The Good And the Bad
Ahhh, the movie franchise. You gotta love it. Or hate it. Well, actually you gotta love some of the movies and hate others. But which ones? Well, for this fun foray into film franchises, we've looked at both the critic and the audience scores on Rotten Tomatoes.
Through them, we determined the best and worst films in a whole bunch of major franchises. So which instalment got it right?
Star Wars: Best
Critics: Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980) - 95%
Audience: Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980) - 95%
We would've been shocked if it was any other movie.
Lucasfilm, Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
Star Wars: Worst
Critics: Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019) - 51%
Audience: Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017) - 41%
These are interesting in that while critics really didn't like The Rise of Skywalker, audiences scored it at 86%. And while audiences were very negative towards Rian Johnson's The Last Jedi, critics loved it at 91%.
That said, both critics and audiences agreed that 2008's animated Star Wars: The Clone Wars was the worst of any movie (18% & 40% respectively).
Lucasfilm, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019)
MCU: Best
Critics: Black Panther (2018) - 96%
Audience: Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021) - 98%
Both these films were in the upper percentages for critics and audiences.
MCU: Worst
Critics: Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania (2023) - 46%
Audience: Captain Marvel (2019) - 45%
So there was some major disagreement here. Critics had Captain Marvel at 79% and audiences really liked the Ant-Man movie—giving it a surprising 82% rating.
Marvel, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023)
James Bond: Best
Critics: Goldfinger (1964) - 99%
Audience: Casino Royale (2006) - 90%
We have to go with the critics on this one—and audiences gave Goldfinger 89%, so it just missed taking their top spot as well. Nothing against Daniel Craig's Casino Royale, though.
United Artists, Goldfinger (1964)
James Bond: Worst
Critics: A View to a Kill (1985) - 36%
Audience: A View to a Kill (1985) - 36%
Audiences actually graded 1983's Never Say Never Again slightly lower, but as it was one of the few non-Eon Productions, it technically isn't part of the official James Bond canon.
United Artists, A View to a Kill (1985)
DC Universe: Best
Critics: Wonder Woman (2017) - 93%
Audience: Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021) - 93%
We're wondering if the Snyder-stans skewed the score on this one?
Warner Bros., Wonder Woman (2017)
DC Universe: Worst
Critics: Suicide Squad (2016) - 26%
Audience: Suicide Squad (2016) - 58%
This is the only film in the franchise with an audience score under 60%. On the flip side, the critics scored 8 films under that number. But they agreed on the worst of all.
Warner Bros., Suicide Squad (2016)
The Fast And Furious: Best
Critics: Furious 7 (2015) - 82%
Audience: Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw (2019) - 88%
We're partial to 2011's Fast Five. That car chase with the bank vault tied to the back of the truck. Come on, how awesome was that?!
The Fast And Furious: Worst
Critics: Fast & Furious (2009) - 29%
Audience: 2 Fast 2 Furious (2003) - 50%
Both good choices.
Universal, Fast & Furious (2009)
Rocky: Best
Critics: Creed (2015) - 95%
Audience: Creed III (2023) - 95%
The audience has 1976's Rocky as their second lowest-rated in the franchise at 69%—so, basically we don't know if we can trust anything they say about the Rocky movies after seeing that.
Rocky: Worst
Critics: Rocky V (1990) - 32%
Audience: Rocky V (1990) - 31%
Seems everyone agrees that this one is the worst.
United Artists, Rocky V (1990)
The Lord Of The Rings: Best
Critics: The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002) - 95%
Audience: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001), The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002) - Both 95%
It seems like everyone agrees that the three LOTR movies are better than the three Hobbit films.
New Line, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)
The Lord Of The Rings: Worst
Critics: The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014) - 59%
Audience: The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014) - 74%
While they agree—the difference between 59% and 74% is pretty big.
MGM, The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014)
Alien: Best
Critics: Aliens (1986) - 94%
Audience: Alien (1979), Aliens (1986) - Both 94%
Critics have Ridley Scott's Alien at 93%. So, basically we can all agree that the first two were the best two.
Twentieth Century, Aliens (1986)
Alien: Worst
Critics: Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem (2007) - 12%
Audience: Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem (2007) - 12%
Audiences and critics had pretty similar opinions about this entire franchise.
Twentieth Century, Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem (2007)
Jurassic Park: Best
Critics: Jurassic Park (1993) - 91%
Audience: Jurassic Park (1993) - 91%
No other movie in the franchise comes close.
Universal, Jurassic Park (1993)
Jurassic Park: Worst
Critics: Jurassic World Dominion (2022) - 29%
Audience: Jurassic Park III (2001) - 37%
While critics didn't like Jurassic Park III either, audiences rated Dominion a shockingly high 77%.
Universal, Jurassic World Dominion (2022)
Planet Of The Apes: Best
Critics: War for the Planet of the Apes (2017) - 94%
Audience: Planet of the Apes (1968), Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014) - Both 88%
The reboot movies have been really good, but we were happy to see that the audience has the OG 1968 film at the top as well.
