Have you ever wondered which are the most overrated movies of all time? Those movies that achieved a huge level of critical success upon their release, but are now seen as grossly incompetent forms of film-making by fans around the world? The film industry is huge, and produces tons of new movies every year. Some of them are small independent films, while others are bid-budget super-productions. Moreover, some movies become popular very fast, and others just fall into oblivion overnight.
Certain movies have been established by the critics as total classics, with immense success and a hallowed place in history. We have compiled a list featuring The 20 Highest Rated Movies of All-Time, taking into account some of those classic movies. If you like good films you’ll certainly enjoy our list, which features such classics as Pulp Fiction, The Godfather and The Shawshank Redemption.
Yet we know not all of the movies deserve the popularity and success they receive. Sometimes, we just can’t help wondering how it is even possible for those films to remain on the top of the charts for so long. Of course, everyone has their own opinion regarding which films are the most overrated movies of all time or which are underrated. Nevertheless, there are films which have been criticized roundly by reviewers and Hollywood film critics, and yet have been received by real audiences with much more favorable views. Others have had pretty good reviews, and the audiences didn’t quite get what it was all about. So, which criteria can help us determine a film’s real quality?
To evaluate a film’s performance, we took into account the metrics developed by Rotten Tomatoes, which ranks popular opinion. Taking into consideration the percentage of reviewers who rated a film positively (audience score), and the percentage of positive reviews received from film critics (critic score), we used the two metrics’ divergence to show us which films are the most overrated of all time by critics compared to the audience. Now then, our list featuring a countdown of the ten most overrated movies of all time.
No. 10 Splice
Critics: 74
Audience: 37
Difference: 37
Splice is a terror-science fiction movie, released in 2009, featuring Adrien Brody and Sarah Polley as scientists who discover a new species.
No. 9 The Last Exorcism
Critics: 72
Audience: 34
Difference: 38
This film, which premiered in 2010, is a supernatural horror film, starring Patrick Fabian, Ashley Bell and Iris Bahr. It presents an evangelical minister who performs exorcisms, and agrees to participate in a documentary chronicling his last exorcism.
No. 8 Essential Killing
Critics: 85
Audience: 47
Difference: 38
The movie was released in 2010, and features Vincent Gallo and Emmanuelle Seigner in a political thriller film which takes places in Poland. A secret detention center, tortures and the frozen polish woodland are the stars of this film.
No. 7 About a Boy
Critics: 93
Audience: 54
Difference: 39
This British-American production, released in 2002, is an adaptation of the 1998 novel by Nick Hornby. It stars Hugh Grant, Nicholas Hoult and Rachel Weisz among others. It was acclaimed by the critics, and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay.
No. 6 Cleopatra Jones
Critics: 89
Audience: 48
Difference: 41
The film premiered in 1973, and was an action film featuring Tamara Dobson as Cleopatra Jones, an undercover special agent for the United States Government
No. 5 Momma’s Man
Critics: 91
Audience: 50
Difference: 41
This film tells the story of a grown man who returns to his mother’s house, and doesn’t want to go back to his wife and child. It is an existential comedy drama from filmmaker Azazel Jacobs.
No. 4 Stuart Little 2
Critics: 81
Audience: 40
Difference: 41
The sequel to the 1999 film Stuart Little, is an American live action and CGI animated film which stars Geena Davis and Hugh Laurie. It was released in 2002.
No.3 Dinner with Friends
Critics: 88
Audience: 45
Difference: 43
Dinner with Friends first premiered at the 1998 Humana Festival of New American Plays. The play was adapted into a 2001 TV movie starring Dennis Quaid, Andie MacDowell, Greg Kinnear and Toni Collette.
No. 2 3 Backyards
Critics: 76
Audience: 31
Difference: 45
This film was written and directed by Eric Mendelsohn. It premiered at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival, where it won the Directing Prize.
No. 1 Spy Kids
Critics: 93
Audience: 45
Difference: 48
Spy Kids is a series which consists of four action films, in which two children portrayed by Alexa Vega and Daryl Sabara become involved in their parents’ espionage.
