3 netflix movie review

Netflix/YouTube

‘3%’ is one of Netflix’s biggest shows—but is it any good?

The brazilian sci-fi series is one of the world's most popular..

Eddie Strait

Posted on Jan 2, 2018   Updated on May 22, 2021, 6:23 am CDT

Netflix last month released some viewership statistics and the Brazilian sci-fi series  3% turned out to be one of 2017’s most popular binges in the world. It ranked No. 2 on the list of “most devoured” shows, meaning most people watched at least two hours of it per sitting. That put it ahead of buzzy and controversial smash  Thirteen Reasons Why . Yet seemingly few Americans have seen or heard of it. What were you missing?  Not much, as it turns out.

I reached my breaking point with 3% halfway through the show’s eight-episode first season. 3% is what you get if you take Lost and strip away everything that made the story of the Island and the castaways interesting. The biggest mystery surrounding the show is how this series, created by Spanish filmmaker Pedro Aguilera, rose to the top of the streaming crop when Netflix has so many better offerings.

The show is set in a dystopian future where the population goes through “the Process” in hopes of making it through, where upon completion they are granted access to “the Offshore,” while everyone else is condemned to the poverty and struggle of “the Inland.” The Process amounts to watching teens and 20-somethings tackle brainteasers and stress tests to weed out the 97 percent. There’s more going on, with the overseers of the Process wrapped up in some kind of conspiracy. The show slow-plays the macro plot to the point of frustration. In the moment some of the challenges are kind of interesting. Groups are presented with a dinner scene staged with mannequins and have to deduce what event they’re seeing. In another, they must run through dark corridors while the air fills with gas that makes everyone hear voices and grow paranoid.

Each episode spotlights a different character and tells their backstory via flashbacks. We have Fernando, confined to a wheelchair and determined to make it through the Process; Marco, the entitled son of a family that always makes it through the Process; Moana, an orphan who grew up on the streets. The characters are diverse in their circumstance, but they are united and weakened by dull writing.

The show is obviously setting up a long-term payoff by the way the story is structured, but playing coy with the details ends up burning the creative team because none of it is particularly compelling. At eight episodes, with more on the way, it’s an easy binge. If you get bored and frustrated with 3% like I did, you won’t feel bad cutting your losses.

Still not sure what to watch on Netflix? Here are our guides for the absolute best movies on Netflix , must-see Netflix original series and movies , and the comedy specials guaranteed to make you laugh.

Eddie Strait is a member of the Austin Film Critic Association. His reviews focus primarily on streaming entertainment, with an emphasis on Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, and other on-demand services.

Featured Local Savings

By providing your information, you agree to our Terms of Use and our Privacy Policy . We use vendors that may also process your information to help provide our services. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Netflix’s ‘3%’: Why The Show’s Most Disturbing Twist Still Haunts Us

Liz shannon miller.

• Share on Facebook
• Share to Flipboard
• Share on LinkedIn
• Show more sharing options
• Submit to Reddit
• Post to Tumblr
• Print This Page
• Share on WhatsApp

Have you finished watching “ 3% ,” Netflix ‘s first original series from Brazil and one of the more intriguing dystopian thrillers we’ve seen in a while? Then keep reading. Our initial review of “3%” was deliberately kept spoiler-free, but people are discovering “3%” every day, and some of the biggest ideas presented by the series are worth discussing a bit more in depth… especially  that final episode . Boy, did it make an impact.

SPOILER-FREE REVIEW: Season 1 of Brazil’s ‘Hunger Games’ Finds Its Own Voice

[ Editor’s note: spoilers for “3%,” through the finale, below. ]

The first season, created by Pedro Aguilera and directed by Cesar Charlone, tracks a group of 20-year-olds who are attempting to complete a brutal selection ritual that will elevate them from the slums of a ruined world to the Offshore, a place of abundance and plenty. The whole time, we’d been noticing the prominently displayed vaccination scars of those select few who’d already succeeded in completing The Process, but it wasn’t until Episode 8, “Button,” that we found out what exactly it meant — and what the Purification Ritual was: voluntary sterilization. No one living in the Offshore is capable of having children, ensuring that anyone fortunate enough to experience that life has truly earned it. As Process Leader Ezequiel (João Miguel) says repeatedly, “You create your own merit.”

Related Stories ‘Dead Boy Detectives’ Promises a Wild Ride — and the Opening Credits Capture It Perfectly Netflix Will Premiere ‘Ultraman: Rising’ at Annecy Animation Festival

Purification doesn’t mean the end of sexual desire (Ezequiel and his wife clearly had a sexual relationship), but it does represent an incredible, irreversible commitment to the principles upon which this society is based. Watching Rafael (Rodolfo Valente) realize that he’d have to choose between pursuing his quest to help the resistance take down this society and his oft-spoken desire to have children was a striking moment that really worked, due to the layers of character that had been built over the course of the season; his decision to go through with it a bit heartbreaking in its finality.

The final twist makes an impression even if you haven’t watched the series. I know this at least on an anecdotal level, because I’ve explained it to a few friends and loved ones who didn’t mind being spoiled, and the nature of the choice presented to these characters definitely seemed to sit heavily.

Perhaps that’s because the idea of voluntary sterilization is one we haven’t seen presented all that often in fiction — and involuntary sterilization is often depicted as tragedy. Children have always been presented as a representation of hope for the future — it’s what makes Alfonso Cuaron’s “Children of Men” so chilling and bleak, as we see what becomes of an infertile world.

And that’s definitely a thread that runs through “3%,” as well. It’s notable that one of the pieces of advice given to candidates immediately upon elimination is “the joy of having children is one of the most efficient methods of dealing with frustration.” It makes sense for the people of the Offshore to encourage this; after all, this entire system is dependent on a steady stream of potential candidates to repopulate their numbers.

But in the eyes of this society, as presented by Ezequiel, to allow your genetic heritage to be considered as a part of your value was “the biggest injustice that sustained the outrageous world we lived in.” This new system brings with it a different sort of injustice, but once you see the full scope of it, a genre that’s normally very black-and-white becomes much more shaded with grey.

Both Raphael and Michele (Bianca Comparato) entered the Process as agents of the Cause, determined to bring down the system, yet at the end found themselves more drawn into it. So it’s perhaps Joana (the pretty extraordinary Vaneza Oliveira) who’s the closest thing to a winner of this competition. Playing by her own rules the entire time, Joana isn’t afraid to cheat when necessary (witness her stealing the coin that dooms Lucas, mere hours after they’d slept together). But while she’s a killer and a thief, it’s also clear that she only became so because of circumstance and/or necessity. And when pushed to kill again, she rebels, exiting the Process on her own terms and determined to bring it to an end.

If “3%” gets a second season, hopefully the show will compensate for one of its biggest weaknesses and reveal more of the history that led to the creation of the Process, building out the world to a new level. But the show does succeed at telling a story without any real victors, where everyone is forced to sacrifice.

Stay on top of the latest TV news! Sign up for our TV email newsletter here.

Most Popular

You may also like.

To revisit this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories

Netflix's 3% is worth a binge-watch

By Tom Philip

In a way, young adult fiction is its own dystopia. But instead of grey, flavourless protein paste or whatever, we're asked to subside on grey, flavourless movie franchises that outstay their welcome by several installments. Could I tell you the name of the lead in The Maze Runner ? I could not. Could I tell you what makes Divergent , uh, diverge from others in the genre? No. I'm sick of attractive, sweaty twenty-somethings (playing teens) navigating a sci-fi dystopia, but off the back of strong reviews, I made an exception to dip into Netflix 's 3% . You should, too.

"The world is divided into two sides, one abundant, the other scarce," the show's opening text reads. "A selection process lies between them." Okay, so we're not going to win any points for originality right off the bat, but the initial conceit is as meat-and-potatoes as the show gets. The premiere of 3% , perhaps bolstered by the creative freedom offered by not having to promise a PG-13 product, is more twisting and brutal than any Hunger Games -adjacent mission and kicks off a silly, but mercifully interesting story over its first eight episodes.

So, to the point: What is this "selection process?" Helpfully, it's called The Process, and it's something every 20-year-old member of The Inland (the "scarce" side you were told about earlier) participates in every year. Of the thousands of kids who partake, 3% of them will succeed, and be offered a one-way ticket to The Offshore, a futuristic utopia. They will never see their families again, unless another member should pass The Process.

The reasoning behind this great divide isn't delved into, or really questioned much at all, during the first season. Later seasons (the third just debuted on the platform) delve more into the mythology of The Offshore and its "founding couple," and that paradise isn't all it's cracked up to be, et cetera.

For now, though, let's focus on the early stages: The Process combines all manner of fun sci-fi conceits into its various stages. An initial interview phase has candidates answer deeply personal questions, with many seemingly eliminated at random, desperately begging for another chance to give the right answer, whatever it may have been. There are logic puzzles, escape rooms, and even a room in which candidates are introduced to a murder mystery-style dinner party scene inhabited by mannequins and have to deduce the cause of death (the answer is very clever.)

No show, no matter how willingly batshit and fast it's willing to be (and this thing moves ) works without solid character work, and it's in dedicated performances like Bianca Comparato's as Michele (for all intents and purposes our main character, and a Process candidate), a seemingly naive but talented youngster with plenty of secrets, some of which are revealed to us earlier than you might expect; Episode 1's final twist changes the complexion of everything we've seen from Michele so far, and rearranges the rest of the season in a way you won't see coming.

