Movies Audiences Hate But Critics Love

Typically, blockbuster action movies are adored by audiences and panned by critics — but for 2014’s “Big Game,” the opposite was true. The film centers on a Finnish teenager who witnesses a plane crash, only to realize it was Air Force One, and that the president is being hunted by kidnappers. Together, the two must get away from their pursuers and to the safety of the U.S. Special Forces.

Of the 89 critic reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, 78% were positive. However, just 34% of the over 5,000 audience reviews said “Big Game” was any good. The film was a box office flop, taking in just $3.6 million worldwide.

“Drag Me to Hell” is a supernatural horror film about a bank loan officer, who does not extend an elderly woman’s mortgage. In retaliation, the old woman puts a powerful curse on the loan officer, who is now turning to a psychic for help. Critics have praised the movie for its horror scenes.

In “Revenge,” a woman survives a hunting trip after being left for dead by her married boyfriend and his friends. She is now hunting them down. The thriller movie “slices and dices genre tropes, working within an exploitation framework while adding a timely — yet never less than viscerally thrilling — feminist spin,” according to Rotten Tomatoes’ Critics Consensus. Some viewers did not like the movie because they thought it was unrealistic.

“Babe” is a bonafide classic, telling the story of a piglet who shows he has some special skills and a big heart, bonding with other farm animals and impressing his new owner. Critics found the film charming and sweet, with nearly all giving “Babe” a positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Yet only about two-thirds of audience reviews on RT were positive, with some dismissing the film as just another kids movie with talking animals.

“Teeth” is described in the Rotten Tomatoes Critics Consensus as “smart, original, and horrifically funny.” The film turns horror movie tropes about virginity on their head, when a high school girl learns that her anatomy contains a grisly secret. Simon Reynolds of Digital Spy says the film is “probably too lurid and graphic for the mainstream’s tastes,” which helps explain why just 45% of audience members on RT said they enjoyed “Teeth,” compared to 80% of critics.

“Nurse Betty” is a comedy about a woman’s obsession with a doctor in a soap opera. She travels to meet him in person (while she is being chased by a hitman). Critics praised the actors’ performance, and Renée Zellweger won a Golden Globe for her performance as Betty.

Critics freaked for the 2003 remake of “Freaky Friday,” bestowing upon it an 88% Freshness rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The site’s Critics Consensus cites the charming performances of Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan in this fun body-switching movie. Viewers, on the other hand, thought the film was awkward, corny, and a cliché.

Few films have polarized critics and audiences like the 2014 found footage horror film “The Taking of Deborah Logan.” The film centers on a mother and daughter who are being recorded as part of a thesis project, when the mother starts showing signs that she is possessed. Though more than 90% of critic reviewers liked the film, less than half of audience reviewers on Rotten Tomatoes gave it a positive review.

The stop-motion animated film “Chicken Run” is one of the few on this list in which a significant majority of both audience members and critics gave the film positive marks. Though generally positive, audiences were somewhat lukewarm on the film, with 65% of Rotten Tomatoes reviews giving it a thumbs up. Yet nearly every single critic liked the movie, with the Critics consensus praising the voice acting, the comedy, and action sequences.

“Chicken Run” tells the story of an American rooster that crash lands in a British farm, inspiring the local hens to flee before they’re turned into chicken pot pies.

“Stephanie Daley” tells the story of two women — a pregnant psychologist with a history of giving birth to a stillborn and her patient who stands trial for killing her newborn baby. “The premise has all the trappings of melodrama, but the excellent performances give the characters complexity and empathy,” according to Rotten Tomatoes’ Critics Consensus. Some viewers, however, described the movie as overrated and uninteresting.

“Splash” arguably launched Tom Hanks’ career. He plays a man who falls in love with a mermaid (Daryl Hannah). Critics fell in love with the enchanting tale, which still holds a 91% Freshness score on Rotten Tomatoes. Viewers, however, did not respond with the same affection, with only 58% giving the fantasy romantic story a positive rating. Some audience members called it silly, and some thought Hanks and Hannah had no chemistry.

“Lassie” is an adventure comedy-drama about the profound bond between a boy and his rough collie, Lassie. The films are based on Eric Knight’s 1940 novel “Lassie Come-Home.” The film was generally reviewed positively by critics but only about half of audience reviewers liked it. They prefer the remake, which was released in 2005.

While the vast majority of critics thought the second installment of the “Spy Kids” franchise was worth a watch, most audience members disagreed. “Spy Kids 2: Island of Lost Dreams” sees two siblings follow in their parents’ footsteps of espionage, jetting off to a mysterious island to stop a mysterious villain, while also contending with a rival set of sibling Spy Kids. Despite the negative feedback from audiences, Spy Kids 2 did well enough at the box office to spawn two more sequels.

Only about half of audience members said they enjoyed the 2005 reboot of “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” starring Johnny Depp as the enigmatic Willy Wonka. Many critics were charmed by Tim Burton’s visually innovative directing and Depp’s performance. Yet some reviewers said Depp’s Wonka came off as “creepy” and “bizarre” and that viewers would be better off watching the original 1971 film.

