20 critically acclaimed films that audiences didn’t like

While some people were wondering why Adam Sandler didn’t get an Oscar nomination for his performance in Uncut Gems, others were wondering why anyone liked the film in the first place. The movie did result in Julia Fox giving us one of the best memes of all time, though, and that’s worth something. 

It’s hard to remake a classic, and there were far too many people with an attachment to Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory to be given a fair chance, even if it did star Johnny Depp and was directed by the inimitable Tim Burton. 

Critics loved this film for its cast and found it quite funny. Perhaps audiences didn’t like it because the ants looked more like aliens than bugs, and not in a good way. There’s something deeply unsettling about seeing an animated non-human version of Sylvester Stallone. 

Critics thought the original Spy Kids film was outstanding, but audiences did not agree. We have a theory, however, that the audiences who were asked were the adults forced to take their kids to see the film. There’s a strong group of millennial audiences who saw the film as kids that would side with the critics. 

Critics really, really liked Married to the Mob . Starring Michelle Pfeiffer, Alec Baldwin, and Paul Lazar, it’s surprising that audiences didn’t feel the same way. But plenty have spoken about this late-’80s flick, and the viewer consensus is that there are dozens of others from the era worth watching first. 

Are audiences tired of Brad Pitt? The response to 2019’s Ad Astra certainly suggests that to be the case. The general population did not like this film, but critics were dazzled by the aesthetics and the story. George Clooney floating in space apparently ruined all other astronaut movies for people. 

Sausage Party seems like the type of movie critics would hate, and audiences would love. The cast is undeniably fantastic and funny, and the story is about an animated sausage. Nevertheless, viewers thought this movie was just plain bad, and critics were the ones singing its praises. 

Similarly to Spy Kids, a group of millennials watched Stuart Little as kids and would beg to differ with audiences about whether it’s a good film. We’d chalk it up to being blinded by nostalgia, but critics liked the film, so it must have some merit. 

Now and then, a critical review comes out that has audiences wondering if they were even watching the same movie. But in the case of 2017’s Mother! starring Jennifer Lawrence and Javier Bardem, critics were acutely aware that although they were fans, audiences probably wouldn’t like the film. And the critics were right about that. 

Critics found this film thought-provoking and saw it as a unique take on the horror genre. Viewers thought it was boring and didn’t make a whole lot of sense. We’ll just say this: There’s a reason this movie isn’t included on many best-of lists for horror films. 

Under the Skin proves critical acclaim does not necessarily result in a commercially successful film. Very few people saw this film. It didn’t even make enough at the box office to satisfy its budget, and of the very few people who attended, most thought it was bad. 

Noah Baumbach proves that you shouldn’t give up just because someone doesn’t like what you’ve done. Okay, maybe he’s a bad example. The man has been nominated for multiple Oscars. But the film White Noise, which Baumbach directed and co-wrote, was hated by audiences. The following year, Barbie, which he co-wrote, was released, and audiences loved it. 

The Nutty Professor is another film that seems like audiences would’ve liked more than critics, but it was the opposite. In the defense of critics, a fair share didn’t like it, but even more audience members were haters of this Eddie Murphy comedy. 

The original King Kong (1933) is the only one in its canon that’s universally loved. Every other version has either been met with mixed reviews or resounding disappointment. In 2005, critics thought King Kong had value, but audiences couldn’t be bothered. 

Sometimes, award season rolls around, and the general public sees a list of films they’ve never heard of. In 2017, Hail, Caesar! might’ve been one of those films for a lot of people. Not many people saw it, and the audiences that did see it didn’t like it. Critics and the Academy liked it, however, as it managed to be nominated for an Oscar the year following its release.  

You’d expect a film starring Dev Patel and Alicia Vikander to be good. And according to critics, The Green Knight was good. Audiences weren’t so taken with it, though, and between that and it being released during COVID-19 times, the film didn’t do well commercially. 

It’s pretty rare for audiences not to like a Star Wars film, but Star Wars: The Last Jedi was one exception. While critics were taken with its emotional arc and appreciated the risks director Rian Johnson took, fans of the franchise were bored, and some were even insulted by the film. 

Cosmopolis was another instance where critics predicted that the film might not garner much audience praise. Viewers thought it was weird and boring, one of the worst combinations of adjectives for a film to receive. A movie might be able to get away with one or the other, but both are an affront. 

We’ll give this to critics: they’re typically better than audiences at giving remakes a chance to be seen with fresh eyes than audiences are. Audiences loved the original Ghostbusters so much there was a slim chance its remake would be as loved, especially considering it had female leads this go around. 

If there’s one word filmmakers don’t want to be associated with a superhero movie, it’s boring. Unfortunately, that descriptor was attached to 2019’s Captain Marvel, and its reputation among audiences hasn’t recovered despite starring an Oscar winner and a handful of nominees.