It's said that film is subjective. One person’s masterpiece is another’s bargain bin. However, the appeal of a film almost always lies in the discussions it prompts and the feelings it gives to audiences. That is why
Movies have been so popular for so long.
Indeed, even the most widely acclaimed movies have the potential to divide friendships if they just hadn't hit the sweet spot for a certain viewer. Thus, r/AskReddit is flooded with users seeking information about the
most overrated movies of all time. Did the flicks succeed on the big screen? Yes, but were they overrated? Some Redditors agree.
Not to be confused with an over-hyped film where expectations considerably surpass the actual quality, the overrated movie has received much acclaim but failed to enrapture an audience. Even some highest-grossing films like "Titanic" and "Frozen", do not receive the Reddit seal of approval.
So, read on to see why Redditors disagree about 10 major movies. See more
here.
#1 Avatar (2009)
Most overrated movies of all time, Avatar
Source: 20th Century Fox
One of the most technologically advanced films of its time in 2009, "Avatar" demonstrated to the world the potential of 3D movie design and laid the groundwork for a large number of future 3D films. The movie is visually stunning, and the IMAX scenes appear surreal, but the plot is simply unsuitable for Reddit.
Reddit user DramaticChoice4 described the plot as "quite cliché" and noted that "people watch it mostly for the visuals." Another user said, "the action wasn't good, the characterization and the world-building were pathetic, and aside from the incredible CGI and art direction (not all of it, though), it's a mediocre film."
#2 Frozen (2013)
Source: Disney
Even now, "Frozen" has played a major role on Disney's movie roster,
and its soundtrack had become a wintertime must-have. But, Redditors were unable to let it go. Despite having the biggest box office performance, Reddit user RockednRolled says the movie "doesn’t even come close to the OG
Disney animated movies." Though the film is geared towards children, some viewers, such as awesome
_van, who called the plot "totally incomprehensible" and "forced" to the point of not calling for a sequel,
go as far as to say that "Frozen is a mess" in general.
#3 Titanic (1997)
Source: 20th Century Fox
Since its release in 1997, "Titanic" has become the epitome of romance and tragedy. However, the Reddit community still thinks this is an overrated movie. It doesn't merit the hype, according to one Redditor, who claims that "it is good but there are a lot of better movies." In typical James Cameron style
, the visuals were phenomenal and kept the audience captivated, but Redditors thought the plot was weak.
#4 The Notebook (2004)
Source: A99 Studios
"The Notebook" was one of the best romantic movies in 2004, making people relive the iconic scene in the rain. Reddit agrees that despite how much discussed it was, it could have been a little bit overrated. According to Reddit user lovebugblues, who called the movie a "terrible movie with no actual romance," there was no chemistry or romance between the two. Some might call it love, but Redditors call it a movie that showcases the toxic and dysfunctional relationship between the main characters that is bound to fall apart.
#5 Pretty Woman (1990)
Source: Rotten Tomatoes
Starring Julia Roberts and Richard Gere, "Pretty Woman" is one of the highest-grossing films in 1990. But there is a problem in the plot of the film as Reddit user jenel2583 sarcastically noted
: "Julia Roberts as your typical drop-dead-gorgeous streetwalker with no discernible addiction or mental health problems and a heart of gold and Richard Gere as the stunningly handsome millionaire who’s hard up for a date. Adorable!" Others believe it's nothing more than a Cinderella Story and the only reason the film is so highly rated is because of Julia Roberts.
#6 Gravity (2013)
Source: Warner Bros.
"Gravity" was praised for its excellent visuals. The movie made it big in the theaters made over $700 million at the box office and won 7 Oscars. But some Redditors, like ahx3000's, said that they "couldn't stand watching it." Some Reddit users even spotted some scientific flaws, with HipToss79 leaving a scathing comment about how the film "basically butchered the laws of physics."
#7 Grease (1978)
Source: Paramount Movies
"Greas" was one of the most iconic rom-com musicals of the '70s, and it even broke box office records at the time. But Redditors contend that the movie is still one of the most overrated ones. They agree that the movie did not age well, like user PokemonMaster619 said "honestly don’t care about Grease as a movie or even a story, per se. It’s just a basic high school romance story." Another Reddit user highlighted how supposedly teenage characters were played by 30-year-olds (Olivia Newton-John played Sandy Olsson at the age of 30 and Stockard Channing played Betty Rizzo when she was 33).
#8 Crash (2004)
Source: Rotten Tomatoes
Based on a real event in Paul Haggis' life when he was carjacked in Los Angeles, "Crash" was his passion project, grossing over $98 million worldwide. However, Redditors were not very pleased with the positive reviews and commercial success of the film. Many thought the moral pandering was over the top and the portrayal of racism to be a little simplistic, which one Redditor compared to "being beaten over the head with an anvil." User W_Herzog_Starship puts it across as "a screenplay from a high schooler."
#9 The Irishman (2019)
Source: Netflix
The Martin Scorsese-produced film with an all-star cast including Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, and Joe Pesci is expected to feature flawless action and computer-generated visuals. But "The Irishman" fell short of Redditors' expectations and was deemed an overrated movie. Even though the film used a rather complicated three-rig camera system for the Deaging effects to come through, they didn’t stick the landing with that one as Reddit user luca_the_heretic called it "young face on stooping body." The Redditor iTz_Maverick also asks how no one among the creators "noticed how ridiculous [a specific scene] looked," which was the tipping point for most viewers.
#10 The Greatest Showman (2017)
Source: 20th Century Fox
Musical "The Greatest Showman" received high praise for its excellent performances, production, and visuals. Despite positive reviews of the movie, Redditors pointed out the oversimplification of conflict resolution in the film. Mcrarburger says "it really felt like there were like 8 conflicts in the movie and they all get solved by a song that shows up immediately after the conflict happens." Although it's simple to appreciate the music and the performances, Barnum's portrayal in the film was unrealistic and somewhat glorified a bad character.