Netflix's new hit movie Interceptor is hated by critics yet people can't stop watching it

The new action-drama stars Elsa Pataky of Fast and Furious fame

Luke Bracey as Alexander and Elsa Pataky as JJ Collins in Interceptor
(Image credit: Brook Rushton / Netflix)

Netflix has revealed that its new original movie Interceptor has become the most popular film on the streaming platform for the week of May 30th, 2022.

Directed by Matthew Reilly, the 92-minute action drama has become a surprise hit, considering that its overall reception has been less than positive. At the time of writing, Interceptor is positioned at a 44% rating approval on Rotten Tomatoes with the audience score even lower at a score of 25% (at the time of writing).

This has stopped Netflix subscribers from sending Interceptor to the top of the English Films list with 35.6 million hours of watching time invested globally. Starring Elsa Pataky, best known for portraying Elena in the Fast and Furious series, Interceptor has also made it into top 10 on Netflix in 93 countries. Second place went to rom-com A Perfect Pairing with 14.41 million hours, while Senior Year added another 13.26 million hours four weeks after release. 

Check out the official trailer for Interceptor below:

"The tough and reality-bruised Captain JJ Collins (Elsa Pataky) finds herself in charge of a lone nuclear missile interceptor base in the middle of the Pacific Ocean after she is wrongfully drummed out of her dream job at the Pentagon," reads the synopsis. 

"When a simultaneous coordinated attack then threatens the base itself, Collins comes face-to-face with the charismatic yet crooked Alexander Kessel (Luke Bracey), a former US military intelligence officer intent on carrying out an unthinkable plan. With only minutes on the clock, Collins must utilize her years of tactical training and military expertise to determine who she can trust and stop Kessel and his covert mercenaries from completing their twisted and terrible mission."

Meanwhile, Stranger Things 4 has earned itself the impressive accolade of being the most-watched season of English-language TV in a single week on Netflix, generating over 335 million hours in seven days alone. That's a huge number! Not even the mighty Bridgerton could hold back the power of the Upside Down. It has also hit the number one spot in 91 countries worldwide.  

Season one to three of Stranger Things then filled out the second to fourth positions, once again proving the ginormous fanbase behind the sci-fi coming-of-age series. After a strong start, The Lincoln Lawyer then rounded out the top five, bringing in another 42.53 million viewers who can't get enough of the legal drama show. 

With season three of The Umbrella Academy arriving later this month and Adam Sandler's new movie, Hustle, just released, it'll be interesting to see whether Stranger Things and Interceptor can hold on to their top spots. I'd wager one of them has a better chance than the other. 

Interceptor stars Elsa Pataky, Luke Bracey, Aaron Glenane, Mayen Mehta, Rhys Muldoon, Belinda Jombwe, Marcus Johnson, Colin Friels and Zoe Carides. 

Matt Poskitt
Freelance Writer

Matt is a freelance writer for T3, covering news and keeping up with everything games, entertainment, and all manner of tech. You can find his work across numerous sites across the web, including TechRadar, IGN, GamesRadar, Tom's Guide, Fandom, NME, and more. In his spare time, Matt is an avid cinema-goer, keen runner and average golfer (at best). You can follow him @MattPoskitt64