Netflix’s Biggest Movie Right Now Is a Sci-Fi Thriller The Critics Hated

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Despite receiving negative reviews, Netflix movies seem to be resistant to criticism. For instance, “The Old Guard 2,” featuring Charlize Theron and Uma Thurman, was the most-watched movie on Netflix in the US during June 30 – July 6 and ranked first in 74 countries, despite having a critics’ score of only 22% and an audience score of 36% on Rotten Tomatoes. The third most-popular global title on the English list is “Infinite” from 2021, starring Mark Wahlberg, which also has a low critic rating of 17%, while the 2013 Adam Sandler comedy “Grown Ups 2,” with an 8% critic’s score and a 53% audience rating, ranks third in the US and ninth globally.

As of July 13, Netflix’s global most-watched movie is “Brick,” released on July 10, according to FlixPatrol, an independent streaming ratings tracker. In the U.S., the German-language Netflix Original ranks third in the Top 10 Movies list, following “Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Destination Wedding” (released on July 11) and “KPop Demon Hunters” (released on June 20), which has been in the Top 10 for three consecutive weeks.

In over ninety countries worldwide, this science fiction mystery-thriller reached the top ten list, even managing to take the number one spot in Germany, France, and Mexico. It also ranked within the top five in Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom. However, it received a 31% negative rating from critics (based on 16 reviews) and a 29% low rating from Netflix users (from more than 50 verified ratings).

In a nighttime twist, a puzzling brick wall surrounds Tim and Olivia’s apartment building, forcing them to join reluctant neighbors in an attempt to escape before it’s too late. The movie “Brick” features Matthias Schweighöfer (known for Zack Snyder’s “Army of the Dead” and “Army of Thieves”), Ruby O. Fee, Frederick Lau, Murathan Muslu, Alexander Beyer, Sira-Anna Faal, Axel Werner, Salber Lee Williams, and Josef Berousek.

Lisa Kennedy pens an article for The New York Times stating that “Brick” largely consists of subtle suggestions and unexpected turns. Despite this, discussing key aspects of the plot without giving away spoilers, it can be mentioned that the protagonist, Liv (an architect), finds herself confined within a building in Hamburg, Germany. She eventually deduces that the substance used to construct the barriers is neither carbon fiber nor liquid granite. Furthermore, Kennedy advises viewers to watch this suspenseful drama in its original German version as the English dubbed version loses some of its intrigue and may feel heavy-handed instead.

In simpler terms, John Serba from Decider finds that the movie “Brick” presents weak strategies and shallow characters. He criticizes its complex idea as a thick, puzzling barrier that prevents viewers from connecting with the characters.

In my opinion, as I watched this production, I found Terry Staunton’s review for RadioTimes quite agreeable. The storyline was skillfully crafted, filled with unexpected turns that kept me guessing, and even thrown a few red herrings into the mix. However, the characters seemed to lack depth, some feeling like cardboard cutouts, which made it challenging to empathize with their struggles. Despite this, it’s an engaging light-hearted horror series that makes clever use of camera techniques for a chilling effect.

RogerEbert.com critic Clint Worthington disapproved of the movie “Brick,” commenting on Netflix’s German-language techno-thriller: “It can be annoying to deal with the one-dimensional characters, the unremarkable presentation by Netflix, and the script that struggles in translation to English. The German performances are good, but if you try the English dub, it’s a challenge; either way, the dialogue is awkward and functional. Despite its promise of B-movie excitement (and a few sci-fi dissecting scenes), the violence feels tamed, focusing more on suspense suitable for TV than the intensity this concept requires. It aspires to be like Ben Wheatley’s ‘High Rise,’ but instead, it resembles a bit of ‘Home Alone.’ Worthington further notes that “Brick” has a high-idea premise, good production design, and engaging leads, but they all fall short due to a mystery that unfolds predictably.

Brick (2025) is now streaming on Netflix globally.

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2025-07-14 00:13