Netflix to add tense movie thriller with 96% on Rotten Tomatoes – but critics disagree

The great thing about people is that we're all different. It takes all kinds to make a world, and nowhere is that seen more often than with art. One man's masterpiece is another's misfire and this movie coming to Netflix at the start of next month is a prime example of that.

Where the Crawdads Sing is a 2022 release based on a bestselling book that utterly enchanted audiences. On Rotten Tomatoes, it boasts an incredible 96% from audiences but then a staggeringly low 35% from critics. Did they watch the same movie? How can there be such a wide divide between the two groups? Of course, Netflix isn't a streaming service for film critics but for regular people, which is why the movie's arrival on May 5th is a big deal. It's the perfect chance to make a decision for yourself.  

So what's it about? Well set in the 50s and 60s in the North Carolina marshes, we follow Kya (Daisy Edgar-Jones) as a girl abandoned by her family and faring for herself. Known to most as "Marsh Girl", the only regular contact she has with people is at the local general store where she sells Mussels. 

Unable to read, with no formal education, a teenage Kya befriends local boy Tate (a hunky Taylor John Smith) who helps teach her the basics. Of course, spending so much time together with such an intense task, feelings soon develop. But then Tate has to go to college. 

Left on her own Kya of course meets another boy, Chase (Harris Dickinson from Triangle of Sadness). He's popular, charming and almost certainly too good to be true.  I won't go into much more but if you've seen Anatomy of a Fall there are some surprising similarities. 

Aside from Daisy Edgar-Jones, the real star of the show here is the location. The North Carolina marshes on screen are actually located in New Orleans but are absolutely stunning nonetheless. As a bit of escapism on a Sunday night, It scratches a particular itch.

But should you watch it? Well, I can't answer that for you. With such a high audience score and such a low critics score, the truth probably lies somewhere in between, best to decide for yourself. Oh but it does feature an original Taylor Swift song, so it is a must listen at least.