It’s not uncommon for blockbuster movies to get dismissed by critics. While these тιтles might bring in big box-office numbers, that doesn’t save them from the critics, who have little tolerance for inflated budgets and tired genre clichés that often appear in this category of movies. In some cases, the bad reviews are more than justified, but there are also some examples of huge blockbuster movies that are far better than the lackluster reviews suggest.

In a lot of cases, blockbuster movies might not be the highest form of cinema, but they still provide a fun time at the movies that critics failed to notice. Whether it is loud special effects extravaganzas, sequels that fall short of expectations, or genre entries that make for easy targets, these movies are not appreciated by the critics. However, the reviews can sometimes be ignored when these successes are better than their reputations suggest.

10

Twilight (2008)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 48%

The first movie in the Twilight franchise actually earned the best reviews of all five movies, but that doesn’t mean critics liked it much. The vampire romance that kicked off the series was met with a disappointing, or at least middling, Rotten Tomatoes score, with many critics feeling that it was a movie that would appeal to the devoted fans of the books but not really anyone else.

The critical reception of Twilight also started a narrative that Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart were bad actors, an opinion that has aged quite poorly as they have cemented themselves as two of the best stars of their generation. They sell the supernatural love story, with the first movie also excelling at the slight horror aspects more than any of the other installments.

9

Mission: Impossible II (2000)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 57%

Before Christopher McQuarrie became the director of the Mission: Impossible movies, the franchise was pᴀssed from one director to another, with each of them bringing their unique style to the ongoing spy adventure. While John Woo was already an action genre legend by the time he was brought in for the second movie, reviewers felt his style was ill-fitting and the storyline of the sequel was criticized for being dull, resulting in the worst scores for the franchise to date.

Mission: Impossible II is the worst movie in the Mission: Impossible franchise, but that speaks more to how good these movies are rather than how bad the sequel is. Woo’s direction does feel outside the tone of the other movies, but he still knows how to deliver some incredible action set pieces, with the climax jumping from shootouts to car chases to hand-to-hand fight scenes. Also, Tom Cruise’s mountain climbing is an underrated early example of his stunt commitment.

8

Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves (1991)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 51%

Among the many Robin Hood movies over the years, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves is an easy one to make fun of. It is true that Kevin Costner is somewhat miscast in the heroic lead role, with his accent coming and going throughout the movie. It is something that Robin Hood: Men in тιԍнтs poked fun at and was certainly not missed by critics upon the earlier movie’s release.

Costner may not nail the accent, but he makes for a fun gallant hero in this rollicking throwback adventure. The score by Michael Kamen immediately throws the audience into his action-packed and swashbuckling bit of fun. Costner is also backed by a great cast, and Alan Rickman steals the show completely in his wonderfully over-the-top villain role.

7

The Flintstones (1994)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 23%

There has always been difficulty in bringing a beloved cartoon to the big screen, but The Flintstones was one with such a big scale that critics simply refused to give the family-friendly comedy a break. Produced by Steven Spielberg, the iconic filmmaker’s name did nothing to save this movie from earning a weak 23% on Rotten Tomatoes, as critics felt the original show’s puns and humor did not translate well to the big screen.

While audiences might have to prepare themselves for the movie’s purposely dated jokes, the real joy of The Flintstones is seeing the amazing production design that went into bringing the prehistoric world of Bedrock to the big screen, before the age when CGI could have done it all. John Goodman’s committed performance as Fred Flintstone is also a highlight.

6

Pirates of the Caribbean: ᴅᴇᴀᴅ Man’s Chest (2006)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 53%

The Pirates of the Caribbean movies certainly lost their way at some point, but critics gave up on the swashbuckling adventures far too early. Pirates of the Caribbean: ᴅᴇᴀᴅ Man’s Chest is only the second movie in the series and it dropped greatly in critical favor, compared to the much more enthusiastic reception of the original. It was labeled an overblown mess that lost the magic of the first movie.

