Tom Hardy’s critically panned rom-com, This Means War, is actually way better than it gets credit for, despite its Rotten Tomatoes score. Since making his film debut in Ridley Scott’s Black Hawk Down in 2001, Hardy has made a name for himself as a leading man. However, while renowned for his versatility, Tom Hardy’s movies tend to occupy certain genres.

Rising to fame through action roles in blockbusters like Mad Max: Fury Road, The Dark Knight Rises, and Venom, Hardy has become synonymous with difficult roles in high-octane movies. Yet, the actor has also demonstrated his flair in more dramatic films, as Tom Hardy’s crime movies can attest. That being said, Hardy has only ever done one romantic comedy.

This Means War Was Tom Hardy’s Foray Into Rom-Coms With A Twist

The 2012 Tom Hardy Movie Was Actually An Action Film

Directed by McG, This Means War was Tom Hardy’s first ever romantic comedy, and it was released in 2012. However, the rom-com actually has a twist because This Means War also features a spy plot, with best friends and CIA agents Franklin “FDR” Foster (Chris Pine) and Tuck Hansen (Tom Hardy) discovering that they’re dating the same woman (Reese Witherspoon).

This Means War actually has a lot of elements that would feature in a Tom Hardy action movie. In fact, the film even begins with FDR and Tuck trying to prevent an international criminal from acquiring a weapon of mᴀss destruction. However, This Means War quickly segues into a romantic plot, with the spy story acting as a side story.

Considering Tom Hardy’s action movie and Venom franchise legacy, it is rather strange to see the actor in a romantic comedy, especially as This Means War was released just months before The Dark Knight Rises. As such, the rom-com movie tends to get overshadowed by Hardy’s other more successful films, even though This Means War is actually quite fun.

Reviews Were Negative But This Means War Is Actually A Ton Of Fun

Reviewers Take The Light-Hearted Movie Too Seriously

This Means War was negatively received by critics and audiences alike, although it did fairly well at the box office. Grossing $156.5 million on a $65 million budget, the film was somewhat of a commercial success, with many praising Pine, Witherspoon, and Hardy’s performances as the three main leads. Unfortunately, its Rotten Tomatoes score let the movie down.

The general critic’s consensus on the review aggregator site states, “A career lowlight for all three of its likable stars, This Means War is loud, clumsily edited, and neither romantic nor funny.” Many critics believe that the movie was a disappointing romantic comedy which wasted its cast, who have all appeared in considerably higher-rated films both before and after.

However, This Means War actually deserves a bit more credit as an underrated action-driven romantic comedy. Although the film does suffer from forced humor, the 2012 rom-com is actually quite entertaining, and the leads are very charismatic in their roles. Therefore, This Means War should be viewed for what it is: a light-hearted, rewatchable movie, perfect for a casual viewer.

Unfortunately, Tom Hardy Was Miserable While Making This Means War

Making This Means War Swore Hardy Off Rom-Coms

Despite the film’s light-hearted premise, Tom Hardy was reportedly miserable making This Means War. In an interview in 2014, Hardy said that while “I love to do things I hadn’t done before,” when it came to making This Means War, “I didn’t understand how you could do something which is so much fun and be so miserable doing it.”

“I probably won’t do a romantic comedy again.”

According to Hardy, he felt “other” on the set of This Means War, which led to him proclaiming that, “I probably won’t do a romantic comedy again.” This is understandable considering the actor has much more experience in other genres, and obviously feels comfortable there as a result of personal preference – especially considering Tom Hardy’s favorite movie is Platoon.

This Means War also showed why Tom Hardy is the wrong actor for James Bond. Compared to Pine’s charming FDR, Hardy’s Tuck doesn’t exude a James Bond spy charisma, and his quips often fall flat. Therefore, this demonstrated that, while the actor shines in edgier roles, Hardy struggles to deliver light-hearted roles, like in This Means War, cementing his typecasting.

This Means War Found New Life On Streaming

Tom Hardy’s Rom-Com Was Popular On Max

With such a low score on Rotten Tomatoes, and as a fairly forgettable movie among Tom Hardy’s other, more enchanting blockbuster films, it is therefore surprising that This Means War was a streaming success on HBO Max. Debuting on the streaming service on May 1, 2025, This Means War ranked among the top 10 most-streamed movies on Max by mid-May.

It’s not the only film that has received this treatment, as typically critically panned films have also seen more success once released on streaming sites. With regard to This Means War’s considerably low Rotten Tomatoes score, its popularity on streaming is unprecedented. However, it does make sense, as streaming sites invite more casual viewers who would enjoy the light-hearted film.

Therefore, although the movie originally fared poorly in 2012, This Means War deserves a bit more credit than it was given. The film is certainly not a standout in Hardy’s career – especially as the actor himself was miserable during production – but This Means War still proves itself as an entertaining film, and its leads deliver some fantastic performances.

Source: Collider, Rotten Tomatoes