Top 10 Movies That Rotten Tomatoes Got Wrong

Top 10 Poorly Received Movies That Rotten Tomatoes Got Wrong

Welcome to MsMojo, and today were counting down our picks for the certified rotten movies that deserve a much higher score on the Tomatometer.

The lethal half-vampire returns in this 2002 sequel. In it, Blade teams up with other vampires to vanquish a supernatural enemy. Despite impressive fight scenes and lots of style, the critical consensus seemed to be that this sequel was mediocre at best. Many fans take umbrage with its 57% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. With a star as charismatic as Wesley Snipes and a director as gifted as Guillermo del Toro, Blade II is more than just another superhero sequel. Film critic Roger Ebert gave it one of its more glowing reviews, calling it even better than the original.

An early career Tom Cruise headlines this mid-80s fantasy epic about unicorns, fairies, and ogres. Legend was renowned for its stunning visual elements, even scoring an Oscar nomination for makeup. Alas, it was far from a massive hit with audiences or critics. Reviews cited its sets, effects, and the performance of Tim Curry as the Big Bad to be the films only redeeming qualities. While its 43% on Rotten Tomatoes says a lot, its the 73% audience score that tells the real story. Legend has since found new life as a cult classic and is overdue for a reappraisal.

Depending on who you talk to, its either the worst movie ever made or a cinematic touchstone thats severely misunderstood. The initial critical reaction to Showgirls is still reflected in its 23% Rotten Tomatoes score. Like many satirical movies, time has been much kinder to it. Following a wannabe showgirl as she discovers the seedy underbelly of Las Vegas, the movie takes a lot of big and vulgar swings. Lets just say its reputation as a major bomb precedes it. Whether you like it for its campy excess or its genuinely sharp cultural critique, Showgirls isnt just worth another look. Its time to realize how ahead of its time it was.

Some movies are undercover masterpieces. And then some are just so entertaining, its hard to knock them for not being perfect. Grease 2 definitely belongs in the latter category. Starring an early-career Michelle Pfeiffer right before she blew up, the retro nostalgia continues in this sequel set in 1961. Pfeiffer leads a new set of Pink Ladies through a mismatched love story full of high school hijinks, motorcycle gangs, and some misplaced patriotism. While we cant say its the best movie, Grease 2 does have enough memorable musical numbers and fun to recommend a higher rating than a measly 36%.

If theres one director whos used to making movies that polarize audiences, its Zack Snyder. Before he turned his attention to the DCEU, Snyder was trying out a different mode of superhero movie. Sucker Punch follows Babydoll, a patient in a mental institution who leads her fellow patients into a shared fantasy where they are training to become warriors. The merging of fantasy and reality leads to some incredibly striking images. Largely hated upon release, critics agreed that it was incomprehensible, tasteless, and even boring. This hasnt stopped its fans from praising its themes of female empowerment.

Given how big it was for kids of a certain age, youd be surprised that this witchy family movie from 1993 wasnt well regarded upon release. Hocus Pocus is a light supernatural comedy about three 17th Century witches transported to the modern day. For as iconic as Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy are, they couldnt weave their spell over the critics. The movie got major thumbs down from top critics like Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel. But 90s kids everywhere absolutely dont agree. The movie is beloved enough now to have gotten a sequel nearly 30 years later, and that movie somehow has a better Tomatometer rating.

Considering that this movie is like the Rosetta Stone for most of the comic geniuses of the 2000s, Wet Hot American Summers 39% rating is crazy to consider. Set in the early '80s, the movie follows a group of immature camp counselors and staff on their last day of summer camp. Featuring a pre-fame Amy Poehler and Bradley Cooper, the ensemble includes Paul Rudd, Janeane Garofalo, and Molly Shannon doing some truly unhinged cringe comedy. From the jump, critics had no idea what to do with it. Audiences have since reclaimed it as a hilarious look at some of the best movie comedians of the past few decades.

Michael Mann directed this adaptation of his decade-defining TV show from the 1980s. Miami Vice the show was noted for balancing its crime stories with immaculate vibes. The movie, which holds a 47% on Rotten Tomatoes, was criticized for the acting of its leads, Jamie Foxx and Colin Farrell, and its underwhelming story. However, many fans of the movie see it as a triumph of neon-soaked vibes, style over substance, and intricate plotting. It makes you feel the story rather than follow it. If you prefer a sensory experience over a tightly plotted one, Miami Vice is a must-see.

Its the movie that puts you inside the game. Robin Williams does some great comic and dramatic work in this fantasy movie co-starring Bonnie Hunt and a young Kirsten Dunst. As a man who was sucked into a board game when he was young, he returns 30 years later to finally finish the game. Jumanji has everything, from a stampede, to deadly spiders, earthquakes, to massive floods. Contemporary reviews cited the overreliance on special effects over character, but theres a lot here about nostalgia and growing up that was overlooked when it was first released.

Theres Tom Cruise, Val Kilmer, intense mid-air dogfights, and shirtless fighter pilots playing volleyball on a sun-soaked beach. Top Gun has something for everyone. Its a beloved classic of '80s action greatness. So why does it only have a critic score of 59%? This is definitely one instance where the critics got it wrong. Audiences came out in droves to see Cruise exemplify '80s coolness. This is arguably where he begins to build the action-star persona hes carried on through the entire Mission: Impossible series. Equal parts action thriller and time capsule, Top Gun deserves a massive bump on the Tomatometer.

Did you agree with our picks? Tell us in the comments.