Action Movie Franchises That Have Never Dipped Below 50 On Rotten Tomatoes
© Courtesy of GameRantAction movies may not be as difficult to score on review sites like Rotten Tomatoes as other genres. After all, action movies don't usually try to do anything fancy, they're meant to be crowd pleasers, and so critics can be a bit lenient when they think the movie is a crowd pleaser.
However, it is still difficult for franchises to consistently achieve high scores on sites like IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes, especially for long-running franchises. However, many franchise franchises have managed to retain critical acclaim on Rotten Tomatoes even after several decades.
Indiana Jones
This may surprise fans of the franchise, but critics on Rotten Tomatoes loved the fourth entry in Crystal Skull . Or at least when the film came out in 2008, there weren't many critics who complained on Rotten Tomatoes, where the film received a fresh 78% rating.
Amazingly, the most popular film that preceded this film is 50% higher and Harrison Ford's legendary character remains flawless in his cinematic adventures as far as Rotten Tomatoes go. Things could change quickly when Indiana Jones 5 opens in 2023.
John Wick
Unsurprisingly, the first film to reach the top of the John Wick films was Action scenes, and most of the action is said to improve with each new entry in the franchise. Three movies have already been released, and two more about John Wick are on the horizon.
While the plots of these films are often ignored or in favor of sticking to the guns, the franchise is praised for not trying to be something bigger or different than it is. The crowd-pleasing act and character of Reeves, among other things, led the franchise to massive and lasting success.
Mad Max
Mad Max: Fury Road brought the franchise back to life on a grand and spectacular scale, and has been called one of the best action movies of the decade, and definitely the best of 2014. It's on. No need to sleep. Mad Max: The Street Fighter has been hailed as one of the best action films of the 1980s, and the entire trilogy has been critically acclaimed.
Despite the controversial storylines of the first films, this trilogy has the highest Rotten Tomatoes rating, with the lowest of the entire franchise tied for Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome with an overall rating of 81% on the site.
Impossible
It may come as a surprise to fans to learn that Tom Cruise's flagship franchise has had no fewer numbers on Rotten Tomatoes in the twenty-six years since Mission: Impossible hit theaters. The original trilogy films aren't quite as celebrated as the last three entries, which are team-oriented.
Related: Best Dressed Characters in Movies But despite this, Rotten Tomatoes didn't get a single score below 50%, with Million : Impossible 2 getting the franchise's lowest score of just 56%. Tom Cruise has two more entries in the two-part franchise starting in 2023, but the franchise has yet to garner fans and critics alike.
Jason Bourne
Jason Bourne has had an even shakier career trying to continue the franchise beyond the original film trilogy, but they've yet to achieve a track record of failure on Rotten Tomatoes. More recent works like The Bourne Legacy and Jason Bourne garnered 50 to 60 percent from critics, with neither surpassing that mark.
Those Sherkir entries may have spelled the death knell for the super-spy, but he'll always be remembered for defining the action genre in the early 2000s with his first trilogy of films. The role defined Matt Damon's career and made Ben Affleck a star in his own right.
The Hunger Games
The Hunger Games is a mix of action, sci-fi, and fantasy, but Katniss Everdeen and her four-film series consistently beat Rotten Tomatoes. Never falling below 69% on the website, The Hunger Games was a huge hit with fans and critics alike, although the controversial series split the latest book, Mockingjay.
Jennifer Lawrence, Liam Hemsworth, and Josh Hutcherson rose to stardom thanks to the films, while other actors, such as Woody Harrelson and Elizabeth Banks, experienced career resurgence thanks to their roles. A prequel based on a young President Snow is being adapted as a sequel to the franchise.
A big gun
Top Gun recently became a franchise, but while the original wasn't as well received on Rotten Tomatoes as one might have hoped, the franchise is still highly regarded. The original Top Gun starred Tom Cruise and was released in 1986 to lackluster reviews, scoring only 56% on RT.
However, when the movie became popular and the series ended, things started to change. Being one of the most popular films of 2022 among fans, critics, and the box office, Top Gun: Maverick has managed to get a 96% review on the site, putting it all together.
Also: Best quotes from Top Gun: Maverick
