A forgotten movie starring Pedro Pascal received a terrible Rotten Tomatoes score when it first dropped, but now the flick is enjoying a new lease of life as it climbs the Netflix top 10 chart.
We’ve seen it time and again — movies that tanked on their initial release, only to enjoy success when they drop on Netflix. It’s what made Samuel L. Jackson’sUnthinkablego from a box office flop to a streaming hit, or the critically panned Mel Gibson flickOn the Linerace up the top 10 chart.
Since dropping on thestreaming serviceon Wednesday (May 1), Zhang Yimou’s monster flick has already raced to third place on the chart. You can check out the full list as it currently stands below:
The Great Wall’s success is in spite of its Rotten Tomatoes score, having earned just 35% from the critics and 42% from audiences, with many citing that the flick feels empty.
“Aside from the nods to Chinese culture, there is little to differentiate between this and any other Hollywood action adventure,”saidThe Guardian. Or, as IndieWire bluntlyput it, “It’s not Hollywood whitewashing, it’s just an awful movie.”
Set in ancient China, the story itself revolves around a group of mercenaries who travel to the country in search of gunpowder, only to get caught up in the defense of the Great Wall against a horde of monstrous creatures. Alongside Pascal and Damon, the cast includes Jing Tian, Willem Dafoe, and Andy Lau.
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Despite its Rotten Tomatoes score, The Great Wall has clearly caught viewers’ attention. While acknowledging its weaknesses, one viewerwroteon X, “It’s good for a laugh.” Anotheradmitted, “Watching The Great Wall solely because Pedro Pascal is in it lol.”
For more big screen titles, check out thebest new movies heading to streaming this month, as well asnew flicks to watch in May.
Daisy Phillipson is a Senior TV and Movies Writer on Dexerto’s UK Team. She’s a lover of horror, crime, psychological thrillers. After graduating with a Masters in Magazine Journalism, she’s gone on to write for Digital Spy, LADbible and Little White Lies. You can contact her at daisy.phillipson@dexerto.com
