Netflix‘s new superhero movie has been dominating the charts all month. Thunder Force debuted on the platform on April 9th and it’s remained in the Top 10, if not the Top 5, titles the world over ever since. As of this Sunday, April 25th, it stands as the fourth most popular movie on Netflix across the planet, as per the latest stats from FlixPatrol.
If you haven’t caught it yet, Thunder Force stars Mellissa McCarthy and Octavia Spencer, and is written and directed by McCarthy’s husband and frequent collaborator Ben Falcone – this is the fifth film the couple have worked on together. Set in a world overrun by supervillains, Spencer plays a scientist who develops a way to give superpowers to regular people. Following her best friend (McCarthy) accidentally imbuing herself with abilities, the pair team up to become heroes, protecting Chicago from crime boss The King (Bobby Cannavale). Guardians of the Galaxy’s Pom Klementieff also features.
As with many of McCarthy and Falcone’s movies, Thunder Force has proven to be pretty divisive. There’s been some positive buzz about it on social media, but there are also a lot of negative reactions. Its critical response isn’t exactly glowing, either, as it’s got a paltry 25% score on Rotten Tomatoes. Reviewers have blasted it for not being funny or thrilling enough for a superhero comedy, though McCarthy and Spencer have received praise for their winning double act.
But, in terms of viewing figures, it’s been an enormous success for Netflix and it’s on track to have been seen by a whopping 52 million pairs of eyeballs in its first four weeks. It’s likely the combined power of the superhero genre and McCarthy’s star status that helped it become such a hit. That certainly bodes well for Jupiter’s Legacy – a dark new comic book series that’s coming to Netflix in May. Meanwhile, McCarthy will next be seen as Ursula in Disney’s The Little Mermaid remake.
Published: Apr 25, 2021 02:06 pm