As frustrating as it is to repeat perpetually, the Netflix original thriller has generally become a byword for mediocrity. The platform churns out a slew of high concept genre films, almost all of which can be relied on to make a splash among subscribers while leaving critics cold. However, The Wonder has managed to buck the trend in some style.
Not only does the literary adaptation already rank as one of the best-reviewed in-house exclusives of the year by way of a healthy 85 percent Rotten Tomatoes score, but it’s also staking its claim for the number one spot on the global most-watched list. Per FlixPatrol, it’s taken The Wonder only 24 hours to crack the Top 10 in 74 countries spread across five continents, even if it’s only reached the summit in 11 of them so far.
Of course, having one of the best young talents in the business and an internet icon in the lead role always helps, with Florence Pugh winning rave reactions for yet another highly accomplished performance. The Wonder finds her Lib Wright called to the Irish Midlands to examine a young girl who hasn’t eaten for months, and yet remains in perfect health.
Naturally, it doesn’t take long for the age-old science vs. faith debate to rear its head, with the “miraculous” child inevitably drawing tourists and pilgrims from far and wide. As you’d imagine, things aren’t quite as straightforward as they seem, leading Pugh’s nurse down a path she never expected to find herself walking – for better or worse.