Twentieth Century, War for the Planet of the Apes (2017)
Planet Of The Apes: Worst
Critics: Battle for the Planet of the Apes (1973) - 33%
Audience: Planet of the Apes (2001) - 27%
We are huge fans of the entire OG series of films so it kinda hurt a little to see the critics' choice here.
Twentieth Century, Planet of the Apes (2001)
Indiana Jones: Best
Critics: Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) - 93%
Audience: Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) - 96%
We would rank Last Crusade—with Sean Connery and the Holy Grail—just a little ahead of Raiders. But we aren't angry at the results.
Lucasfilm, Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
Indiana Jones: Worst
Critics: Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023) - 70%
Audience: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008) - 53%
The only "rotten" score for any of the films is the audience rating for Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.
Walt Disney, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023)
Die Hard: Best
Critics: Die Hard (1988) - 94%
Audience: Die Hard (1988) - 94%
We aren't going to argue with this one. 1988's Die Hard is an iconic and influential action movie. But we were happy to see audiences give an 80% to our second favorite—director John McTiernan's return to the franchise: Die Hard With a Vengeance. Critics have this one way lower than it should be at 60%.
Twentieth Century, Die Hard (1988)
Die Hard: Worst
Critics: A Good Day to Die Hard (2013) - 15%
Audience: A Good Day to Die Hard (2013) - 40%
Not such a good day for anyone who went to see this one in the theaters back in 2013.
Twentieth Century, A Good Day to Die Hard (2013)
Star Trek: Best
Critics: Star Trek (2009) - 94%
Audience: Star Trek (2009) - 91%
With this franchise being so up and down quality-wise, there are two things audiences and critics agree on. 2009's Star Trek is the best one...
Star Trek: Worst
Critics: Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989) - 23%
Audience: Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989) - 24%
...And 1989's Star Trek V: The Final Frontier is the worst one.
Paramount, Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989)
Mad Max: Best
Critics: Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) - 97%
Audience: Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (2024) - 89%
Critics only have one movie in the franchise rated under 90%.
Warner Bros., Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
Mad Max: Worst
Critics: Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985) - 81%
Audience: Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985) - 49%
Although both gave Thunderdome their lowest ratings, it's quite a large gap between these two.
Warner Bros., Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985)
Harry Potter: Best
Critics: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011) - 96%
Audience: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011) - 89%
Everyone seems to agree the franchise went out on top. Until it came back...
Warner Bros., Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 (2011)
Harry Potter: Worst
Critics: Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018) - 36%
Audience: Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018) - 53%
Audiences enjoyed the other two Fantastic Beasts films—but everyone agrees that the middle one of the trilogy was not good.
Warner Bros., Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018)
Halloween: Best
Critics: Halloween (1978) - 96%
Audience: Halloween (1978) - 89%
Any other answer would be the most frightening thing of all.
Halloween: Worst
Critics: Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers (1995) - 8%
Audience: Halloween: Resurrection (2002) - 24%
They might not agree on which one is the worst—but both critics and audiences agree that the vast majority of the films in this franchise are "rotten".
Dimension, Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers (1995)
Despicable Me: Best
Critics: Despicable Me (2010) - 80%
Audience: Minions: The Rise of Gru (2022) - 89%
Audience scores are higher for every film in the franchise, except for one...
Universal, Minions: The Rise of Gru (2022)
Despicable Me: Worst
Critics: Minions (2015) - 55%
Audience: Minions (2015) - 49%
This one.
Saw: Best
Critics: Saw X (2023) - 81%
Audience: Saw X (2023) - 88%
This is the only film in the franchise that critics scored over 50%.
Saw: Worst:
Critics: Saw: The Final Chapter (2010) - 9%
Audience: Saw: The Final Chapter (2010) - 41%
Wide margin between them—but they agree.
Lionsgate, Saw: The Final Chapter (2010)
Godzilla: Best
Critics: Godzilla vs. Destoroyah (1995) - 100%
Audience: Godzilla Minus One (2023) - 98%
Critics have Godzilla Minus One at 99%.
Toho, Godzilla vs. Destoroyah (1995)
Godzilla: Worst
Critics: Godzilla 1985 (1984), Godzilla (1998) - Both 20%
Audience: All Monsters Attack (1969) - 18%
When you have over 30 films in a franchise—there are going to be some clunkers.
Mission: Impossible: Best
Critics: Mission: Impossible - Fallout (2018) - 98%
Audience: Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One (2023) - 94%
Dead Reckoning Part One was a box office disappointment, but those who did see it, loved it.
Paramount, Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018)
Mission: Impossible: Worst
Critics: Mission: Impossible II (2000) - 56%
Audience: Mission: Impossible II (2000) - 42%
They are both wrong on this one. John Woo brought his cinematic ballet to this highly under-appreciated MI movie.
