Examples of rating discrepancies on Rotten Tomatoes:

Bohemian Rhapsody Critic score 60%, Audience score 85%

The Last Jedi Critic score 91%, Audience score 42%

Venom Critic score 30%, Audience score 81%

Why is there such a disparity between the audience ratings and critic ratings?

Have you ever related to this situation: you have an amazing experience while enjoy watching the movie and think it’s super fun. You love the characters, the visuals, the performances, all of the characteristic of the films inspire you. But when you looking through the review-aggregation website for film, that movie got very low score and have academic-type ripping comment from the critics. And you might wonder ‘Was this movie really that bad?’ Well, maybe it’s a contrast between the tastes of the audience and the tastes of the critics. We, as the audiences, and the critics usually have different perspectives on movies. You’re not wrong for liking some movies they don’t like, or for disliking some movies they like. When some movies make a huge amount of income, but in terms of the goodness of the movie, it has been completely chopped off by a famous movie review website. And here are some movies where revenues run parallel to the attractiveness ratings of the movie but the critics couldn’t agree.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009)

The sequel to the Transformers blockbuster was released in 2009, with Michael Bay as director same as the first part. It turns out that in this part, with a story that’s not continue from the first part, including productions that look quite unrealistic, and with a dizzying scenery of robot fighting, for critics, it was very disappointing. Even the director came out to admit that this part was not a good movie. But nonetheless, from a capital of $200 million dollars, this movie still making money up to $800 million dollars ever.

IMDb Rating from Audiences: 6/10 and Critics in Rotten Tomatoes: 19%

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011)

In fact, this movie should have ended in 3 parts. Although this part has the same plot and the same adventure as the first part, and have stunts with hilarious gags, while also has Johnny Depp as the original Captain Jack Sparrow, the critics still say the storyline is boring, linear, and nothing new to interest. But in terms of revenue, the film has grossed over $1 billion dollars worldwide.

IMDb Rating from Audiences: 6.7/10 and Critics in Rotten Tomatoes: 32%

Twilight Breaking Dawn Part 1 (2011)

Another great movie franchise of the love of a handsome vampire and an ordinary teenage girl. This part is considered to be the fourth part before the last part in 2012, where the cast of Robert Pattinson, who plays the role of a handsome vampire in the movies, doesn’t help. Critics said it was awful, bland, and underwhelming, yet it made over $700 million dollars in terms of revenue.

IMDb Rating from Audiences: 4.9/10 and Critics in Rotten Tomatoes: 24%

Hancock (2008)

An action-comedy movie that the filmmakers hoped to be a superhero movie that people talk about. But it’s more of a superhero movie that people remember as terrible movie. Although the plot is interesting with the story of Hancock (played by Will Smith), a vagrant, drunk, who suddenly wakes up without remembering anything, but somehow has magical powers that has immense strength, can fly, and immortal. Overall, it sounds good, but he is actually a rude person, so people don’t want him to help. The movie seems to take us to a different side of a superhero life with a bit of drama, which the movie itself grossed over $624 million dollars.

IMDb Rating from Audiences: 6.4/10 and Critics in Rotten Tomatoes: 41%

Angels & Demons (2009)

This film based on Dan Brown’s novel, even it’s the part that come after The Da Vinci Code (2006), it has been watched and compared to none. And this movie is complex, mystery, and have to interpret and solve the mystery of Christianity. As an audience like us, it’s fun to watch, but critics didn’t really like it. Although the revenue is as high as $485 million dollars.

IMDb Rating from Audiences: 6.7/10 and Critics in Rotten Tomatoes: 37%

The Day after Tomorrow (2004)

A science-fiction apocalypse-sci-fi movie about global warming that triggers natural disasters which are difficult for humans to deal with. Of course, the CG in the movie was made to be realistic, but with a plot that is not new, it’s a bit cliché and the ending isn’t that hard to guess. So, it made the critics rate it less than it should be. However, the moviegoers like to have fun and enjoy beyond the imagination. Therefore, the movie grossed $544 million dollars.