Elsewhere, Michel Gomes and Vaneza Oliveira are highlights as Fernando and Joana, two others going through the process with baggage of their own. Easily my favourite character though, is João Miguel's Ezequiel, a conflicted Offshore dandy who oversees the process with a kind of Willy Wonka-esque whimsical darkness about him. His story evolves alongside Michele's in similar ways, whether they're allies or not (it changes from day to day), and all serves to underline the main point of this whole affair, which is that a paradise built on a forced societal binary is doomed bullshit from the start.

As Netflix's second ever original series not in the English language, 3% has had a harder time than most shows of its quality in building an audience, but those willing to invest in—whisper it— subtitles , or suffer through the English dub (far worse) are going to be rewarded with a new, better kind of dystopian drama. Trust me.

The very best Netflix watches in June (goodbye, social life)

Our first look at Bond 25 (and more details you need to know)

What if The Beatles never existed?

By Daisy Jones

By Frazier Tharpe

By Jack King

By Lucy Ford

3% (2016–2020)

• User Reviews

Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews

• User Ratings
• External Reviews
• Metacritic Reviews
• Full Cast and Crew
• Release Dates
• Official Sites
• Company Credits
• Filming & Production
• Technical Specs
• Plot Summary
• Plot Keywords
• Parents Guide

Did You Know?

• Crazy Credits
• Alternate Versions
• Connections
• Soundtracks

Photo & Video

• Photo Gallery
• Trailers and Videos
• Episode List

Related Items

• External Sites

Related lists from IMDb users

Recently Viewed

• Tickets & Showtimes
• Trending on RT

• TV & Streaming Shows
• Godzilla & Kong
• 100 Years, 100 Movies
• Best & Popular

TAGGED AS: binge , Binge Guide , Film , movies , Netflix , streaming

(Photo by uNIVERSAL/courtesy Everett Collection)

100 Best Movies on Netflix Ranked by Tomatometer (April 2024)

In our world of massive entertainment options, who’s got time to waste on the below-average? You’ve got a subscription, you’re ready for a marathon, and you want only the best movies no Netflix to watch. With thousands of choices on the platform, both original and acquired, we’ve found the 100 top Netflix movies with the highest Tomatometer scores! Time to get comfy on the couch!

New top movies this month: Bonnie and Clyde, Devil in a Blue Dress, The Disaster Artist, National Lampoon’s Animal House

His House (2020) 100%

L.A. Confidential (1997) 99%

Miss Juneteenth (2020) 99%

The Forty-Year-Old Version (2020) 99%

Under the Shadow (2016) 99%

Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (2020) 97%

Dolemite Is My Name (2019) 97%

Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016) 97%

Mudbound (2017) 97%

Paddington (2014) 97%

I Lost My Body (2019) 97%

Roma (2018) 96%

Gravity (2013) 96%

The Florida Project (2017) 96%

Atlantics (2019) 96%

The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar (2023) 95%

Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) 96%

Boyz N the Hood (1991) 96%

Life of Brian (1979) 96%

To All the Boys I've Loved Before (2018) 96%

Outside In (2017) 96%

The Irishman (2019) 95%

Marriage Story (2019) 95%

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023) 95%

It Follows (2014) 95%

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (2022) 95%

They Cloned Tyrone (2023) 95%

Train to Busan (2016) 95%

Klaus (2019) 95%

The Power of the Dog (2021) 94%

Carol (2015) 94%

Moneyball (2011) 94%

The Lost Daughter (2021) 94%

X (2022) 94%

Emily the Criminal (2022) 94%

Groundhog Day (1993) 94%

Love and Monsters (2020) 94%

The Sea Beast (2022) 94%

Private Life (2018) 94%

Wonder Woman (2017) 93%

Hustle (2022) 93%

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975) 93%

Enola Holmes 2 (2022) 93%

Cam (2018) 93%

Roald Dahl's Matilda the Musical (2022) 93%

Sand Storm (2016) 93%

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022) 92%

Da 5 Bloods (2020) 92%

Silver Linings Playbook (2012) 92%

The School of Rock (2003) 92%

The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected) (2017) 92%

How to Train Your Dragon 2 (2014) 92%

The Squid and the Whale (2005) 92%

Jurassic Park (1993) 92%

El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie (2019) 92%

Devil in a Blue Dress (1995) 92%

Nimona (2023) 92%

The Little Prince (2015) 92%

Antz (1998) 92%

Set It Up (2018) 92%

1922 (2017) 92%

Uncorked (2020) 92%

Phantom Thread (2017) 91%

The Disaster Artist (2017) 91%

The Nice Guys (2016) 91%

The Gift (2015) 91%

The White Tiger (2021) 92%

Beasts of No Nation (2015) 91%

Society of the Snow (2023) 90%

Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Childhood (2022) 91%

High Flying Bird (2019) 91%

Happy as Lazzaro (2018) 91%

Gerald's Game (2017) 91%

You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah (2023) 91%

Orion and the Dark (2024) 91%

The Willoughbys (2020) 91%

National Lampoon's Animal House (1978) 91%

Shazam! (2019) 90%

The Suicide Squad (2021) 90%

May December (2023) 91%

The Imitation Game (2014) 90%

All Quiet on the Western Front (2022) 90%

The Kindergarten Teacher (2018) 90%

On Body and Soul (2017) 90%

Bonnie and Clyde (1967) 90%

John Wick: Chapter 3 -- Parabellum (2019) 89%

The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020) 89%

The Big Short (2015) 89%

John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017) 89%

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018) 89%

The Two Popes (2019) 89%

Oxygen (2021) 89%

Always Be My Maybe (2019) 89%

Mary and The Witch's Flower (2017) 89%

I Am Mother (2019) 88%

I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore (2017) 89%

Paddleton (2019) 89%

Rush (2013) 89%

Fear Street Part Three: 1666 (2021) 88%

Jackie Brown (1997) 88%

Related news.

Watch An Exclusive Pixar Studio Tour, Plus Inside Out 2 Secrets From The Set

DC Animated Movies In Order: How to Watch 54 Original and Universe Films

The Best TV Seasons Certified Fresh at 100%

More Binge Guide

5 TV and Streaming Shows You Should Binge-Watch In April

All 5 Purge Movies In Order: How to Watch the Movies Chronologically

Best Hulu Series To Watch Right Now (April 2024)

Movie & TV News

Featured on rt.

April 23, 2024

April 22, 2024

Weekend Box Office Results: Civil War Earns Second Victory in a Row

25 Most Popular TV Shows Right Now: What to Watch on Streaming

Top Headlines

• DC Animated Movies In Order: How to Watch 54 Original and Universe Films –
• The Best TV Seasons Certified Fresh at 100% –
• Best TV Shows of 2024: Best New Series to Watch Now –
• 25 Most Popular TV Shows Right Now: What to Watch on Streaming –
• 30 Most Popular Movies Right Now: What to Watch In Theaters and Streaming –
• Box Office 2024: Top 10 Movies of the Year –

Best Netflix movies: the 42 best films worth watching in April 2024

What are the best Netflix movies to stream today? TechRadar reveals all

Tom Power, senior entertainment reporter

This month's update sees a hatful of films leave the service, including Blonde , Call Me By Your Name , Dune , Don't Worry Darling , and La La Land . In their place, we've added Everything Everywhere All at Once , Elvis , Puss in Boots: The Last Wish , Jurassic Park , and Enola Holmes . We've also updated every other entry in this guide with the most important information about them, as well as adding in their official trailers.

Welcome to TechRadar's best Netflix movies guide. Below, we've compiled a list of the 42 best films to stream on Netflix , with all entries categorized by the primary genre they fall under. That way, you can simply use the navigation bar on the left side of this page to jump to the type of flick you enjoy the most. You're welcome.

There are tons of movies to watch on the world's best streaming service , though, so how have our entertainment experts picked out the 40-plus films to include in this article? It's simple: we selected them based on two big criteria: their Rotten Tomatoes (RT) score and/or how popular they've been with Netflix's worldwide audience. Armed with that data, we're confident that you'll agree with our choices below.

Want even more recommendations? Our new Netflix movies is home to all of the new movies that have joined the streaming giant in recent weeks. Bookmark that page for later, however, and continue reading on to see what the best Netflix movies are today.

Best action movies on Netflix

Army of the dead.

Age rating: R Runtime: 148 minutes Main cast: Dave Bautista, Ella Purnell, Omari Hardwick, Ana de la Reguera, and Matthias Schweighofer Director: Zack Snyder RT score: 67%

Army of the Dead was Zack Snyder’s first feature following his increasingly acrimonious split with Warner Bros, and it’s everything that his DC Extended Universe ( DCEU ) superhero movies weren’t: bright, colorful, action-packed, funny, and topical, even if its 45-minute introduction is a little self-indulgent.

Dave Bautista leads a strong cast as Scott Ward, a former zombie-stomping war hero who’s approached with an intriguing proposal by casino owner Bly Tanaka (Hiroyuki Sanada). The assignment? Enter a zombie infested Las Vegas, break into Tanaka’s casino vault, escape with his $200 million assets, and Ward and his group will receive $50 million to split between them as a reward.

Yes, the movie is as chaotic as that plot makes it sound. And, with a sequel film and TV spin-off on the way, Army of the Dead is a must-watch for fans of gratuitous blood and gore.

Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox

Get the hottest deals available in your inbox plus news, reviews, opinion, analysis and more from the TechRadar team.

