Do You Trust Rotten Tomatoes Critic Ratings for Movies?

No, I do not trust ratings in general. Numerical scores in a medium like film are completely meaningless without Tomatoes serves as a tool to understand what English-language film critics are thinking. However, it is important to recognize that Rotten Tomatoes does not review films; it mirrors what the critics are saying.

Understanding the Ratings

For instance, Avengers: Endgame holds a Rotten Tomatoes score of 94, making it a critical darling. On the other hand, Hobbs Shaw, a Fast Furious spinoff, received 68, which indicates mixed but mostly positive reviews. Similarly, the first Twilight film garnered a 49, suggesting mixed reviews, while Fant4stic received a pathetic 9, clearly indicating a critical dud.

Complaining about Rotten Tomatoes giving movies bad scores is akin to shooting the messenger. Rotten Tomatoes does not create its own opinions; it merely presents what critics think. However, taking the rating alone might not provide a complete picture.

Going Beyond the Score

The rating on its own does not tell the whole story. For example, Hobbs Shaw and Darren Aronofsky's Mother! received similar scores of around 68. But these films are dramatically different. While Hobbs Shaw is a buddy action movie, Mother! is a deeply disturbing psychological horror film.

Moreover, the distribution of the reviews varied; Hobbs Shaw received mostly 3- and 2-star reviews, while Mother! received reviews all over the place. This illustrates the importance of actually reading the reviews to gain a deeper understanding of critics' opinions.

Personal vs. Critical Perspectives

It is almost inevitable that your personal opinions will differ from the prevailing views of critics. Watching hundreds of newly released movies a year can change your perspective on genre films. Critics, who see so many films, often see blockbusters as formulaic rehashes of familiar tropes. Conversely, arthouse films, which many moviegoers might find challenging, can be more appreciated by critics.

However, this does not mean that critics despise popular movies and only love obscure stuff. Marvel Cinematic Universe films and top-grossing movies in recent years have been warmly received by critics. The critical score on Rotten Tomatoes often correlates with audience enjoyment, as measured by polls like CinemaScore and PostTrak, and loosely with box office earnings. Critics tend to be harder to please, but the general public and critics often share similar preferences.

Can Critics Be Useful?

Yes, critics can be useful. A good film critic can provide personal insights, indicating that films tend to be more popular among audiences than critics suggest. If reviews are moderately negative, it may mean that you might actually enjoy the film. Similarly, a well-written negative review can sometimes pique interest, suggesting that the film might be worthwhile to watch despite the negative reviews.

Ultimately, it is beneficial to read reviews rather than solely relying on numerical scores. By doing so, you can make more informed decisions and possibly discover films that you would not have otherwise considered.