A new romantic comedy called “Mother of the Bride” has taken the top spot on the Netflix movie chart, despite receiving poor reviews from critics. The film, which stars Brooke Shields and Miranda Cosgrove, was released on May 9 and garnered 26.7 million views worldwide in its first four days. Critics have labeled the movie as “mindless,” “unremarkable,” and “threadbare,” giving it a score of just 14% on Rotten Tomatoes, the worst performance of any Netflix original film released this year.
Following closely behind “Mother of the Bride” on the Netflix most-watched chart is “Unfrosted,” a film written and directed by Jerry Seinfeld about the origin story of the Pop-Tart breakfast pastry. Despite also receiving negative reviews, with a critics score of 42%, “Unfrosted” managed to attract 8.8 million views in its second week. It premiered at the top of the chart with 7.1 million views, making it the worst debut of any movie on Netflix so far this year.
The third most-watched film of the week was the beloved animated movie “Shrek,” which was re-added to Netflix at the beginning of the month and garnered 8.5 million views. This was followed by “Barbarian” with 4.6 million views and “Secrets of the Neanderthals” with 4.3 million views. Other films that made it onto the top 10 list included titles like “The Judge,” “The Frozen Ground,” and “Woody Woodpecker Goes to Camp.”
Despite the negative reviews and criticism from critics, the “Shrek” franchise continues to be a success on Netflix. The original film, released in 2001, won the first-ever Academy Award for best animated feature and has grossed almost $3 billion worldwide. The franchise has also spawned spinoff films, a tourist attraction in London, and a Broadway musical. “Shrek” was even chosen for preservation in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress in 2020.
It’s worth noting that out of the 21 English Netflix original movies released so far this year, 10 have received “rotten” ratings with less than 60% approval from critics. The average score for Netflix original movies in 2024 is 55.3%, with recent releases like “Mother of the Bride,” “Unfrosted,” and “Woody Woodpecker Goes to Camp” all ranking at 42% or lower. Despite the negative feedback from critics, these films continue to attract a significant number of views on the streaming platform.
In conclusion, while Netflix original films like “Mother of the Bride” and “Unfrosted” may not be well-received by critics, they are still managing to draw in millions of viewers around the world. The success of these films, along with the enduring popularity of classics like “Shrek,” demonstrates the diverse tastes of Netflix audiences and the streaming platform’s ability to cater to a wide range of preferences. Despite the criticism, these films continue to make their mark on the charts and capture the attention of viewers looking for entertainment in various genres.
