Top 10 Netflix Original Movies That Critics HATED
They can't all be smash hits. From Naked, to The Do Over, to Mute, these Netflix Originals failed to impress. WatchMojo ranks the top Netflix Original movies that critics hated.
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#10: “Naked” (2017)
After “Fifty Shades of Black” and two “Haunted House” abominations, is there anyone who still looks forward to a Marlon Wayans movie? Directed by Michael Tiddes, who also worked on Wayans' previous films, “Naked” sees the potentially charismatic actor stuck in a “Groundhog Day” scenario, as Rob Anderson continuously wakes up naked in an elevator on his wedding day. Sitting at a resounding 0 on Rotten Tomatoes, critics lambasted “Naked” for the derivative premise and playing it safe despite the lowbrow concept. Netflix might have predicted a poor reception, as “Naked” was barely marketed.
#9: “The Open House” (2018)
After a family tragedy, a mother and son move into her sister’s vacant vacation house but, before long, weird things start to freak them out. With such an original premise, The Open House aimed to deliver a similar thrill to something like The Strangers. While Dylan Minnette and Piercey Dalton deliver solid central performances, Netflix's haunted house horror film failed to impress critics. A slow burner, The Open House ended up being tedious rather than intense and struggled to differentiate itself from older and better films.
#8: “Brain on Fire” (2016)
Based on Susannah Cahalan's mental illness memoir, Brain on Fire stars Chloë Grace Moretz as the 21-year-old reporter whose life descends into psychosis due to an undiagnosable disease. Directed by Gerard Barrett, Cahalan's story works better on the page than the screen, with Netflix's medical drama averaging a five out of ten rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Even if far from the worst thing ever, Brain on Fire garnered criticism for weak characterization, a rushed ending, and a lack of intrigue. Rather than a fascinating look into a woman's battle with her own body, Brain on Fire is more of a House episode minus Hugh Laurie.
#7: “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny” (2016)
16 years after the fact, Netflix's maligned sequel feels more like a poor man's copy of Ang Lee's Oscar-winning Martial Arts film, rather than a natural progression. Michelle Yeoh is joined by an entirely new cast, as bad people are once again after the Green Destiny Sword. Lacking “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”'s emotional weight, Yuen Woo-ping's sequel seems happy to jump from one set piece to the next without challenging the cast's motives. “Sword of Destiny”'s fight scenes are dragged down by computer animation, and the decision to shoot in English instead of Mandarin hurt the film's authenticity.
#6: “The Do-Over” (2016)
Adam Sandler is back and on vacation in Puerto Rico. The second in a string of Netflix exclusives, “The Do-Over” sees Sandler's arrogant Max and David Spade's depressed Charlie faking their own deaths to start a new life in paradise. Clocking in at nearly two hours, the movie holds no surprises for anyone familiar with Sandler's recent output. Detested nearly across the board by critics, Netflix's comedy sees the “Saturday Night Live” alumni close to their absolute worst. Packed with sexist overtones and R-Rated but humorless gags, “The Do-Over” has Sandler repeating the same mistakes found in his previous films.
#5: “True Memoirs of an International Assassin” (2016)
Paul Blart: Mall Cop just got a promotion. “True Memoirs of an International Assassin” centers around Kevin James' Sam Larson, who’s a bumbling middle-aged accountant and fiction writer who dreams of superstardom. In order to ramp up publicity, Sam's publisher rebrands the writer's spy thriller as a non-fiction memoir, leading to Andy Garcia hiring Kevin James to kill the president of Venezuela. Yet to receive a positive review by professional critics, True Memoirs' plot goes through the motions and overstays its welcome. While not outright hated by reviewers, James' spy spoof failed to leave much of an impression.
#4: “Bright” (2017)
From all the Netflix originals, David Ayer's fantastical buddy cop drama experienced the biggest dissonance between viewers and critics. Set in an alternate reality where humans live alongside orcs, elves, and fairies; “Bright” sees Will Smith and Joel Edgerton coming together to protect a young female elf. Ambitious but flawed, professionals criticized “Bright” for failing to adequately blend its mishmash of genres and for the story's shallow social commentary. As Netflix already confirmed that David Ayer is working on a sequel, Bright's critical reception barely seems to have made a difference.
#3: “The Cloverfield Paradox” (2018)
In a move that is equally part inspired and idiotic, Netflix announced the next addition to the “Cloverfield” saga on the film's release date. Following two highly rated entries in the series, “The Cloverfield Paradox” holds more in common with “Alien” than the original found footage horror film or 2016's claustrophobic sequel. Set in deep space and featuring a great cast, “The Cloverfield Paradox”'s twists failed to surprise critics, resulting in mostly negative reviews for Netflix's thriller. Only loosely connected to the first film, “Paradox” stuck too close to genre conventions to really stand out.
#2: “Death Note” (2017)
Previous knowledge of the source material is not required and only serves to worsen the experience of this flick. Based on Tsugumi Ohba's manga and Madhouse's anime, Netflix's “Death Note” switches the setting from Japan to America and dumbs down the original. Once again, Light finds a mystical notebook that grants the power to kill anyone by scribbling their name inside. Squandering a fantastic turn by Willem Dafoe, “Death Note” was largely greeted with a shrug by critics, who questioned the film's tonal shifts and unfocused presentation. Averaging a 41% on Rotten Tomatoes, the film had the potential to be something special, but fell so short.
Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few dishonorable mentions.
“Mute” (2018)
“Irreplaceable You” (2018)
“Special Correspondents” (2016)
#1: “The Ridiculous 6” (2015)
Leave it to Adam Sandler to burst Netflix's bubble. Released during a time that the streaming service was mostly known for high-quality series and documentaries, “The Ridiculous 6” is a culmination of Sandler's worst tendencies. Lasting a heartbreaking two hours, Netflix's western spoof received nothing but terrible reviews and marks arguably the lowest point in the company's short history. Labeled as lazy, boring, and just plain offensive; critics could not seem to find a single positive compliment to throw in even the general direction of the film. As Netflix's first feature-length comedy, this trainwreck set the bar painfully low.