Given how subjective movie reviews can be, it’s only natural that opinions are going to differ from time to time. As they say; one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. Generally though, this subjectivity tends to balance itself out and, ultimately, provide a fairly balanced viewpoint once an average has been taken. Unfortunately, however, this isn’t always the case.
There are plenty of movies that have been universally panned by critics only for audiences worldwide to disagree. This disparity has left many believing that a lot of professional critics are simply out of touch with the wants and expectations of the typical moviegoer and there are more than enough examples to support this point of view.
10 Underworld Evolution (2006) – User Score: 8.6 │ Metascore: 36
None of the Underworld movies have performed particularly well with critics and while most users tend to agree with them when it comes to some of the series’ later entries, their opinions on the first two movies differ quite a bit. This is especially the case with Underworld Evolution.
The vampire franchise’s second installment holds a user score of 8.6, with many viewers praising its pacing and its expansion of the series’ lore. Some critics, however, felt that the acting was below par and that the plot was far too convoluted to be either fun or enjoyable. Some did seem to enjoy it, but not nearly enough to spare it from a 36 Metascore.
9 Loser (2000) – User Score: 8.7 │ Metascore: 35
Appearing in a hit comedy movie can do wonders for a young actor’s career. That said, it can just as easily cause irreparable damage. Just ask Jason Biggs about it. Two decades have passed since American Pie and yet many still remember him as that guy who made it with a dessert. It’s a shame, really, as there’s a lot more to him than that.
Loser released just one year on from the infamous pie scene meaning that it was still fresh in the minds of many critics. Whether or not this contributed towards the frosty reception that the movie received remains unclear. Its 35 Metascore suggests that it might have though, especially when considering that the majority of viewers found the movie to be hilarious.
8 Demolition Man (1993) – User Score: 8.7 │ Metascore: 34
Many of the most popular action movies from the eighties and nineties have low Metascores. Even Predator, a movie considered by some to be one of the greatest action movies ever made, can only muster a 45. Despite holding the same 8.7 user score, however, Demolition Man manages to sink lower still.
Audiences loved the movie’s many sci-fi elements and the captivating battle between Sergeant Spartan and Phoenix. Critics, on the other hand, were not so impressed; with one even describing the movie as “soulless”. This didn’t stop people from flocking to theaters though, as evidenced by the movie’s $159 million box office takings.
7 The Punisher (2004) – User Score: 8.7 │ Metascore: 33
It’s a little difficult to imagine a modern Marvel movie sitting below a 50 rating on Metacritic. Prior to the 2008 release of Iron Man though, it was a fairly common sight. All three of the Blade movies performed poorly on the site, although not quite as badly The Punisher.
One critic gave it a zero, while several others complained that it was far too violent. Clearly these reviewers were not too familiar with the source material on which the movie is based. Those who actually follow the character though were more than happy with how things turned out; violence and all.
6 Down To Earth (2001) – User Score: 8.8 │ Metascore: 32
Chris Rock is one of the funniest men in America and so a movie written by and starring him should have been a slam dunk. To be fair to the actor and comedian, many viewers did see it as such. Sadly though, a lot of critics took a very different view when it came to reviewing Down to Earth.
The overwhelming consensus was that the movie just isn’t funny, but audiences clearly felt otherwise. As well as its strong user score, the movie performed well at the box office both domestically and abroad and was able to bring in more than double its $30 million budget. For a comedy, that’s no easy feat.
5 Deception (2008) – User Score: 8.7 │ Metascore: 31
This 2008 crime drama starring Ewan McGregor and Hugh Jackman features a scintillating story and some stand out performances from the movie’s leads. At least that’s the view taken by many of the users who reviewed Deception on Metacrtic, anyway. Some critics saw things differently though.
Pretty much every aspect of the movie was panned in one way or another; from the movie’s neo-noir tone to the story itself. Most did seem to agree that the performances of Jackman and McGregor were solid, although the rest of the cast were not spared from criticism.
4 Vampire’s Kiss (1989) – User Score: 8.8 │ Metascore: 31
Nicolas Cage is a fairly divisive actor and so it’s perhaps a little surprising that more of his films aren’t on this list. If any of them were going to appear though, Vampire’s Kiss would have been a safe bet. It’s a strange movie on the surface, although one with quite a lot going for it once its outer layers have been scratched away.
Like Cage himself, the plot can be very unpredictable at times and this is something that most viewers responded well too. It’s very funny, doesn’t take itself too seriously and the cinematography is fantastic; especially given the movie’s modest budget. With this in mind, its 31 Metascore really doesn’t come close to doing it justice.
3 Dracula 2000 (2000) – User Score: 8.8 │ Metascore: 26
It would seem that many professional critics aren’t big fans of vampire movies; regardless of whether they’re presented as tongue in cheek comedies or fang in neck thrillers. Dracula 2000 falls more into the latter category, although there are some romantic elements found throughout the movie as well.
Given the many great vampire flicks that came before it, Dracula 2000 was always going to struggle to measure up. It’s arguably a lot better than its 26 Metascore would suggest though and its 8.8 user score definitely supports this line of thinking. Audiences responded well to the story and acting as well as the movie’s special effects and scintillating soundtrack.
2 Marci X (2003) – User Score: 9.1 │ Metascore: 20
One of the biggest issues with satirical movies is that they don’t always age too well; particularly when they are loaded with as many topical references as Marci X is. That said, there’s still a lot of enjoyment to be found in the movie, especially in the humor department.
Lisa Kudrow hasn’t made the transition into film quite as well as some of her Friends costars have, but she’s arguably just as talented and excels when it comes to both her delivery and her comic timing. For whatever reason though, critics just didn’t see the funny side leading to a huge disparity between the movie’s Meta and user scores.
1 Kung Pow! Enter The Fist (2002) – User Score: 8.6 │ Metascore: 14
If ever there was a movie that was emblematic of the disconnect between critics and audiences, it’s Kung Pow! Enter the Fist. The critical response to this kung fu spoof is overwhelmingly negative, with the majority of critics struggling to find much humor throughout its 83 minute runtime. Viewers, on the other hand, largely found it to be hilarious.
It’s packed full of jokes, expertly paced and is a near perfect parody of the many poorly dubbed kung fu movies that made their way West in the seventies and eighties. By taking it too seriously, many critics seem to have missed the point entirely. Either that, or their ideas of what is and isn’t funny differ greatly from those of the average moviegoer.
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