Extraction 1 and 2

Age rating: R Runtime: 118 minutes (Extraction 1); 123 minutes (Extraction 2) Main cast: Chris Hemsworth and Golshifteh Farahani Director: Sam Hargrave RT score: 67% (Extraction 1); 79% (Extraction 2)

Looking for an unrelenting thrill ride that's stuffed with some of the best action sequences we've seen in a long time? Netflix Original film series  Extraction is the one for you.

Marvel  star Chris Hemsworth stars as Tyler Rake, a black ops merc-for-hire with a complex backstory. In each movie, Rake is hired to rescue someone (or numerous individuals) from a seemingly impossible situation. Once he's acquired the package, he tries to lead them to safety as numerous thugs, gang members, and other characters attempt to kill Rake and those he's liberated.

Extraction 1  was a pretty good watch and its sequel is, in our opinion, even better thanks to its  21-minute-long, heart-pounding, intricately assembled, and dangerous one-shot sequence . Make sure you check out our  Extraction 2  review  for more on why it's one of the best Netflix movies around, and then read our exclusive chats with director Sam Hargrave about  why the film's one shot sequence took four grueling months to shoot  and  how he had Marvel to thank for that unexpected cameo .

John Wick 1, 2, and 3

Age rating: R Runtimes: 101 minutes ( John Wick 1 ); 122 minutes ( John Wick 2 ); 130 minutes ( John Wick 3 ) Main cast: Keanu Reeves, Lance Reddick, Ian McShane, and Laurence Fishburne Director: Chad Stahelski RT score: 86% ( John Wick 1 ); 89% ( John Wick 2 ); 89% ( John Wick 3 )

Few action film franchises have been as successful as this Keanu Reeves-starring movie series.

A story that begins with Reeves’ titular assassin tracking down those responsible for killing his dog (a gift from his deceased wife) and his beloved Mustang, John Wick soon evolves into an engrossing, expansive universe full of intriguing hitman-based mythos, betrayals, tragedy, underappreciated humor, and some of the most spectacular fight scenes we’ve seen in a long time.

The first three films – find out how to watch the John Wick movies in order – are now on Netflix. A prequel TV spin-off titled The Continental is also available on Peacock , while the Ana de Armas-fronted Ballerina , the franchise’s first movie spin-off, is one of 18 epic movies we can’t wait for in 2024 . 

Best animated movies on Netflix

Apollo 10 1/2: a space age childhood.

Age rating: PG-13 Runtime: 98 minutes Main cast: Jack Black, Bill Wise, Lee Eddy, Milo Coy, Zachary Levi, and Glen Powell Director: Richard Linklater RT score: 91%

If you’re keen to mix up your movie-watching diet, films don't come much more unconventional than Netflix’s Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Childhood . Boyhood director Richard Linklater returns to filmmaking duties with this animated feature, which tells the story of the 1969 moon landing from multiple perspectives. 

The movie shares the visual style of Linklater’s previous animation, 2006's A Scanner Darkly , and features the voice talents of The Super Mario Bros. Movie 's Jack Black, Shazam! Fury of the Gods ' Zachary Levi, and Top Gun: Maverick star Glen Powell. Despite its needlessly lengthy title, Apollo 10 1/2 is a genuinely unique take on one of history’s most iconic moments, and serves as yet more proof of Netflix's willingness to invest in boundary-pushing storytelling. 

Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio

Age rating: PG Runtime: 121 minutes Main cast: Gregory Mann, Ewan McGregor, David Bradley, Tilda Swinton, Cate Blanchett, and Finn Holfhard Directors: Guillermo del Toro and Mark Gustafson RT score: 96%

Who says Netflix has lost its taste for originality? With  Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio , the streamer breathes new life into Carlo Collodi's beloved 1883 fairytale about a wooden puppet who longs to become a real boy. 

Shot entirely using stop-motion (in a manner akin to Netflix series  The House ), del Toro’s darker adaptation is set in 1930s Italy during Mussolini’s fascist regime and features a star-studded voice cast that includes Ewan McGregor, David Bradley, Tilda Swinton, Christoph Waltz and Cate Blanchett. Indisputably one of the best Netflix movies in years.

The Mitchells vs The Machines

Age rating: PG Runtime: 114 minutes Main cast: Abbi Jacobson, Danny McBride, Maya Rudolph, Michael Rianda, and Olivia Colman Director: Michael Rianda RT score: 97%

Originally intended for a theatrical release, Netflix bought this animated movie from Sony and producers Phil Lord and Chris Miller – best known as the minds behind The Lego Movie and 21 Jump Street , and also part of the team behind the Spider-Verse movies. It's exactly as charming and funny as those movies, too. 

Katie Mitchell (Abbi Jacobson) is an aspiring filmmaker who's about to head to college – until her dad, conscious that they've been drifting apart, cancels her plane ticket and insists on a family road trip. Halfway through this fraught journey, an AI takes revenge on its billionaire creator and the world is suddenly under duress from smart robots. 

A lot of Spider-Verse 's visual touches cross over into this film, with 2D annotations and drawings on the already-pretty 3D visuals. Most of all, it's nice to see Netflix backing a family movie that's not just full of talking dogs and other hackneyed nonsense so often seen in CG kids' fare. 

Age rating: PG Runtime: 102 minutes Main cast: Chloe Grace Moretz, Riz Ahmed, Eugene Lee Yang, and Frances Conroy Directors: Nick Bruno and Troy Quane RT score: 92%

Based on ND Stevenson's 2015 graphic novel of the same name, Nimona is a delightfully fun, action-packed, funny, and heartfelt flick that's also unapologetically queer.

Star Wars alumnus Riz Ahmed voices Ballister Blackheart, a futuristic knight who's framed for a crime he didn't commit. The only witness who can save him from a lengthy jail term is Nimona ( The Peipheral 's Chloe Grace Moretz), a shapeshifter who Blackheart is sworn to seek out and destroy. Cue a wild buddy cop-style adventure that teaches kids to have an open mind about people who are different to them in more ways than one.

Nimona has been lauded for its LGBTQ+ representation, subversive storytelling, and gorgeous visuals among many other positives. A truly worth entry in our best Netflix movies guide.

Age rating: PG Runtime: 95 minutes Main cast: Ben Whishaw, Hugh Bonneville, Sally Hawkins, Madeleine Harris, and Samuel Joslin Director: Paul King RT score: 97%

We're just going to say it: Paddington is one of the best family movies of all time.

Don't argue with us. At first glance, everyone's favorite, marmalade sandwich-eating Peruvian bear didn't seem like he'd be the star of a truly terrific family-friendly film. As it turns out, though, Paddington (voiced with a deftness, warmth, and stacks of humor by Ben Whishaw) is a bonafide movie star – and his first CGI-cum-live-action movie proves it.

You'll laugh yourself silly at its slapstick moments, you'll cry at its heart-wrenching (and heart-warming!) scenes, and shout "I didn't know they were in it!" at every big-name actor who appears. In short: go and watch it immediately.

Puss In Boots: The Last Wish

Age rating: PG Runtime: 102 minutes Main cast: Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, Harvey Guillen, Florence Pugh, Olivia Colman, Samson Kayo, Wagner Moura, and John Mulaney Director: Joel Crawford RT score: 95%

The second of Puss In Boots ' spin-off movies is, frankly, an absolute delight. Indeed, The Last Wish is a gorgeous-looking film, whose painterly visuals belie an existential tale with meaningful subject matter and making the most of the life (or lives, in Puss' case) that you have.

Banderas, who voiced the titular sword-wielding tabby cat in the Shrek films, returns to play Puss again once more. This time around, however, due to the life-threatening escapades he's gotten himself into, Puss is on his final life. To reinstate all nine lives, he'll need to find and then wish on a fallen star, all the while being pursued by a terrifying wolf (Moura) who's the personification of Death itself. A funny, moving, beautiful, and occasionally ominous movie.

The Sea Beast

Age rating: PG Runtime: 119 minutes Main cast: Karl Urban, Zaris Angel-Hator, Jared Harris, and Dan Stevens Director: Chris Williams RT score: 94%

The Sea Beast proved Disney doesn’t have a monopoly on layered, child-friendly storytelling upon its arrival in July 2022.

Directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Chris Williams ( Moana , Big Hero Six ), the movie follows Jacob Holland (voiced by  The Boys ’ Karl Urban), a celebrated sea monster hunter whose life is upended when a young girl, Maisie Brumble (newcomer Zaris-Angel Hator), stows away on his ship. 

Charming, action-packed, and beautifully-rendered, The Sea Beast was praised by audiences and critics alike upon release, and serves as further proof that Netflix should think twice about scaling back its animation department . If it still is, that is. 

The Super Mario Bros. Movie

Age rating: PG Runtime: 92 minutes Main cast: Chris Pratt, Anya-Taylor Joy, Jack Black, Charlie Day, Seth Rogen, and Keegan-Michael Key Directors: Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic RT score: 59%

2023’s second-highest grossing movie, The Super Mario Bros. Movie ’s success was fueled by nostalgia for Nintendo’s legendary video game series and its money-spinning ticket sales, rather than its overall quality.

But there’s more to the animated movie’s unprecedented box office performance than that. In our view, it’s funnier than some suggest, it's wonderful to look at, is packed with Easter eggs and other Mario references, and it gave us one of last year’s best earworms with Bowser’s humor-laced ‘Peaches’ love ballad.

