Summary

  • John Cena and Jackie Chan's action movie, Hidden Strike, tops Netflix despite negative reviews. It follows soldiers protecting civilians in Baghdad.
  • Despite a 17 percent critics score, Hidden Strike is the No. 1 movie on Netflix. It gained 37.8 million watch hours and 22 million views in just three days.
  • Hidden Strike's success proves that audience interest and popularity can outweigh critical reception on streaming platforms.

A John Cena and Jackie Chan-led action movie, Hidden Strike, has become the top movie this week on Netflix, despite being critically panned. Hidden Strike follows two soldiers (Cena & Chan) escorting a group of civilians to safety in Baghdad. The buddy-action movie currently sits at a 17 percent critics score on Rotten Tomatoes. Furthermore, Hidden Strike scrapped its theatrical release plans and opted to go straight to Netflix.

Despite having a low critical score, Hidden Strike also released on July 28, meaning these statistics reflect its first three days on Netflix.

Why Hidden Strike Is Doing So Well On Netflix

John Cena and Jackie Chan in Hidden Strike

Hidden Strike’s sudden success is surprising, as the action comedy film was released on the streaming platform without much fanfare. This is despite Cena and Chan being recognizable actors, especially in action movies that permeate the pair's careers. It's possible the pair starring as characters in Hidden Strike helped bolster the movie's success on Netflix in such a short amount of time.

Despite getting negative reviews from critics, Hidden Strike topping Netflix's charts last week proves how popularity can overwrite a film's review score. One classic example of a critically panned movie that ended up with a cult following is The Boondock Saints, a thriller starring Willem Dafoe, Sean Patrick Flanery, and Norman Reedus. While it's too early to tell if Hidden Strike will reach such a status, it could if it continues to be popular on Netflix in the coming weeks.

Hidden Strike's current Netflix viewership also opens the door for a possible Hidden Strike 2 in the future. While there's no word yet on if a sequel will happen, Cena and Chan could return if the movie proves popular enough. It remains to be seen if Hidden Strike will maintain its popularity on Netflix as a highly-viewed action comedy.

Source: Netflix, Rotten Tomatoes