’t loved by all, but once Christmas is around the corner, this movie is a classic to watch with the whole family. Looking at the reviews, I can’t believe it’s rated so low, even with audiences. So maybe I’m just biased on this one (I’m biased on all of them), but I think it’s wonderful.
MyRating: 7.5/10
Bottom Line
When I first started writing this, I was definitely a firm believer in Rotten Tomatoes despite its occasional mis-ratings. But as I reflect on the many movies out there and all they have to offer, I realize it’s tough to simply categorize and judge a movie based on a number.
Obviously not all movies are great and worth your time. In that aspect, it is helpful to have a rating system. But critics don’t represent everybody and especially, they don’t represent you. While you might appreciate the scores, that doesn’t mean you should govern your tastes by them.
My System
I know I just talked about not letting a number define what you watch. But if you’re interested, this is something that I consider before watching a movie:
For me, the system that works best is averaging the rotten tomatoes score with the audience score. I have found that the audience score is pretty accurate and reflects what the typical person would feel about a movie. But some times, the score can be inflated and higher than I would agree with. To counteract that, I average the rotten tomato score with the audience’s rating. This is usually closer to accurate for my taste. (And of course, the audience score can be accessed by anybody, making it susceptible to tampering. So obviously, it’s probably smart to not just look at it alone.)
However, if the two scores are wildly distant, then I treat it differently. In these cases, I usually trust the audience score more, and assume the critics were just way off-base. But overall, no system is perfect and the best way to see if you like a film is to watch it.