Sure, its narrative is oft-times generic, its runtime is a little on the light side, and Chris Pratt’s Italian accent needed more refining. As a kid-friendly film that hits all the right notes where Nintendo’s passionate fanbase is concerned, though, this is one Mario movie we’ll enjoy for years to come. Read our review of The Super Mario Bros. Movie to learn more. 

Best comedy movies on Netflix

Age rating: 15 Runtime: 118 minutes Main cast: Adam Sandler, Juancho Hernangomez, Queen Latifah, and Robert Duvall Director: Jeremiah Zagar RT score: 93%

If you were a fan of 2019's Uncut Gems , listen up: Hustle , a surprisingly entertaining basketball drama, delivers more Adam Sandler-sized surprises. 

After discovering a once-in-a-lifetime player with a rocky past abroad, Stanley Sugerman (Sandler), a down-on-his-luck Philadelphia 76ers scout, takes it upon himself to bring the young phenom to the States without his team's approval. Against the odds, the pair must work to prove that they both deserve to make it big in the NBA. 

That synopsis might sound like standard sports drama fare, but Hustle earned unexpectedly glowing reviews ahead of its muted release. Trust us: this is no Jack and Jill .

Monty Python and the Holy Grail

Age rating: PG Runtime: 92 minutes Main cast: John Cleese, Graham Chapman, Terry Jones, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, and Michael Palin Directors: Terry Jones and Terry Gilliam RT score: 96%

Monty Python and the Holy Grail did more for the satire and parody subgenres than many other comedies have done in the last 50 years.

A witty and biting take on the legend of King Arthur, Monty Python and the Holy Grail stars the titular and legendary British comedy outfit as King Arthur and the Knights of the Roundtable, who embark on a hilarity-infested quest to seek the Holy Grail.

If you're a fan of Monty Python , you'll likely have seen this one countless times over. First-time viewers, though, will cackle and guffaw their way through the film's rivetingly silly scenarios. The Black Knight scene, Knights of the Roundtable dance number, deadly Rabbit of Caerbannog sequence, and Knights Who Say "Ni!" moment are just four instantaneously classic moments waiting to be viewed. Just don't blame us if you end up endlessly quoting this flick long after the credits have rolled.

( NB: Monty Python's Life of Brian and Monty Python's Flying Circus are also available to stream).

The Nice Guys

Age rating: R Runtime: 115 minutes Main cast: Ryan Gosling, Russell Crowe, Angourie Rice, and Margaret Qualley Director: Shane Black RT score: 91%

Buddy comedies don't come much better than The Nice Guys . Director Shane Black's underappreciated action comedy stars Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe as a private eye and a tough enforcer, who team up to determine the whereabouts of a girl-in-hiding (Margaret Qualley) in 1970s Los Angeles. 

Reminiscent of Paul Thomas Anderson's Boogie Nights in both its setting and black humor, the movie is fast-paced, suitably adult, and a perfect example of how to elicit chemistry between two big-time leads. Gosling, in particular, is hilarious. 

Best crime movies on Netflix

Bullet train.

Age rating: R Runtime: 126 minutes Main cast: Brad Pitt, Sandra Bullock, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Joey King, Hiroyuki Sanada, and Bryan Tyree Henry Director: David Leitch RT score: 54%

An action-comedy crime caper that certainly drew inspiration from John Wick (more on this film series shortly), Bullet Train is a fast-paced, thrills-a-minute joyride that makes full use of its claustrophobic setting.

Brad Pitt plays Ladybug, an anxious assassin who’s tasked with retrieving a suitcase filled with cash for a shady organization from the titular high-speed passenger vehicle. In order to do so, however, he’ll have to fend off the advances of similarly skilled agents, with the likes of Aaron-Taylor Jonhson, Brian Tyree Henry, Joey King, Hiroyuki Sanada, and Michael Shannon playing some of those extremely well-trained foes.

Bullet Train wasn’t a big hit with critics upon initial release, but it’s found a new lease of life on Netflix. If you prefer your movies to be action-packed, occasionally gory, and humorous affairs, look no further. 

The Irishman

Age rating: R Runtime: 209 minutes Main cast: Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, Al Pacino, and Anna Paquin Director: Martin Scorsese RT score: 95%

This threateningly long Martin Scorsese pic attracted attention for the extensive effects work used to de-age its old stars, and it's a creative decision that's sometimes distracting. But there's no denying the appeal of seeing Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, and Al Pacino in the same movie together for likely the last time, and this life-spanning, mostly rewarding crime epic is a suitable tribute to their collective talents. 

The Irishman follows Frank Sheeran (De Niro) as he recounts his long association with the Bufalino crime family and infamous union leader Jimmy Hoffa (Pacino). It's a languid film – and not a patch on Goodfellas – but absolutely among the best Netflix movies the streaming service has financed to date. Find out where we ranked it in our best Martin Scorsese movies piece.

Best drama movies on Netflix

The hand of god.

Age rating: R Runtime: 130 minutes Main cast: Filippo Scotti, Tony Servillo, Teresa Sapoangelo, and Marlon Joubert Director: Paolo Sorrentino RT score: 83%

The Hand of God marks the movie-making return of beloved Italian director Paolo Sorrentino, and tells the semi-autobiographical tale of a young man (Filippo Scotti, standing in for a teenage Sorrentino) grappling with the pressures of growing up in 1980s Naples. 

As well as referring to the infamous goal scored by Argentine footballer (and Napoli legend) Diego Maradona at the 1986 World Cup, the film's title alludes to a tragic and life-affirming event that forces its protagonist to grow up quicker than he'd otherwise like. To say more risks spoiling The Hand of God 's most tender moments, though the movie's beautiful locations, hypnotic camerawork, and larger-than-life characters ensure it ranks among Sorrentino's best work. If you're a fan of Call Me by Your Name , add this one to your watchlist. 

Phantom Thread

Age rating: R Runtime: 130 minutes Main cast: Daniel Day Lewis, Vicky Krieps, Lesley Manville, and Camilla Rutherford Director: Paul Thomas Anderson RT score: 91%

Shortly after Licorice Pizza – director Paul Thomas Anderson's most recent flick – hit 2023's awards circuit, Netflix added his previous film Phantom Thread to its library. This one tells the story of a dressmaker (Daniel Day-Lewis) in 1950s London who falls for a young waitress (Vicky Krieps). 

That might sound like a potentially boring narrative, but Phantom Thread is actually masterfully-shot. It's also a poignant exploration of what it means to be an artist, combining Oscar-winning costume design with a stunning soundtrack (from Radiohead and frequent Anderson collaborator Johnny Greenwood) to rank among its director's finest work. One of the best Netflix movies, this certainly is.

Age rating: R Runtime: 134 minutes Main cast: Yalitza Aparicio, Marina de Tavira, Marco Graf, Fernando Grediaga, and Daniela Demesa Director: Alfonso Cuaron RT score: 96%

An astonishing ode to motherhood in all forms, Roma is the most personal film to date from visionary director Alfonso Cuarón ( Children of Men , Gravity ).

On paper, it's is not the easiest sell – a subtitled black and white film about a live-in housekeeper spoken almost entirely in Spanish and the indigenous Mixtec language. But Cuarón's 2018 critical hit is nonetheless riveting from a cinematic standpoint. More a series of vignettes than a traditional three-act story, it examines the life of a Mexico City family in the early 1970s during a time of great social upheaval.

Age rating: R Runtime: 122 minutes Main cast: Chris Hemsworth, Daniel Bruhl, and Olivia Wilde Director: Ron Howard RT score: 88%

Rush is a biographical sports movie about the heated rivalry between Formula 1 drivers James Hunt and Niki Lauda. The pair are played here brilliantly by Chris Hemsworth and Daniel Brühl respectively in one of Ron Howard's best movies in recent memory. 

The film portrays their rivalry as lucky playboy vs hotheaded strategist, and while it might exaggerate real-life events somewhat, it's a riveting movie. Along with documentary Senna and dad-friendly flick Ford Vs Ferrari , Rush is one of the best Netflix movies about racing. 

Society of the Snow

Age rating: R Runtime: 145 minutes Main cast: Enzo Vogrincic, Augustin Padella, Esteban Bigliardi, and Simon Hempe Director: J.A. Bayona RT score: 90%

J.A. Bayona’s latest flick – based on real-life events – is a harrowing portrayal of human endurance and how our primal survival instincts assume dominance over our humanity.

Society of the Snow tells the tragic story of the 1972 Andes Air Disaster, which saw a Uruguayan rugby team crash-land in the freezing South American mountain range en route to a Chile-based tournament. Trapped in one of the most inhospitable places on Earth, the 16 survivors are forced to take extreme measures in order to stay alive.

Netflix’s first movie hit of 2024 is a heart-breaking and grim tale of human morality, but one that equally shines an earnest, powerful light on surviving against all odds. One of the best Netflix movies, from a foreign language perspective, you’ll see all year. 

Age rating: R Runtime: 109 minutes Main cast: Florence Pugh, Tom Burke, Niamh Algar, and Elaine Cassidy Director: Sebastien Lelio RT score: 89%

Florence Pugh ( Black Widow , A Good Person ) proved her generational talent yet again in Netflix's unsettling drama-cum-horror The Wonder .  

Set in the Irish Midlands in 1862, the movie stars Pugh as an English nurse called to observe a young girl (Kíla Lord Cassidy) who remains miraculously alive and well despite not having eaten for four months. Ciarán Hinds, Niamh Algar, and Toby Jones also star in Sebastián Lelio’s period mystery.