“Coriolanus” is a modern retelling of the Shakespeare play of the same name. Directed by and starring Ralph Fiennes, the film tells the story of decorated general Caius “Coriolanus” Martius, who is ousted from Rome. As a result, Coriolanus teams up with a sworn enemy to destroy the city he once defended. The Critics Consensus said the film was “electrifying and relevant in a modern context,” but less than 60% of Rotten Tomatoes audience members gave it a positive review.

Matt Damon teamed up with “Ocean’s Eleven” director Steven Soderbergh for 2009’s “The Informant!” The film centers on an agricultural corporation vice president who works as an informant for the FBI, gathering information about the company’s price fixing scheme. Critics said the film was an effective satire of corporate life, but 56% of audience reviews on Rotten Tomatoes were negative.

“Little Fish” stars Cate Blanchett as a recovering heroin addict who must avoid falling into old patterns when she starts dating her one-time ex-boyfriend while also taking care of another addict. Critics praised the acting performances from Blanchett as well as co-stars like Sam Neill and Hugo Weaving. But many moviegoers found “Little Fish” too slow and its subject matter too bleak.

“Splice” is a horror movie about geneticists who create a human-animal hybrid creature. At first, their creation seems like a scientific breakthrough, but they soon realize they got more than they bargained for. Three-quarters of critics on Rotten Tomatoes recommended the film, with the Critics’ Consensus calling it a “smart, well-acted” sci-fi film. But less than half of the over 250,000 users who reviewed “Splice” said the film was good.

In the 2005 update to H.G. Wells’ classic alien invasion story “War of the Worlds,” Tom Cruise stars as a father who has to overcome his strained relationship with his kids to keep them safe from bloodthirsty extraterrestrials.

Though the film is Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes with 75% of critics giving it a positive review, just 42% of moviegoers said they enjoyed it. The polarizing film was a financial success, earning over $600 million internationally and ranking as the third highest-grossing film in the 2005 U.S. box office, behind only the Star Wars and Harry Potter films released that year.

“The Innkeepers” is a suspenseful horror mystery film about the two last employees of a haunted hotel who search for ghosts. Critics were about twice as likely to enjoy the film as a regular moviegoer — the movie is Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, with 79% of critics giving it positive marks. Yet just 42% of audience members gave the film a passing grade.

This remake of the 1933 classic of the same name was praised by critics for its special effects and the performances of the leading actors. The movie tells the story of an actress who forms a bond with a giant ape after he kidnaps her. “King Kong” (2005) is one of the most expensive movies ever made. Though viewers were less impressed with the movie, it still turned a profit.

“Rogue” follows an American travel journalist who goes on a cruise assignment in the Australian outback where he soon finds himself in a fight for his life against a giant man-eating crocodile. Most critics loved the nature’s revenge flick, calling it thoughtful, suspenseful, and entertaining. Viewers, on the other hand, described it as forgettable and bland.

“Cam” tells the story of an ambitious young camgirl who is suddenly replaced on her own show by a woman who looks exactly like her. Most critics gave the horror mystery thrilling reviews with some even comparing the film to Oscar-winning “Get Out.” Only 54% of viewers on Rotten Tomatoes, however, liked the movie.

“The Little Shop of Horrors” follows a young man who works in a flower shop. He accidentally breeds a carnivorous plant and has to commit murder to keep it fed. The movie became something of a cult classic; it was re-made in 1986 and yet another version may be in the works starring Scarlett Johansson.

“Arachnophobia” follows two men — an exterminator and an arachnophobe — who fight deadly spiders to prevent an infestation in their small town. The movie still holds a 93% Freshness score on Rotten Tomatoes, but only just over half of viewers gave the film a positive review.

The likeable mouse returns in “Stuart Little 2” to save a friend from an evil falcon. According to Rotten Tomatoes’ Critics Consensus, the animated movie is “a sweet, visually impressive sequel that provides wholesome entertainment for kids.” Most viewers, however, did not like it, describing it as predictable.

Woody Allen reprises a typical role for him — that of a neurotic character. In “Antz,” he is the voice of a neurotic but rebellious ant that tries to escape its colony but then falls in love with the ant princess. The animated film was praised by both critics and viewers for its special effects, but only the critics enjoyed the plot.

“About a Boy” is sort of a coming-of-age movie but about an immature adult who is being taught how to act like a grown-up by a boy. The comedy-drama is still highly praised by critics, who liked not only the script but the main actors’ performances as well.

“Spy Kids” is the first movie of the Spy Kids franchise. In the 2001 movie, two kids go on a mission to save their parents, who are former spies, from an evil mastermind. Most critics really enjoyed the movie, describing it as fun and entertaining. Viewers were less keen. Only 48% gave the action comedy a positive rating. Some even called it cheesy and lame.

“Cuties” is a coming-of-age film about an 11-year-old girl from a conservative family who joins a dance troupe and grows aware of her femininity, much to the dismay of her mother. Critics have called the movie honest and thoughtful. The film holds an 88% Freshness score. Only 16% of viewers, however, liked it, with many saying the film sexualizes the young actresses.