Numerous movie enthusiasts, including the Watch With Us crew, frequently look to Rotten Tomatoes scores as benchmarks for a filmâs caliber.
Indeed, high positive ratings typically indicate a movie thatâs worth your time.
However, art is inherently subjective, and critics can occasionally have different perspectives than the general audience.
This month, while youâre scrolling through Netflix, consider not skipping movies just because they have lower ratings. Weâve compiled a list of three films that critics dismissed but that we truly enjoyâand we believe you might too.
âWet Hot American Summerâ (2001)
Rotten Tomatoes score â 39 percent
The Watch With Us team has a well-documented affection for Wet Hot American Summer, though critics werenât fond of this comedic ensemble. The humor may be slapstick and the characters outrageous, but thatâs precisely what makes it enjoyable. The story revolves around summer camp staff and campers at Camp Firewood on their last day of summer as they navigate crushes, conflicts, and bizarre supernatural events.
If youâve experienced the summer camp life, youâll resonate with it. And if you enjoy seeing Amy Poehler, Paul Rudd, Christopher Meloni, Ken Marino, and Bradley Cooper in 1970s camp attire, it becomes even more delightful.
âHancockâ (2008)
Rotten Tomatoes score â 42 percent
Hancock premiered in the same year as Iron Man, around the time the superhero genre began evolving. Will Smith plays John Hancock, a heavy-drinking, memory-impaired superhero whose chaotic rescues often lead to more destruction than salvation. As he begrudgingly partners with PR specialist Ray Embrey (Jason Bateman) to mend his public image, the story takes a turnâespecially with the introduction of Rayâs enigmatic wife Mary (Charlize Theron).
Smith and Bateman share a humorous and heartfelt camaraderie, while the chemistry between Smith and Theron injects a surprise romantic tension. The movie creatively fuses grounded elements with comic spectacle, delving into the emotional toll of being super in a mundane world. Although Hancock may not reach the heights of Tony Stark, the film provides a quirky perspective on superhero loreâand it merits a second chance.
âAustin Powers in Goldmemberâ (2002)
Rotten Tomatoes score â 52 percent
Perhaps itâs sentimentality, but it surprised us to discover that Goldmember has such a low rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The final film in the Austin Powers series is beloved in our hearts, especially due to BeyoncĂ© Knowlesâ portrayal of the blaxploitation-parody character Foxxy Cleopatra. When Dr. Evil (Mike Myers) and the Dutch supervillain Goldmember (also Myers) kidnap Austinâs (Myers) father, legendary spy Nigel Powers (Michael Caine), Austin teams up with Foxxy to save the dayâand perhaps address some father-son issues while heâs at it.
Filled with over-the-top comedy, bizarre gadgets, and a plethora of Myersâ characters, Goldmember is delightfully absurd. It serves as a whimsical farewell to the series and, in our view, remains a true gem.