Metacritic is one of the internet’s most popular and well-known review aggregators. This means it’s a website that compiles various critic reviews and averages them to one overall average score out of 100, called a “Metascore.” This makes it a little simpler than the other big movie review aggregator on the internet, Rotten Tomatoes, which gives a score out of 100 based on how many positive and negative reviews.
Like any similar site, though, there are some odd scores for certain movies on Metacritic. While some movies may occasionally receive higher Metascores than seems fair, it’s more common to come across a Metascore for a great movie that’s surprisingly low. These movies all have lower Metacritic scores than you might expect—especially when compared to user scores.
‘Jurassic Park’ (1993) — 68/100
There’s no doubt that the first movie in the Jurassic Park series is far and away the best of the lot. It’s got memorable characters, fantastic pacing, groundbreaking special effects, tons of suspense, and an amazing score. In general, it just exemplifies everything good (and next to nothing bad) about blockbuster filmmaking.
The critics referenced for its Metascore don’t seem quite as enthused, though. While it’s taken as fact that Jurassic Park is one of the best action/adventure movies of the 1990s, you wouldn’t be able to tell from its decent—though far from great—average score of 68/100. Maybe some critics don’t like having fun…
‘The Shining’ (1980) — 66/100
Stanley Kubrick fans are spoiled for choice when picking a favorite movie from the legendary director. He covered a wide variety of genres in his 13-film-long career, possessing the skills to make iconic war films (Paths of Glory, Full Metal Jacket), mind-blowing works of science-fiction (2001: A Space Odyssey), and truly nightmarish horror movies (The Shining).
Reception to The Shining wasn’t nearly as positive at its release, though, which may explain the classic horror movie’s surprisingly low 66/100 Metascore. It was even unfairly nominated for two Razzies at the first infamous Golden Raspberry Awards. It will likely surprise most horror fans who’ve generally held The Shining up as a classic.
‘Scarface’ (1983) — 65/100
Remakes are often risky, especially when it comes to critical reception. Sure, audiences may flock to see a familiar story retold. Still, more discerning critics are likely to be less receptive and more cynical, inevitably going into a remake with trepidation and, in some cases, maybe even a little bias.
This might have been the case for 1983’s Scarface, a remake of the 1932 movie of the same name. Still, this classic rise-and-fall gangster movie had more than enough differences from the original, which general audiences have appreciated far more than critics. Or, maybe critics didn’t like getting called out by the movie for watching and enjoying it, taking out their frustrations with less-than-positive reviews as retribution.
‘Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade’ (1989) – 65/100
When it comes to the original Indiana Jones trilogy, the first is generally seen as an untouchable classic, and the second a movie that’s either equally great because it’s darker or perhaps less appealing because of the more disturbing story. The third movie, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, takes a similar approach to the first movie—being a little lighter and less terrifying—and is often seen as close to that original film when it comes to quality.
But with a Metascore of just 65/100, maybe critics weren’t as enthusiastic about the series going straight back to its roots. It might be unfair to say it’s too similar to Raiders of the Lost Ark, but if that’s how critics felt, it could explain why the Metascore for this classic adventure film is just pretty good and not great.
‘Judgment at Nuremberg’ (1961) — 60/100
A tense and fantastically acted courtroom drama that runs for almost three hours, Judgment at Nuremberg is an exhausting and compelling movie about the Nuremberg trials. These took place shortly after the end of World War II and saw an American court putting several high-ranking Nazi officers on trial for war crimes.
It’s anyone’s guess why this movie only sits at a 60/100 rating. It’s hard to fault as a movie, though, if it takes certain liberties with history—as historical feature films can sometimes do—perhaps this rubbed critics the wrong way. It fared far better at the Oscars, in any event, being nominated for 11 Academy Awards and winning two.
‘Life Is Beautiful’ (1997) — 59/100
Life Is Beautiful made a stir on an international scale back when it was first released. It ended up being extremely successful at the Oscars (seven nominations and three wins are rare for a movie that’s not in English). It appealed to general audiences for tackling a difficult subject heartbreakingly at times but also funny and romantic at other points.
It might be that genre-blending while telling a very grim war story rubbed critics the wrong way, though. It’s a likely reason for a 59/100 score; critics are more likely to engage with a movie on a deeper level, constantly probing for meaning and broader thematic or political implications in every frame and line. Because most general audiences aren’t as likely to scrutinize a movie as intensely, they’re more likely to engage with what’s on the surface. It’s easy to appreciate what the movie is trying to do, but understandable if critics (and perhaps some viewers) had a few issues with the execution.
‘Joker’ (2019) — 59/100
Joker was a movie that made waves well before it was even released. Some feared a movie that shed light on the origin of Batman’s most iconic villain would end up being dangerous, running the risk of inspiring copycats to do the sorts of things the title character is shown doing in the movie.
The movie’s incendiary nature naturally made it divisive. In the end, the critic’s score averaged out to what looks like a relatively average 59/100. While some may have given it a similar score in their reviews, it’s more likely that Joker’s love-it-or-hate-it reputation meant some glowing reviews and some scathing, with the Metascore ultimately lying in between.
‘The Thing’ (1982) — 57/100
A classic horror movie about a shapeshifting alien who causes death and paranoia at a remote research station, 1982’s The Thing stands 40 years from its release as a classic. Its effects still look great, the tension throughout is palpable, and it all builds to a haunting and chilling (pun intended) finale.
The critics whose scores went into its Metascore, though? They weren’t as crazy about it. Maybe because remakes are looked down upon, the film’s gore was too disgusting, or perhaps it was ahead of its time. At least it’s a movie that’s received reappraisal since release, though the 57/100 average rating doesn’t make the fact it’s a classic immediately clear.
‘The Intouchables’ (2011) — 57/100
A comedy-drama that’s as funny as it is sad, The Intouchables is a French movie that’s very loosely based on a true story. It follows an unlikely friendship that forms between two men: one who’s a middle-aged quadriplegic, and the other a younger man who’s hired to be his caregiver.
It’s a sentimental movie through and through, with a tone that some may find too saccharine and over-the-top. If critics approached the movie a little more jaded than your average viewer, it might explain why it sits at 57/100 on Metacritic. At least that’s balanced by the reception from general viewers, as it has a remarkable 8.5/10 from IMDb users.
‘Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter’ (1984) — 33/100
Okay, maybe it’s a stretch to call this fourth entry in the Friday the 13th series a “great” movie. However, it’s easily the best of the series, injecting its horror and expected violence with plenty of hilarious comedy, striking a surprisingly effective balance between scares and laughs.
And if great or even “good” is a stretch, it’s not fair to say that The Final Chapter is as bad as a 33/100 rating would imply. Perhaps critics were cynical about the misleading title, knowing full well that it was unlikely to be the final Friday the 13th movie. After all, eight more movies were made in its wake.