As period dramas go, The Wonder is an absorbing and fantastic flick that confirms Pugh's ability to embody every role she plays.

Best fantasy movies on Netflix

Everything everywhere all at once.

Age rating: R Runtime: 132 minutes Main cast: Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Stephanie Hsu Directors: Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert RT score: 94%

Thanks largely to Marvel 's cinematic juggernaut, multiverse films have exploded in popularity (among studios, not necessarily audiences) in recent years. This absurdist multi-genre flick, which garnered universal acclaim and a seemingly infinite number of trophies on the 2023 awards circuit, though, is one of the best we've ever seen.

Everything Everywhere All at Once ( EEAAO ) stars Yeoh ( The Witcher: Blood Origin , The Brothers Sun ) as Evelyn Wang, a Chinese-American immigrant who learns that she must connect with alternate reality versions of herself in order to stop a supremely powerful being from destroying the multiverse. Quan ( Loki season 2 , The Goonies ) plays Evelyn's husband Waymond and Hsu ( Joy Ride ) is Evelyn's daughter Joy.

An epic assault on the senses with tons of heart, spectacular visuals, and an mind-boggling appreciation for philosophical themes like existentialism, nihilism, generational trauma, and racial identity, EEAAO is a masterpiece that deserves every gong in its stuffed awards cabinet.

Age rating: TV-MA Runtime: 121 minutes Main cast: Ahn Seo -hyun, Tilda Swinton, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Giancarlo Espostio Director: Bong Joon-ho RT score: 86%

If you've enjoyed Bong Joon Ho's Oscar Best Picture winner Parasite , you might want to check out his previous movie, Okja , which is still one of the best Netflix movies on the platform.

It tells the bizarre tale of a young girl Mija and her best pal, an enormous creature called Okja, whose friendship comes under threat when a nasty CEO (Tilda Swinton) has evil plans for the titular animal. It's a refreshing movie with a nice angle of animal activism – a very different proposition to Parasite , for sure, but one that also demonstrates the director's ability to blend genres. 

Best history movies on Netflix

Age rating: R Runtime: 140 minutes Main cast: Timothee Chalamet, Robert Pattinson, Joel Edgerton, and Sean Harris Director: David Michod RT score: 71%

Another Netflix Original, The King stars Timothée Chalamet as Henry V, a young man forced to navigate the worlds of politics, war and treachery after unexpectedly becoming king of England in the 15th century. 

This one contains all the fanfare you'd expect from a modern medieval movie, and boasts an excellent cast including Robert Pattinson, Joel Edgerton and Sean Harris. For a reported budget of just $20 million (although you wouldn't know it), director David Michôd managed to produce one of the most engaging and visually stunning historical dramas around. Stick it on your watch list.

The Woman King

Age rating: PG-13 Runtime: 135 minutes Main cast: Viola Davis, Lashana Lynch, Thuso Mbedu, Sheila Atim, and John Boyega Director: Gina Prince-Bythewood RT score: 94%

Set in the 1820s, this Viola Davis-fronted historical epic tells the tale of General Nanisca (Davis) and the wider Adojie tribe, the all-female warrior unit that protected the West African kingdom of Dahomey across a 200-year period.

Starring a number of other terrific Black actors including Lashana Lynch, John Boyega, Thuso Mbedu, and Sheila Stim, The Woman King is a weighty, crowd-pleasing spectacle that many have likened to Braveheart in its action, tonality, and themes surrounding defiance in the face of invading forces. A splashy popcorn flick, sure, but one filled with substance, as well as deeper societal and historical subject matter.

Best horror movies on Netflix

The fear street movie trilogy.

Age rating: R Runtimes: 107 minutes ( Fear Street 1 ); 110 minutes ( Fear Street 2 ); 114 minutes ( Fear Street 3 ) Main cast: Kiana Madeira, Olivia Welch, Gillian Jacobs, Sadie Sink, Benjamin Flores Jr, Emily Rudd, and Ryan Simpkins Director: Leigh Janiak RT score: 84% ( Fear Street 1 ); 87% ( Fear Street 2 ); 88% ( Fear Street 3 )

Launched in July 2021 as part of a new Netflix horror movie binge watch experiment , the Fear Street movie trilogy looked to recapture the bold and innovative multi-film storytelling formula that other popular horror franchises had seemingly perfected.

And, in short, it did. Set across three flicks, the Fear Street series – itself based on R.L. Stine's books of the same name – told the story of a group of 90s-era teens as they attempt to break a curse that's loomed over their town for over 300 years. With lashings of the supernatural and witchcraft, R-rated slasher violence, an intriguing narrative, and more than a few notable faces – Stranger Things ' Sadie Sink and Maya Hawke are among its cast – the Fear Street movies are well worth watching.

Age rating: TV-14 Runtime: 93 minutes Main cast: Wunmi Mosaku and Sope Dirisu Director: Remi Weekes RT score: 100%

This Weekes-directed movie stars Mosaku ( Loki ) and Dirisu ( Gangs of London ) as Rial and Bol, a refugee couple from South Sudan who struggle to adjust to their new life in the UK. The overriding issue? The duo believe there's an evil supernatural force haunting their council home and the surrounding area.

His House might not sound all that thrilling, but you'll want to give it a chance, trust us. Mosaku and Dirisu deliver powerhouse performances in this occasionally terrifying movie that, like Get Out , has plenty of important things to say about cultural and sociopolitical divides. There's a reason why it holds a perfect 100% critical score on Rotten Tomatoes – and, overall, it's because it's a darn good film.

Age rating: R Runtime: 100 minutes Main cast: Maika Monroe, Keir Gilchrist, Daniel Zovatto, Jake Weary, and Olivia Luccardi Director: David Robert Mitchell RT score: 95%

This Mitchell-directed film shouldn't be slept on – which, in some ways, is ironic, given the lengths its lead character Jay goes to in order to stay awake.

Why? Because, in It Follows , the titular character is pursued by a supernatural entity after it's passed onto her through a sexual encounter with her at-the-time boyfriend Hugh. The entity in question will constantly (albeit) slowly track the currently infected individual until it catches them, upon which time it'll kill them – and then work its way back up the chain to murder every other person who was infected.

It's a bit on the nose with its thematic exploration of sexually transmitted diseases, but It Follows is an otherwise terrifically terrifying and seriously underrated film that deserves more acclaim. A long overdue sequel is in the works, too, so best catch this one while you can.

Best musical movies on Netflix

Age rating: PG-13 Runtime: 159 minutes Main cast: Austin Butler, Tom Hanks, Olivia DeJonge, and Helen Thomson Director: Bahz Luhrmann RT score: 77%

Austin Butler's breakout role came in this 2022 biopic about the world-famous rock 'n' roll star whose life was as eventful as they come.

Seen through the eyes of Hanks' slimy agent Colonel Tom Parker, Elvis charts the rise and fall of the Mississippi-born singer-actor who went on to become one of the most recognizable musicians of all-time. Packed with dazzling energy and animated style, and led by a stunning performance from its leading man in Butler, Elvis shook up the biographical film genre with its heady mix of melodrama and swashbuckling score.

Ma Rainey's Black Bottom

Age rating: R Runtime: 94 minutes Main cast: Viola Davis, Chadwick Boseman, Glynn Turman, and Colman Domingo Director: George C. Wolfe RT score: 97%

Based on the play by August Wilson – and despite the gorgeous period set dressing and costume design, it definitely feels very stage-y – Ma Rainey's Black Bottom is a fantastic watch.

Viola Davis stars as legendary 'Mother of Blues' Ma Rainey, with the film focusing on one fraught recording session with Ma and her band, and the tension between the musician and her white producers and management. 

The late Chadwick Boseman ( Black Panther ) stars as Levee, an innovative trumpet player who struggles to find his place in the music scene, amid bandmates who don't always take him seriously. It's a sad but insightful movie that explores how culture is worth protecting and valuing, in a world where it's easily taken and monetized, and the film truly comes to life in its amazing musical sequences.

Best mystery movies on Netflix

Enola holmes.

Age rating: PG-13 Runtime: 124 minutes Main cast: Millie Bobby Brown, Henry Cavill, Sam Claflin, and Helen Bonham Carter Director: Harry Bradbeer RT score: 91%

Stranger Things ' Millie Bobby Brown started to expand her acting career with this period-set comedy-mystery flick that's both an adaptation of Nancy Springer's Enola Holmes Mysteries book series and a spin-off of the Sherlock Holmes legend.

Brown plays the titular character (and younger sister of Cavill's Sherlock), who travels to London to locate her missing mother. Unsurprisingly, she gets side-tracked, and finds herself teaming up with a runaway lord to get to the bottom of a particularly thrilling case that threatens the UK.

A breezy but fun-filled adventure flick, Enola Holmes bubbles away nicely with its more than entertaining narrative, which is ably led by Brown's effervescent Holmes. Its sequel is also available to stream on Netflix.

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery

Age rating: PG-13 Runtime: 141 minutes Main cast: Daniel Craig, Edward Norton, Janelle Monae, Kathryn Hahn, Dave Bautista, Kate Hudson, and Leslie Odom Jr Director: Rian Johnson RT score: 92%

Knives Out wowed fans and critics alike in 2019, so sequels were inevitable. 

The first of those – Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery – is another elaborate and highly entertaining whodunnit from director Rian Johnson. Buoyed by its excellent ensemble cast and a confidence carried over from its predecessor’s success, Glass Onion is even showier and bolder than Knives Out – though the film proved exceptionally divisive among fans of Benoit Blanc's debut outing upon release.

