Rotten Tomatoes is a wonderful resource that collects critics’ scores from different publications. Anything 60% or above is considered “fresh” while anything with a 59% or below is “rotten.” Like with most review aggregates, these are not objective and are just an aggregation of reviews from different critics.
Still, some great films or future cult classics end up scoring below the “fresh” score. Those are the films worth celebrating. Here are ten great films that have a “rotten” score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Pain and Gain (50%)
Michael Bay’s films do not inspire much in the way of subtlety, nuance, or much else. They are popcorn films that feature explosions, women in bikinis, and lots of swearing. While The Rock and Bad Boys II have their fans, there’s one film in his filmography that deserves love.
Pain and Gain is based on the true story of a bodybuilder who gets caught up in an extortion ring. Starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson (in his best role to date), this film is a funny true crime tale that makes great use of its South Florida setting.
Constantine (46%)
This stylish adaptation of the Keanu Reeves, this film seems to be earning the cult status it deserves.
John Constantine (Reeves) is essentially a detective with the ability to see and exorcise demons back to hell. It’s a great change of pace for those tired of the same MCU films.
Prince Of Darkness (58%)
After a few failures (especially with the now critically-acclaimed John Carpenter returned to horror with this campy delight.
A few college-aged researchers hole up in a church that is believed to be haunted by the Antichrist. This is the definition of '80s cheese and while it’s nowhere near as good as Carpenter’s other films, it is still a fun time.
Under The Silver Lake (58%)
Palme d'Or in 2018. It received polarizing reviews but managed to gain acclaim for its technical merits.
It is an original film that will probably (and should) have a massive Big Lebowski-like cult following where scholars will dissect and analyze every frame.
The Fast And The Furious: Tokyo Drift (37%)
The best of the Fast and the Furious series? Maybe. This entry in the long-running car action franchise took the action to Japan. When a high school student moves abroad with his dad to avoid jail time in the US, he finds himself in the world of street racing.
Full of that wonderful 2000s-era cheesiness, Tokyo Drift is a fun romp in one of the best modern B-movie franchises.
Macgruber (48%)
A lot of Macgruber seems to have been misunderstood when it first came out in 2010, though it has gone through a resurgence in recent years.
This film is based on the Macgruber sketches from SNL, a parody of Will Forte.
The Dead Don’t Die (55%)
Jim Jarmusch is the king of deadpan delivery, so it seems strange for him to direct a zombie film using his unique brand of humor. In 2019, he released The Dead Don’t Die, a unique take on zombie films that combines ecological messages, fourth-wall breaking and some bizarre musical cameos.
Sure, it might not always work and it is far from Jarmsuch’s best but it is still a good time for horror fans and cinephiles alike.
Vanilla Sky (42%)
Open Your Eyes but the end results are one of most bizarre experiments in commercial filmmaking.
Starring Tom Cruise, the film is about a publisher whose life is turned upside down after a car accident.
Miami Vice (47%)
Jamie Foxx as detectives Crockett and Tubbs, respectively, as they become involved in a dangerous undercover case across Miami and Cuba.
Mann’s stylish direction elevates this above most modern action films and it’s digital filmmaking is still unlike any film today. Also, Nonpoint’s cover of “In The Air Tonight” rules.
The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (56%)
Anjelica Huston, this film is a gem in the discography of one of the most popular modern auteurs.
Critics didn’t respond well to the deadpan tone and bizarre story. At the same time, Anderson seemed to be a parody of himself at this point but this film definitely deserves a second look.
