Netflix's new no.1 came from nowhere – Liam Neeson's fans are defying the critics

It was just yesterday that I published a piece about Netflix's top 3 movies right now, how they're rated on Rotten Tomatoes and IMDB, and whether you should watch any or all of them. Then – boom – seemingly out of nowhere there's a brand new Netflix no.1 movie to disrupt the order of said list.

It's no shock or surprise that a Liam Neeson-fronted flick has rocketed up the charts, with 2022's Memory now cemented in the streamer's pole position. It perhaps is a shock, however, that a movie with a mere 29% rating on Rotten Tomatoes has taken the top spot. Or perhaps it's not – as fans are defying the critics' assessments.

Memory | Official Trailer | At Home on Demand - YouTube

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After Memory was added to the best streaming service, it only took 24 hours for it to top the Netflix chart. That's the Neeson effect for you. Pretty much every one of his movies is the same (within reason), but at least you know what you're going to get. In Memory that comes with a fairly rare BBFC 18-certificate attached, though, so add a dose of 'strong bloody violence' to your action movie norms. 

Memory, as you might have guessed from the title, is about the lead character, Alex Lewis (played by Neeson), apparently losing his mind. It just so happens he's also an assassin for hire. Except he's been asked to step over a line – "I don't do kids" – and that's led him to go rogue, digging into a trafficking ring and butting heads with an FBI investigation in the process. 

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Lead FBI agent Vincent Serra (played by Guy Pearce) is guided by Lewis' escapades, but as his memory begins to fail the lines of reality become increasingly blurred. There's also a clear relationship – in many ways, as the trailer above suggests – between a wealthy El Paso real-estate agent, played by Monica Bellucci, and these goings-on. 

Memory was directed by Casino Royale's Martin Campbell, but don't expect Bond-levels of sophistication here. After all, this is an edgier, bloodier Neeson movie. And it's popular because of his fan base. As one commenter puts it under the trailer: "Can never go wrong with a Liam Neeson action thriller". So eat that, critics, the people have spoken!