Best sci-fi movies on Netflix

Jurassic park.

Age rating: PG-13 Runtime: 126 minutes Main cast: Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, Richard Attenborough, Samuel L Jackson, Ariana Richards, and Joe Mazzello Director: Steven Spielberg RT score: 92%

Spielberg's iconic take on Michael Crichton's novel about an idyllic dinosaur park that goes awry is the kind of classic sci-fi movie that Hollywood simply doesn't make anymore.

Set on the fictional Isla Nublar, Neill, Dern, and Goldblum play scientists Alan Grant, Ellie Satler, and Ian Malcolm, who are invited to tour industrialist John Hammond's new dinosaur research and genetics HQ, which is well on its way to bringing back the ancient beasts from the dead. When slimy computer programmer Dennis Nedry throws a spanner in the works, though, the quartet – along with Hammond's grandchildren and the park's employees – are forced to fight for their lives amid attacks from a T-Rex and velociraptors to name just two.

One of the best Netflix movies (licensed ones, anyway) and a legendary, highly entertaining film overall, Jurassic Park is cinema at its absolute best. See if you can work out where it ranks in our best Jurassic movies list before seeing if you guessed correctly.

( NB: Jurassic Park: The Lost World and Jurassic Park III are also available to stream on Netflix).

They Cloned Tyrone

Age rating: R Runtime: 119 minutes Main cast: John Boyega, Jamie Foxx, and Teyonah Parris Director: Juel Taylor RT score: 95%

This genre-bending sci-fi flick launched on the same day as the cultural phenomenon known as Barbenheimer, so its viewing figures weren't all that impressive in the first couple of weeks post-release.

However, given time, people have realized  They Cloned Tyrone  is an absolutely brilliant movie. To discuss its plot at length is to spoil its biggest surprises, but here's a brief synopsis to give you a flavor of what to expect: "A series of eerie events thrusts an unlikely trio (Jamie Foxx, John Boyega, and Teyonah Parris) onto the trail of a nefarious government conspiracy in this pulpy mystery caper." 

We thoroughly enjoyed what it has to offer on multiple levels and our  exclusive chat with John Boyega is well worth reading  for a peak behind the curtain on its production. Once you're watched it, be sure to read our  ending explainer on  They Cloned Tyrone  for Boyega's thoughts on its surprising ending .

Best superhero movies on Netflix

Age rating: PG-13 Runtime: 176 minutes Main cast: Robert Pattinson, Jeffrey Wright, Zoe Kravitz, Paul Dano, and Colin Farrell Director: Matt Reeves RT score: 85%

The Christopher Nolan-directed Batman trilogy isn't available on Netflix anymore, but there is another top-tier Dark Knight film that's made its way onto the service in the form of The Batman .

Robert Pattinson stuns in his first turn as the Caped Crusader, with the Matt Reeves-helmed Bat-Flick proving to be even more dingy and gritty than many of its forebears. That it leans more heavily into the superhero's detective-based skills than what's come before – walking that fine line of being gruesome but not gratuitously violent – too, makes it an even more fascinating, crime-based Batman film than we've been used to.

With a stupendous supporting vast including Paul Dano, Zoe Kravitz, Jeffrey Wright, Colin Farrell, Andy Serkis, and John Tuturro, The Batman needs to be seen to be fully appreciated. See where it placed in our best Batman movies guide.

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

Age rating: PG Runtime: 140 minutes Main cast: Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld, Oscar Isaac, Jake Johnson, Luna Lauren Velez, Bryan Tyree Henry, Issa Rae, Daniel Kaluuya, Mahershala Ali, and Jason Schwartzman Directors: Kemp Powers, Joaquin Dos Santos, and Justin K. Thompson RT score: 95%

We were delighted to see Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Vers e make its unexpected Netflix debut in October 2023. As a spectacularly assembled animated superhero film, there are few better than it in the genre space right now – both from animation and storytelling perspectives.

Set 14 months after Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse , viewers are reunited with Miles Morales, Gwen Stacey, and Peter B Parker as they embark on a new multiverse-spanning journey that, unlike its forebear, won't be such an easy one to navigate.

In our Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse review , we said it "fulfils its ambitious promise to deliver an amazing follow-up to its 2018 predecessor". Once you've watched it, read our Across the Spider-Verse ending explained article to see how it sets up its Beyond the Spider-Verse sequel. Then, see where it ranks in our best Spider-Man movies guide, or find out how to watch the Spider-Man movies in order .

Best thriller movies on Netflix

The good nurse.

Age rating: R Runtime: 123 minutes Main cast: Jessica Chastain and Eddie Redmayne Director: Tobias Lindholm RT score: 74%

Netflix puts its penchant for true-crime storytelling to good use with The Good Nurse , which follows the murderous exploits of real-life serial killer Charlie Cullen (Eddie Redmayne). Jessica Chastain plays Cullen's co-worker, Amy Loughren, who would ultimately go on to expose the sadistic behaviour that led to the deaths of dozens of patients over a period of sixteen years. 

On the broad spectrum of Netflix movies, The Good Nurse is a lower-key affair than, say, Don't Look Up . However, its shocking story of gross criminal negligence is far more impactful than the big-budget drama of the streamer's recent blockbusters. Sure, it's far from an easy watch – but it'll stay with you long after its credits roll.

Best war movies on Netflix

All quiet on the western front.

Age rating: R Runtime: 148 minutes Main cast: Felix Kammerer, Albrecht Schuch, Aaron Hilmer, and Moritz Klaus Director: Edward Berger RT score: 90%

It’s been a good few years since Dunkirk and 1917 reminded audiences of the horrors of war, but Netflix assumed that responsibility with shocking but beautifully-made WWI epic, All Quiet on the Western Front . 

Based on Erich Maria Remarque’s landmark novel of the same name (which was first adapted into a feature film in 1930), this award-winning German-language movie tells the story of a young German soldier (Felix Kammerer) whose naive expectations of fighting for his country are shattered by war’s harrowing reality. As you'd expect, All Quiet on the Western Front is brutal, vivid and poignant – just don’t expect to reach its credits feeling particularly joyous.

Beasts of No Nation

Age rating: TV-MA Runtime: 137 minutes Main cast: Idris Elba, Abraham Atta, and Kurt Egyiawan Director: Cary Fukunaga RT score : 91%

We won't beat about the bush – Beasts of No Nation is a tough watch. No Time to Die 's Cary Fukunaga directs this harrowing feature, which follows the journey of a young orphan (Abraham Attah) forced into becoming a child soldier by a fierce warlord (Idris Elba) during an unnamed African civil war. 

An adaptation of Uzodinma Iweala's novel of the same name, Beasts of No Nation is a masterfully-shot story documenting the human cost of conflict, and places the uncomfortable realities of war front and centre. This isn't one to watch with the kids, but sitting through its two-hour narrative is an enlightening, dare-we-say necessary movie experience.  

Best western movies on Netflix

The harder they fall.

Age rating: R Runtime: 139 minutes Main cast: Idris Elba, Jonathan Majors, Zazie Beetz, Delroy Lindo, and LaKeith Stanfield Director: Jeymes Samuel RT score: 88% 

Jeymes Samuel's feature film directorial debut wasn't expected to be this good. But The Harder They Fall , which stars the likes of Idris Elba, Zazie Beetz, and Regina King, is a superb Western that deserves your attention.

Jonathan Majors, who was recently found guilty of domestic abuse and whose career is effectively over as a result, plays Nat Love, an outlaw who discover his mortal enemy Rufus Black (Elba) is being released from prison. Unsurprisingly, Love takes the law into his own hands and assembles his crack team of gunslingers to stop that from happening. 

A stylized, gun-toting action flick that's somewhat predictable in its makeup, The Harder They Fall will have you whooping and hollering at the screen regularly.

The Power of the Dog

Age rating: R Runtime: 128 minutes Main cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Kristen Dunst, Jesse Plemons, and Kodi Smit-McPhee Director: Jane Campion RT score: 94%

It’s safe to say that Jane Campion’s The Power of the Dog was the critical hit – and one of the best Netflix movies – of 2021. Widely praised for its slow-burning psychological drama, it follows the story of a menacing rancher (Benedict Cumberbatch) who doesn’t take kindly to the arrival of his brother’s new wife (Kirsten Dunst) and her son (Kodi Smit-McPhee).

Cumberbatch arguably gives a career-best performance as the volatile Phil Burbank here, which undoubtedly made interesting prep for Doctor Strange 2 . It's a slow-burner, but The Power of the Dog is a masterful piece of filmmaking.

For more Netflix coverage, read our best Netflix documentaries guide. Yet to subscribe to the streaming giant? Read our guide on how to sign up to Netflix , too, or whether you should cancel Netflix .

As TechRadar's senior entertainment reporter, Tom covers all of the latest movies, TV shows, and streaming service news that you need to know about. You'll regularly find him writing about the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Star Wars, Netflix, Prime Video, Disney Plus, and many other topics of interest.

An NCTJ-accredited journalist, Tom also writes reviews, analytical articles, opinion pieces, and interview-led features on the biggest franchises, actors, directors and other industry leaders. You may see his quotes pop up in the odd official Marvel Studios video, too, such as this Moon Knight TV spot .

Away from work, Tom can be found checking out the latest video games, immersing himself in his favorite sporting pastime of football, reading the many unread books on his shelf, staying fit at the gym, and petting every dog he comes across. Got a scoop, interesting story, or an intriguing angle on the latest news in entertainment? Feel free to drop him a line.

