At times Netflix is the best streaming service, proven recently by the quick-hop of Godzilla Minus One into the top spot after its unannounced sudden release. I was surprised when that speedily slid down to the middle of the chart, however – but perhaps even more surprised by what then replaced it (but less so by the Netflix Original that's one-upped it since).
At the time of writing the new Netflix no.1 movie in the chart was Under Paris. And, no, it's not some slushy rom-com set in the sewers of "la ville de l'amour", rather it's a surprise horror-thriller about a shark that's in La Seine and could cause havoc in the French capital.
The new movie, directed by Xavier Gens – who has other damp squibs to his name, such as 2007's Hitman – had already sunk to a lowly 38% score based on Rotten Tomatoes' audience score... and since then it's dropped a further 3% too. Check out the trailer below and you'll see why that's probably no shock:
I've have no intention of watching Under Paris, and that trailer hasn't convinced me to dive in either. For one I'm no major horror fan. For another I don't really like water (I'd much rather be in the sky). Besides, this article isn't a review of the movie – it's about audience reaction, Netflix's range of output and critical expectation.
What I do appreciate, however, is that the Netflix movie chart of late has been far more multilingual. This is the second consecutive foreign-language movie – by which I mean 'not in English' to state the obvious, but the no.1 position is based on the UK chart – to climb up the ranks.
As for audience reviews on Rotten Tomatoes? Well, indeed, you'll be saying 'mind my French' when reading many of the harsh shutdowns regarding this new Netflix flick. Although not all fans agree, as you'll see from the soundbites good, bad and dire below.
"A thoroughly enjoyable bloodbath filled with ridiculous scenes that had us cheering and laughing," reads the first review with a full 5-star score. Others agree, albeit with lower 2.5/5-star ratings: "It's a 'so bad it's good' kind of movie".
But plenty of viewers disagree: "This movie is a piece of garbage," sums it up succinctly. And there's a fairly common thread among all reviews that repeats: the special effects ('VFX' or 'CGI' – take your pick). "The visuals effects look as if from a 90s TV series," says one, with another calling the visuals "mediocre".
I shan't compare this one to Jaws, nor The Meg, or, by the sounds of it, even Sharknado. Under Paris sounds like it should stay under the city if these reviews are much to go by. But if you want a bit of a laugh and a shlocky horror-thriller shark movie sounds like a great catch then, well, go fish...
