Netflix's new No. 1 movie is Day Shift as streamers defy critics

Netflix has a new number one movie in both the US and UK, with the brand new for August 2022 Day Shift rocketing to the top of the streaming service's own charts.

As can be seen from the image below, Day Shift now sits pretty in the number one position in both territories, with the tale of an LA vampire hunter chasing a big pay day evidently appealing to millions and millions of viewers.

And, the crazy thing is, Day Shift is number one despite being savaged by top critics on Rotten Tomatoes, with the new movie bagging a woeful 58% aggregate score. This is joined by a 'Certified Rotten' overall rating.

Under Day Shift's 'Top Critics' section on Rotten Tomatoes we learn why the movie has not been well received.

Todd McCarthy of Deadline Hollywood Daily says that Day Shift's "script never remotely rises to the occasion, resulting in a hodge-podgy mess that, at nearly two hours, is also a half-hour too long for its own, or anyone else’s, good."

Peter Bradshaw of the Guardian meanwhile says that "the crude, tedious action sequences with their video-game aesthetic are an incredible trial and there is nothing interesting or glamorous about these vampires at all."

And Peter Travers of ABC News says that "you leave this goofy but mostly godawful action-comedy feeling pummeled, beaten down by an avalanche of sound and fury signifying the usual nothing."

So, why is Day Shift No. 1 on Netflix?

So why, then, is Day Shift Netflix's new No.1 movie? Well, the answer could lie in critics simply not speaking for the vast majority of Netflix subscribers. But from the more positive review scores on Rotten Tomatoes there seems to be some love for star Jamie Foxx, who people seem to agree is too good for this film, while many reviews also mention that the action sequences standout.

Oh, and it also involves vampires, and we all know how beloved vampires are, right?!

As for my take, I think Day Shift is a check-your-brain-in-at-the-door Friday night action-comedy movie that has appealed to many people looking for a bit of popcorn fun. It's clearly not the finest movie ever made, but with Foxx joined by Dave Franco and Snoop Dogg, I too may just have to get a piece of the Day Shift action.

First, though, I need to get through Netflix's new TV series The Sandman, which is simply awesome!