• Axel Metz Senior Staff Writer

Rebel Moon Part 2 isn't the epic sci-fi sequel we hoped for – here are 3 better sagas to stream

Netflix movie of the day: King Richard is a light, engrossing drama with ace acting

Sony dropped OLED for its flagship 2024 TV – here's why

Most Popular

• 2 I really hope Google doesn't promise 7 years of Android for the Pixel 8a
• 3 I’ve seen Sony’s impressive new mini-LED TV backlight tech in action, and OLED TVs should be worried
• 4 Meta rolls out new Meta AI website, and it might just bury Microsoft and Google's AI dreams
• 5 DJI drones just got a new rival in the US that licenses… DJI technology
• 2 Bosses are becoming increasingly scared of AI because it might actually adversely affect their jobs too
• 3 Scientists inch closer to holy grail of memory breakthrough — producing tech that combines NAND and RAM features could be much cheaper to produce and consume far less power
• 4 The latest macOS Ventura update has left owners of old Macs stranded in a sea of problems, raising a chorus of complaints
• 5 Disney Plus' possible cable-style Star Wars channel plan proves we're never getting rid of cable

I saw this new to Netflix movie 3 times in theaters — and it’s 98% on Rotten Tomatoes

You need to meet ‘Marcel the Shell with Shoes On’

I visit my local movie theater multiple times a week but I rarely see the same movie twice. My annual goal is to see as many new films as possible , so I don’t usually have the time to watch a movie multiple times in cinema, but I made an exception for “Marcel the Shell with Shoes On”.

I didn’t just enjoy Marcel’s delightful adventure twice in theaters, I went back for a third showing for good measure. Naturally, as soon as the movie was available to buy digitally I purchased a copy, and I’ve subsequently watched it three more times. 

I’ve spent the last two years trying to convince pretty much everyone I know to give this movie a watch, so you can imagine my delight when Netflix confirmed its slate of new movies for February 2024 , and “Marcel the Shell with Shoes On” was on the list. 

The movie arrives on Netflix today (Saturday, Feb. 24), and I’m here to implore you to watch it ASAP. If you’re looking for a feel-good movie that will raise your spirits as we move through the bleak winter, you need to get properly acquainted with Marcel. 

Meet Marcel the Shell 

If you spent a lot of time online in the early 2010s may already be familiar with Marcel. This feature film is based on a series of web shorts that premiered between 2010 and 2014 and follow Marcel, a one-inch-tall anthropomorphic seashell, as he goes about his daily life. 

The movie primarily follows the same structure, just with a slightly larger scope. “Marcel the Shell with Shoes On” is presented in a documentary style with the eponymous character recounting his day-to-day activities to a filmmaker named Dean, who’s just moved into Marcel’s home (which is actually an Airbnb) after breaking up with his girlfriend. 

The optimistic shell explains everything from his unique methods of traversing the house, which include using sticky honey to walk up walls and converting a tennis ball into a rolling vehicle, to his obsession with “60 Minutes”, which he watches with his grandmother, Nana Connie. Marcel also offers his unique musings on life and lays out how a shell colony operates. 

Sign up to get the BEST of Tom’s Guide direct to your inbox.

Upgrade your life with a daily dose of the biggest tech news, lifestyle hacks and our curated analysis. Be the first to know about cutting-edge gadgets and the hottest deals.

While “Marcel the Shell with Shoes On” is generally a pretty low-stakes affair, there’s a degree of dramatic drive thanks to Marcel’s determination to be reunited with his lost family. This plot thread keeps the movie ticking along across its lean 90-minute runtime, but the movie is mostly a character study dedicated to one of cinema’s most charming creations. 

The perfect dose of positivity 

As you might expect, Marcel is the star of his own movie. The adorable miniature protagonist is instantly loveable, and his eccentric personality is likely to win you over completely. 

Many of Marcel’s thoughts on the world are laugh-out-loud funny. I especially love his explanation of why he doesn’t like the phrase “everything comes out in the wash” or his dislike of Dean’s dog, Arthur. Plus, his relentless positivity is greatly inspiring in today’s often cynical society.  

The always-excellent Jenny Slate brings Marcel to life through a truly wonderful voice performance. Slate embuses Marcel with a youthful naïve quality, but also gives the character a contemplative edge that occasionally verges on being wise beyond his young years. This allows “Marcel the Shell with Shoes On” to be a little more thoughtful at certain points. 

Your time spent with Marcel is generally pretty breezy, but the movie does gently touch on more serious subjects such as grief and the difficulty of finding your place in the world. It’s pretty impressive that writer/director Dean Fleischer Camp manages to make a movie about an animated talking seashell genuinely profound enough to produce a tear. 

If I had to sum up “Marcel the Shell with Shoes On” in a single word, it would be heartful. This is a rare movie without a cynical bone in its body. It’s funny, it’s endearing and it’s just the right amount of melancholic to give your heartstrings a tug. It’s the sort of movie that is perfect for those days when you’re feeling a little sad and need a movie to cheer you up.     

Marcel is a hit with critics 

If my words above haven’t done enough to convince you that “Marcel the Shell with Shoes On” is the next Netflix movie you really need to watch, then I can assure you that I’m far from the only one enamored with this pint-sized hero. Almost everybody seems to love Marcel. 

The movie currently holds a near-perfect 98% score on Rotten Tomatoes , and that rating leaps up to a full 100% if you filter by “Top Critics”. Its audience score is similarly high, currently at 90% on RT from more than 1,000 ratings. 

Marcel was also nominated for Best Animated Feature at the Academy Awards and the Golden Globes last year, and while it lost out to Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio both times, the loveable shell made a memorable cameo on the Oscar red carpet. 

And once you’ve watched the movie on Netflix, and almost certainly fallen in love with the talking shell for yourself, you can get your very own Marcel as the A24 store sells a metal figurine of Marcel , which is quite possibly my favorite piece of movie merchandise ever.  

More from Tom's Guide

• 5 new to Netflix movies with 90% or higher on Rotten Tomatoes
• Top new movies to stream this week on Netflix, Max and more
• The best anime streaming services and Crunchyroll alternatives

Rory is an Entertainment Editor at Tom’s Guide based in the UK. He covers a wide range of topics but with a particular focus on gaming and streaming. When he’s not reviewing the latest games, searching for hidden gems on Netflix, or writing hot takes on new gaming hardware, TV shows and movies, he can be found attending music festivals and getting far too emotionally invested in his favorite football team. 

5 best Netflix movies based on books with over 90% on Rotten Tomatoes

My favorite Netflix movie ever is getting a sequel — and I'm torn

How to steam clean a mattress to get rid of dust mites, bed bugs and more

• aimster717 I'm so excited to hear this! I wanted to see it in theaters but I didn't have time to go by myself. I know what I am watching tonight! Reply
• MKUltra9138 Unpopular opinion alert. Saw this in the theater almost two years ago at a Independent film Festival and its "okay" The stop motion work is great, the voice is cute for about 25 minutes. The story and overall adaptation of a "short story" into a feature film weighs it down as the script almost meanders in place to fill in the longer, full length template. I frankly got bored with it. My significant other liked it more than I did. Go figure. Reply
• View All 2 Comments

Most Popular

• 2 It doesn't look like GameCube and Wii emulators are coming to the App Store
• 3 3 key features to look for when buying a cooling mattress
• 4 Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 vs Galaxy Z Flip 6: Which foldable should you get?
• 5 5 backyard design mistakes you’re probably making — and how to fix them
• 2 Is it possible to fall asleep in 10 seconds? Experts say yes — but there's a catch
• 3 It doesn't look like GameCube and Wii emulators are coming to the App Store
• 4 3 key features to look for when buying a cooling mattress
• 5 Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 vs Galaxy Z Flip 6: Which foldable should you get?

• TV Show Reviews

Netflix’s 3 Body Problem adaptation channels the book’s spirit but not its brilliance

Though david benioff, d. b. weiss, and alexander woo’s 3 body problem is impressive, it really feels like just an introduction to cixin liu’s deeper ideas..

By Charles Pulliam-Moore , a reporter focusing on film, TV, and pop culture. Before The Verge, he wrote about comic books, labor, race, and more at io9 and Gizmodo for almost five years.

Share this story

In his 2008 sci-fi novel The Three-Body Problem , Cixin Liu created a fascinating world where cutting-edge particle physics, VR gaming, and Chinese history played crucial roles in shaping humanity’s response to an imminent planet-wide threat. It also seemed unfilmable. The depth of the book’s ideas about cultural memory and the complexity of its central mystery made The Three-Body Problem feel like a story that could only work on the page.

That hasn’t stopped streamers from trying, and last year, Tencent debuted its own live-action, episodic take on Liu’s book . Netflix spent a fortune putting 3 Body Problem in the hands of executive producers David Benioff, D. B. Weiss, and Alexander Woo. Their adaptation is leaner and more diverse than the book in a way that makes it a very different kind of story . Often, it’s a good one — and very occasionally a great one — that works as an introductory crash course to the basic ideas key to understanding the larger concepts that shape Liu’s later books. 

But rather than confronting the sophistication of the book, Netflix’s main priority with 3 Body Problem seems to be selling it as the next Game of Thrones (Benioff and Weiss’ last series). And while it’s easy to understand why the streamer might want that, it’s hard not to see the show as a flashy but stripped-down version of the source material.

