20 Movies Critics HATE But Audiences LOVE

8. Bright

Remember Bright? This Will Smith and Joel Edgerton-starring fantasy-actioner is generally regarded as Netflix's first full-hearted attempt at a direct-to-streaming blockbuster, and so arrived on the platform on a tidal wave of hype.

But for all the bluster about how Bright might be a game-changer for the industry, most critics were utterly unimpressed, with only 26% finding much to praise in David Ayer's messy, materially strange riff on the buddy cop genre.

Though reviewers found it to be a clunky, obvious attempt to build a new blockbuster franchise, it went down a treat with most viewers, per its 83% approval rating - likely a testament to Smith's charismatic presence, its enticing visuals, and the undeniable novelty of watching such a splashy production at home.

Within weeks of release Bright also became one of Netflix's most successful releases (at the time), prompting Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings to declare that critics are "pretty disconnected from the mass appeal."

Though Netflix swiftly announced a sequel, they ended up cancelling it after the infamous Will Smith Oscar slap incident in 2022.