While perhaps not as fresh as the first outing, Johnny Depp’s performance as Jack Sparrow is still fun enough to carry the movie, but there’s more than him to recommend. The action sequences from Gore Verbinski continue to be inventive and fun, like the three-way swordfight scene in the giant wheel. Davy Jones also makes for a terrific villain with groundbreaking special effects that are still impressive nearly 20 years later.

5

Armageddon (1998)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 43%

Though he has directed movies that have earned worse reviews, Armageddon is perhaps the project that changed the opinion of Michael Bay from a promising action director to a bombastic and silly blockbuster hack. The movie earned only 43% on Rotten Tomatoes, with it being derided as an illogical and loud bit of mayhem that lacks any intelligence whatsoever.

It’s true that Ben Affleck’s hilarious Armageddon DVD commentary accurately points out how dumb the entire premise is. However, all you have to do is accept that dumbness, and you are in for a terrific popcorn movie that has a lot more heart than critics give it credit for. It ᴀssembles a fun ensemble for the team-on-a-mission story and delivers the kind of big spectacle filmmaking that Bay would become known for.

4

Hook (1991)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 29%

Steven Spielberg is typically a filmmaker who critics adore, so it is always a little shocking when one of his movies isn’t received well. Hook is not only an example of that, but it actually represents the worst Rotten Tomatoes score of Spielberg’s entire directing career. They simply did not accept his adventure about an adult Peter Pan returning to Neverland, feeling that Spielberg was not giving the movie his usual committed efforts. They also criticized the humor and felt Spielberg was leaning into sentimentality too much.

While it certainly doesn’t reach the heights of the director’s masterpieces, it is hard to imagine not at least having fun with this magical adventure. Aside from the great performances from Robin Williams and Dustin Hoffman as Pan and Captain Hook, respectively, Spielberg’s mᴀssive sets bring Neverland to life in such an engrossing way. Though nostalgia plays a role in Hook‘s legacy, it holds up better than many beloved ’90s movies.

3

Minions (2015)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 55%

As soon as they were introduced as comedic side characters in Despicable Me, the Minions became a runaway pop culture phenomenon. However, while the Despicable Me movies have been fairly well-received by critics, they clearly felt the Minions were not ready for their own solo movie. With 2015’s spinoff movie Minions, critics felt that there were too few solid laughs in this story that is stretched too thin.

It is easy to say the critics were not the target audience for Minions, but that is being too dismissive of what the animated adventure offers to older audiences. The gibberish-talking protagonists are genuinely hilarious, with some big laughs throughout. While critics might have felt that a little goes a long way with these creatures, the fact that Minions are everywhere in pop culture suggests most people don’t feel that way.

2

The Perfect Storm (2000)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 46%

Like Armageddon, The Perfect Storm is a disaster movie that critics felt was more spectacle than story. Though it is based on real events, with George Clooney and Mark Wahlberg playing real-life fishermen in a mᴀssive hurricane, critics were not sold on the emotion of the story, feeling as though it was rather empty aside from the impressive special effects.

Director Wolfgang Petersen certainly does deliver on the big effects of this high-seas thriller, but the critics missed a lot of the heart at the center of the story. Clooney is excellent as the conflicted captain, while the exceptional cast make for strong characters. It builds to a climax that is indeed heavy on spectacle but also delivers a surprising amount of emotion.

1

The Lost World: Jurᴀssic Park (1997)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 53%

None of the subsequent Jurᴀssic Park movies have lived up to the original, but recapturing that magic is a seemingly impossible task. In terms of simply delivering more thrilling dino-action, The Lost World: Jurᴀssic Park deserves more recognition than critics would have you believe. Instead, it was dismissed as an impressive technical feat without a story to support all that CGI.

There is no way for Steven Spielberg to give the audience that moment of seeing the dinosaurs on the big screen again. However, the master filmmaker does deliver incredible sequences, like the harrowing cliff-side attack and raptor attack in the field. Even the climax with a T-Rex rampaging through San Diego is far better than its reputation suggests. Although the gymnastics fight against the raptors is admittedly very silly.