Top 10 Good Movies With Bad Rotten Tomatoes Scores

These movies are Fresh – no matter what the critics say. Welcome to WatchMojo.com and today we’re counting down our picks for The Top 10 Great Movies with Bad Rotten Tomato Scores.

For this list, we’re focusing on films that critics rated as rotten, with less than 60 percent on the Rotten Tomatoes website, but that audiences either rated highly, scored over 60 percent, or that gained a cult following, all as of mid-2017.

#10: “Wet Hot American Summer” (2001)

Who wouldn’t love a movie released in 2001, but set in 1981 and about summer camp? Well, if the 32 percent on Rotten Tomatoes is anything to go on, the Tomato reviewers clearly don’t. While professional critics described Wet Hot American Summer as a failed attempt at parody and a laugh free comedy, the general public loved the raunchy humor, the sarcastic and dry outlook on life, and the talented cast. It continued to gain a cult following over the years, leading to a successful Netflix original TV series that was meant to be prequel to the film, with most of the cast reprising their roles on the small screen.

#9: “Billy Madison” (1995)

It might be hard to believe today, but once upon a time, Adam Sandler’s name was associated with comedic gold - at least when his fans are the judges. In this flick, Sandler’s first leading role, he plays a bumbling, annoying, simple minded, yet somehow endearing slacker who must repeat grades one through twelve in order to convince his father he is capable of taking over the family business. Critics called the movie mindless and idiotic, earning it a 46 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, but it hit the mark with moviegoers, sitting at a 79 percent audience score.

#8: “Top Gun” (1986)

It might take your breath away to learn that this ‘80s classic didn’t fly high with critics. Earning an astonishingly low 56 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, the story was deemed too adolescent to appeal to older audiences, even if the flight scenes were appreciated. However, this movie killed at the box office, helped solidify Tom Cruise as one of the biggest leading men in Hollywood, and even spawned its own parody movie five years later. The mixture of high intensity action, on screen chemistry between the leads, and quite a few memorable lines makes it an easy pick for this list.

#7: “Saw” (2004)

This now iconic horror movie may not be for everyone, but the fact that it got only 48 percent on the Tomatometer is confounding. Filmed on a shoestring budget, the majority of this movie takes place in one room, with three main actors, a twist ending and one extremely quotable concept; “I want to play a game.” This movie went on to gross over 55 million at the North American box office and spawned multiple sequels. IMDB has fans rating Saw with a 7.7 out of 10, and the audience score on Rotten Tomatoes in an 84 percent, leaving us to wonder why was this one considered rotten at all.

#6: “The Boondock Saints” (1999)

What are two good Catholic men to do when they think evil is descending on the city of Boston? Well, going on a mass killing spree to rid the town of its sinners is a rotten idea – at least according to the Tomatometer. With one of the largest discrepancies on the list, Boondock Saints earned an astonishingly low 20% with critics. However director Troy Duffy received atonement for his grisly and darkly humorous cult hit in the form of a 91% audience approval rating, making it obvious the critics could use some enlightenment on what made this film so awesome.

#5: “Hook” (1991)

This beloved reimagining of a childhood fairytale favorite is packed full of Hollywood icons like Dustin Hoffman, Julia Roberts, Maggie Smith and Robin Williams. It’s funny, sweet, colorful, and leaves the audience with a warm message about growing old, growing up, and the importance of love. Cheesy and heartwarming, audiences love it. The critics? Not so much. Called sappy, sickeningly sweet, and pretty much one of Spielberg's worst movies, Hook holds a 30% score on Rotten Tomatoes, leading us to believe these critics could use a dose of imagination and pixie dust with their popcorn.

#4: “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” (1998)

A lawyer, a journalist, a bag full of drugs and a convertible are on their way to Vegas… no this is not the start of a bad joke, but the plot of a psychedelic cinematic hit. Or a total miss, if one believes the Rotten Tomato score. Since it came in with a 49 percent score on the Tomatometer, but an 89 percent freshly popped audience score, we wonder if these two groups were even watching the same movie. Critics said the flick was devoid of character development, but many found Johnny Depp’s character’s drug-induced descent into madness to be a mind-bending commentary on life and the search for the American Dream.

#3: “Home Alone” (1990)

This movie is synonymous with Christmas, hijinks, and mischievous fun. So, the fact that it holds a 55% on Rotten Tomatoes is a cheek slapping, jaw dropping, shock. Critics griped about the thinly stretched plot, inconsistent pacing, and violent slapstick humor. But given an audience score of 79%, the yearly holiday broadcasts that span more than a quarter of a century and the fact that it was the highest-grossing live action comedy in the U.S. until 2011, this movie is clearly beloved by many. Kevin’s quest to save his home from The Wet Bandits after accidentally being left home alone over Christmas is undoubtedly a rotten tomato on one tasty cheese pizza.

#2: “Ace Ventura: Pet Detective” (1994)

There’s no denying that this film pretty much launched Jim Carrey to big screen fame, and left a lasting impression on the slapstick comedy genre. Unfortunately for Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, that impression was negative, at least by Rotten Tomatoes standards. Sitting at a 46% on Rotten Tomatoes, it may not be the lowest scoring movie on our list, but with dozens of quotable lines, box-office success, a cult following, and one up and coming star, this is definitely one that has us wondering who’s in charge of tomato inspection over there… cause this may be a fresh tomato in disguise?

Before we unveil our top pick, here are some honorable mentions
- “Space Jam” (1996)
- “Bad Boys II” (2003)
- “Die Hard with a Vengeance” (1995)

#1: “The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou” (2004)

Adventure, revenge, love, redemption, and finding one’s self; this movie has a rich plot, a great cast, and a complex and whimsical story. While lots of people appreciate this unique flick and love the colorful scenes and skilled directing, many critics found The Life Aquatic to have a false pretense of meaning, giving it a mere 56 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. Despite some disappointing numbers at the box office, and the poor critical reception, this film ultimately found its way into the hearts of movie-goers and has garnered a cult following – not mention, it’s a beautiful look into losing everything in order to find what makes life worthwhile.