IMDb Rating from Audiences: 6.4/10 and Critics in Rotten Tomatoes: 45%

As you can see, there are movies that the rating from critics contrast with the revenue, which all of these shows that the academic comment from critics don’t always ensure the quality of the films. Therefore, it means that the critics are significantly more interested in social implications on films rather than just watching movies for entertainment value.

So, let’s see what films that impress deeply through the heart of the critics which is different from the most audiences.

Drag Me to Hell (2009)

The critics consensus was that “Sam Raimi returns to top form with ‘Drag Me to Hell’, a frightening, hilarious, delightfully campy thrill ride.”

The Raimi horror movies was a surprise to the audiences. There were plenty of decent scares and some ridiculousness. Perhaps that’s why horror fans didn’t like it—it didn’t consider itself seriously.

…however, Raimi movies are intended to be unique.

Critics in Rotten Tomatoes: 92% and Audiences in Rotten Tomatoes: 62%

Spy Kids (2001)

Surprisingly, critics gave this film an A, but viewers gave it two harsh thumbs down.

The critic consensus was that it was “a kinetic and fun movie that’s sure to thrill children of all ages.”

The audience wasn’t as family-friendly, and it seemed like a huge miss even though those Generation Y may look back on this movie with fond memories.

Critics in Rotten Tomatoes: 93% and Audiences in Rotten Tomatoes: 46%

Ad Astra (2019)

Though science fiction and mystery are very dissimilar genres, Ad Astra has tried.

The consensus from critics for Ad Astra was that it “…takes a visually thrilling journey through the vast reaches of space while charting an ambitious course for the heart of the bond between parent and child.”

It appeared that sci-fi movies lovers found it to be a nonsensical and inferior film in comparison to other pulse-pounding space blockbusters.

Critics in Rotten Tomatoes: 83% and Audiences in Rotten Tomatoes: 40%

The Witch (2015)

Another very imbalanced grading scale between critics and audiences. An A from the critics, and an F from the audiences.

The critic consensus: “As thought-provoking as it is visually compelling, The Witch delivers a deeply unsettling exercise in slow-building horror that suggests great things for debuting writer-director Robert Eggers.”

The audience didn’t feel the same as the critics. Some thought the mood of the film was too slow and not scary.

Critics in Rotten Tomatoes: 90% and Audiences in Rotten Tomatoes: 59%

King Kong (2005)

Audiences gave a failing mark to this film, while critics enjoy consuming the story of this king of Skull Island.

The critic consensus that “Featuring state-of-the-art special effects, terrific performances, and a majestic sense of spectacle, Peter Jackson’s remake of ‘King Kong’ is a potent epic that’s faithful to the spirit of the 1933 original.”

However, audiences weren’t quite impressed because they felt it depended too much on special effects.

Critics in Rotten Tomatoes: 84% and Audiences in Rotten Tomatoes: 50%

Uncut Gems (2019)

Although it received an uncommon A from the critics for an Adam Sandler film, it also received a F from the viewers.

The critic consensus was that Uncut Gems is “…reaffirms the Safdies as masters of anxiety-inducing cinema — and proves Adam Sandler remains a formidable dramatic actor when given the right material.”

The majority of viewers called this movie “excessive” and “boring” from the beginning to the end.

Critics in Rotten Tomatoes: 92% and Audiences in Rotten Tomatoes: 52%

To conclude, when you, as an audience, decided to watch the films, you don’t have to seriously considered the scores, ratings, or comments from the critics. Because when critics and audiences watch the movies, they focus on the different things on the films. This is because moviegoers and critics have very distinct expectations for films. When rating a film, movie critics take into consideration for two things: the film’s production value and its success as a movie. While the audience will evaluate the film based on their own experience instead of the quality of the film itself.

However, it should also be noted that the average person watches 20-30 movies per year, but the movie critics watch hundreds of movies per year. So, seeing this may be the answer to the questions that why some people (or those critics) are hyper-attentive to the details in the films such as dialogue cliches and tropes.

In the end, we’ll each make up our own minds about the movies we want to see. Sometimes, all of us will enjoy it. Other times, we may all hate it. And even other times, we may disagree with one another. But what’s cool is that at the end of the day, it’s all because we just love watching movies!🍿🎥

Don’t forget!! before you go, let’s share the films that you love but get low scores from critics!