Only Two of 2024’s Top Ten Movies Have Negative Rotten Tomatoes Scores

As someone who has spent countless hours in movie theaters over the years, I must say that 2024 was quite an interesting year for cinema. The box office successes of movies like “Inside Out 2”, “Deadpool & Wolverine”, and “Wicked” were indeed impressive, reinforcing the ongoing relevance of the big screen experience.

By the end of 2024, it’s looking like the top-grossing films at the domestic box office are becoming clear. Unless surprising hits like “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” or “Better Man,” released in late December, significantly surpass expectations, “Inside Out 2” is expected to hold onto the title of 2024’s biggest movie by a small margin. Close behind it will be the summer blockbusters from Disney, specifically “Deadpool & Wolverine.” Other strong contenders from the year include “Wicked” and “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” which have earned over $290 million in North America. Despite concerns about the future of movie theaters, these films underscore their continued success and the appeal of theatrical experiences.

It’s worth noting that the majority of the profitable films from 2024, as per Rotten Tomatoes, a well-known review aggregator, have received mostly positive feedback. However, it doesn’t imply that every title has received universal, ecstatic praise from both critics and viewers. Generally speaking, there’s a sense of approval surrounding the reputation of 2024’s major movies, with a few exceptions. In fact, out of the top ten films in North America for 2024, two have less-than-favorable ratings on Rotten Tomatoes. Despite this, these two films made enough money that those involved in their production are not expressing any complaints.

A Despicable Critical Reception

When comedies fail to impress, they become quite tedious to watch. Jokes that miss their mark don’t miraculously transform into side-splitting laughter like an ill-timed dramatic scene or action sequence that goes wrong. If a comedy film isn’t making you chuckle, there’s not much else about it that can make the viewing enjoyable. As of now, Despicable Me 4 is the third highest-grossing movie domestically in 2024. It also holds the title of the most successful film of the year in North America on Rotten Tomatoes, but unfortunately, only 56% of critics have given it a positive review.

It wouldn’t have been a shock that the outcome turned out as expected, given the generally lukewarm reception to the Despicable Me series since Despicable Me 2. Both Minions and Despicable Me 3 received similar scores on Rotten Tomatoes, much like what is expected for Despicable Me 4. Minions: The Rise of Gru managed a fresh rating of 70%, but even these reviews didn’t shower the film with glowing praise. The universal appeal of Illumination movies, which allows them to thrive with audiences worldwide regardless of language or culture, also tends to limit their ability to garner strong critical acclaim due to their lack of a unique personality.

Critiques of Despicable Me 4 often centered on humor that seemed too similar to earlier films and a lack of finesse in handling emotional scenes within a comical storyline. The animation style, failing to demonstrate any significant development or innovative aspects compared to previous Despicable Me series, was frequently criticized as well. However, approximately 50% of Rotten Tomatoes-approved critics still offered a relatively positive evaluation, and audiences gave it an A grade from CinemaScore. Notably, the film generated over $360 million in North America and $950 million globally, to the delight of its financial backers.

In addition, it’s not unique among the big-earning 2024 films to receive a negative rating (rotten) from Rotten Tomatoes.

A Monstrous Blockbuster With Weak Reviews

In 2024, the film “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” ranked as the ninth highest-grossing movie domestically, earning an impressive $196.3 million in North America. This is the second-highest domestic earnings for the MonsterVerse series, following “Godzilla” which made a total of $200.67 million in May 2024. Almost doubling the box office revenue of “Godzilla vs. Kong,” which was released in March 2021, “The New Empire” was a massive success and received the second-highest CinemaScore grade (an A-) ever for a MonsterVerse movie from its audience.

Although it boasts impressive accomplishments, The New Empire fell short in its critical appraisal. It currently holds the second-worst Rotten Tomatoes score among MonsterVerse films, surpassed only by 2019’s Godzilla: King of the Monsters. The film, directed by Adam Wingard, was frequently criticized for its sloppy character development for the human characters and the seemingly weightless impact of the monster battles. Many critics noted that the destruction wrought in The New Empire didn’t seem to matter, as it lacked the dramatic tension found in films like Shin Godzilla or Godzilla Minus One. Moreover, some viewers felt that Godzilla himself was given a less significant role in this film.

For most viewers, minor issues were inconsequential. Those paying to watch The New Empire in IMAX essentially received what they came for: massive battles between monsters, collapsing landscapes, and a film that didn’t overstay its welcome with a reasonable runtime. Interestingly, The New Empire included an additional creature, Mothra, who was not advertised before the release. Add to this the timeless charm of creatures like Godzilla and Kong, and it’s easy to understand why The New Empire became a box office success.

Despite internet conspiracists persistently portraying critics as some all-powerful, malevolent entity, movies like “Despicable Me 4” and “The New Empire” offer a more complex depiction of these individuals in the cultural dialogue. Critics are simply people with their own unique perspectives, whose opinions sometimes coincide and sometimes diverge from the general public’s reception of a particular film. Interestingly, when it comes to the top ten movies of the year, critics and audiences have shown a remarkable agreement, except for two box office giants featuring minions and monsters.

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2024-12-22 23:10