• Dive into the world of Netflix’s 3 Body Problem

3 Body Problem involves a constellation of distinct narratives spanning multiple decades and generations. But at its core, the show is a compelling thriller about how the sins of humanity’s past come to shape its future. In a world where the scientific community has been rocked by an alarming wave of mysterious suicides, private intelligence officer Clarence Shi (Benedict Wong) and a group of researchers get swept up in a race to save the planet from destruction. 

As a former agent of both MI5 and Scotland Yard, Clarence is no stranger to shadowy plots. But he’s vastly out of his depth in the worlds of cutting-edge theoretical physics and materials engineering. Meanwhile, scientist Jin Cheng (Jess Hong) is also navigating uncharted waters as she struggles to make sense of what’s happening to her peers and why many experiments involving particle accelerators are going wrong. The panic of the present day pushes Jin to reconnect with her four best college friends, and the dynamic of the reunited “Oxford Five” inches closer to revealing a world-ending threat.

Given the structural complexity of Liu’s books, it isn’t surprising that Netflix’s 3 Body is streamlined in a much more linear fashion that makes it feel like Lost -style mystery-within-a-mystery you’re figuring out alongside Clarence. But it’s actually in 3 Body Problem ’s core group of characters that you can most clearly see the steps Benioff, Weiss, and Woo took to rework Liu’s ideas for a more global audience.

Before the book’s story in present-day China really gets going, Liu spends quite a bit of time in the past in order to give you a better grasp of the Cultural Revolution, the Maoist movement to purge society of capitalists and intellectuals. It’s the Party’s reversal of these horrifying policies — instead embracing academia and scientific research — that sets China on a path to become a global superpower. And as the book moves into the present, that historical context helps you appreciate why a sudden and sustained spike in inexplicable scientist suicides would prompt the government to deploy counter-terrorism operatives to investigate.

In the novel, much of the early mystery is rooted in the fact that its characters — like offputting former detective Shi Qiang (often referred to as “Da Shi”) and nanomaterials specialist Wang Miao — are solving it in isolation. Netflix’s answer to Da Shi, Clarence, is now British and a softer, more contemplative presence than his curmudgeon literary counterpart. The show also splits Wang’s character into the Oxford Five, an ethnically diverse group of friends consisting of Jin, research assistant Saul (Jovan Adepo), nanotech expert Auggie (Eiza González), physics teacher Will (Alex Sharp), and snack magnate Jack (John Bradley).

Making characters fumble in the darkness on their way to solving the puzzle of Three-Body was one of the many ways Liu mirrored, on a microscopic level, the book’s larger ideas about the power of collaborative efforts versus the control that comes from individual decision-making. But because the show’s Oxford Five are all friends (and former lovers in some instances) who quickly begin working together, relationships drive the plot forward more than its existential puzzle. These changes bring a new level of interpersonal drama to Netflix’s show that isn’t present in the book, especially for Auggie, who’s haunted by visions of a glowing countdown that seems to be seared onto her retinas. Dividing Wang into five distinct characters emphasizes the idea that there’s power in looking at complicated problems from a diverse array of unique perspectives.

But because the Oxford Five are all based on a single character and spend so much time talking each other through theories about what’s going on, scenes focused on them often feel the show taking a moment to spell out plot points in ways that feel clumsy and inorganic. This is less the case when 3 Body Problem shifts its focus to the past and zeroes in on the life of Ye Wenjie (Zine Tseng), a promising young astrophysicist whose entire world is upended by the onset of the Chinese Cultural Revolution. Like in the book, 3 Body Problem truly begins with Ye and how the personal choices she makes — all informed by her experiences as a survivor of the Revolution — have an incalculable impact on the future at a worldwide scale.

In both the book and Netflix’s adaptation, Ye’s story is a powerful one that contextualizes the present in important ways. But the show is less willing to dwell in it. Rather than consider the political and personal effects of the Revolution, the series commits to being a thinky but easily digestible chronicle of the world readying itself for war. An older version of Ye (Rosalind Chao) sticks around as 3 Body Problem to watch events unfold with a knowing solemnity. 

Meanwhile, the show invests in the messy lives of the Oxford Five and their flirtations with a futuristic piece of technology that plunges its wearer into an unimaginable world of riddles, mathematics, and roleplaying. The headset also gives the show a way of stepping outside the confines of the detective genre and into an otherworldly space that has the recognizable markers of science fiction, like planets with multiple suns. Smartly, 3 Body Problem balances out some of that predictability by placing many of its most imaginative, impossible set pieces in the game where the uncanny combo of Netflix’s signature visual look and an inordinate amount of shiny VFX. And it actually works as a plus rather than a minus here because of how unsettling playing the game is supposed to feel.

There are at least a few truly breathtaking action sequences unevenly sprinkled throughout 3 Body Problem ’s first season. But for all their terrifying beauty, they’re not quite enough to keep the show from feeling like Netflix’s adequate attempt at distilling a literary masterpiece into eight hours of television. 3 Body Problem ’s first season works as a solid introduction to this world, but by the finale, it becomes clear that these episodes are really just laying the groundwork for an even bigger, more deeply complicated narrative. With the right plan, tapping into the wildness of Liu’s later books could definitely take 3 Body Problem to its next level in future seasons. But that’s all going to depend on whether the show takes off.

3 Body Problem also stars Sea Shimooka, Marlo Kelly, Saamer Usmani, and Eve Ridley. The series is now streaming on Netflix.

Tesla’s in its flop era

Apple announces may 7th event for new ipads, anker’s 8-in-1 charging station is matching its lowest price to date, an xbox vr headset is on the way, but it’s a ‘limited edition’ meta quest, why is windows 11 so annoying.

More from this stream Dive into the world of Netflix’s 3 Body Problem

The creators of 3 body problem want to have ‘a back and forth’ with the book, 3 body problem vr headset review: magical tech in need of more apps, 3 body problem’s final trailer is a prelude to war., peacock will stream the chinese adaptation of the three-body problem.

• Action/Adventure
• Children's/Family
• Documentary/Reality
• Amazon Prime Video

More From Decider

'9-1-1's Oliver Stark Says Season 7 Fan Response Is "A Beautiful Reminder"...

'Deal Or No Deal Island' Star Rob Mariano Says There's "No Masterminds" In...

Jennifer Lopez Sets The Record Straight On 'The View' After Alyssa Farah...

Bill Maher Compares Nickelodeon To Neverland Ranch After Watching 'Quiet...

Woody Allen in Exile: 'Coup De Chance' Finally Arrives On Streaming, Where...

Donald Trump Once Invited 'The View's Joy Behar To Be On 'The Apprentice'...

'Bob Hearts Abishola's Billy Gardell Tells ‘Live’ About His Bariatric...

'The Golden Bachelor' Stars Gerry Turner And Theresa Nist Divorcing Three...

Share this:.

• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
• Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
• Click to copy URL

Stream It Or Skip It: ‘Will’ on Netflix, a Belgian World War II Drama Situated in an Awful Moral Quagmire

Where to stream:, will (2024).

• World War II

Stream It Or Skip It: ‘The Proof Is Out There: Military Mysteries’ on History, Analyzing and Debriefing Stories From Curious Corners Of Wartime Lore 

Stream it or skip it: ‘freud’s last session’ on netflix, a drama starring anthony hopkins as the father of psychoanalysis, bella steals ‘we were the lucky ones’ episode 6 with her tearful goodbye to her parents, ‘we were the lucky ones’ episode 5: does halina reunite with adam.

The title of Belgian World War II drama Will (now on Netflix) has a double meaning: It’s about a man named Wil who struggles – mightily, I might add – to determine if he possesses the will to resist Nazi cruelty . This is an engrossing period piece and character drama highlighted by sudden bursts of upsetting violence, which our titular protagonist participates in on occasion while he’s smack in the middle of an impossible situation. The film’s subject matter and occasional graphic imagery makes it a tough watch, but is it worth gutting out the heavy drama? Let’s find out.

WILL : STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?

The Gist: Wilfried Wils (Stef Aerts) and his friend Lode Metdepenningen (Matteo Simoni) are greenhorns on the Antwerp police force. It’s their first day on the job. Their uniforms are crisp and clean, unsullied with unsightly wear. They listen to their commanding officer’s orders: Their job is to be mediators between their fellow Belgians and the occupying Germans. The gist of it is, stand there and watch . Be passive. Do as you’re told. And that’s a problem if your moral compass is straight and true – the occupying Germans are psychotic racist Nazis, and I know that’s redundant phrasing, but I need to be clear and to the point, because from where Wil’s standing, the gray areas are wide and deep and expansive. It’s 1942.

Wil and Lode’s first assignment is to escort a Feldgendarmerie – the Nazi military police – to a home where Jewish occupants have “refused to work.” The Feldgendarm will arrest the Litzke family, a mother and a father and a young girl, and take them, well, nobody says where, but we can be sure it’ll be, well, fateful. And Wil and Lode know it. They stand by uncomfortably as the Feldgendarm pops pills and rages at the Litzkes, threatening them, roughing them up. Of course they’re unarmed, and of course the Feldengarm likens them to “rats,” and in a sudden fit of violent rage, Wil shoves the Feldgendarm and rams his face into a beam and he’s dead. He and Lode pry up a manhole cover and drop the body in, and Wil is now deep, deep into the gray expanse.

This isn’t the first time we’ll see Wil seemingly possessed by violence. It’s out of character for him – he’s young, slight of build and yearns to be an artist. But the world around him is changing, and he must change with it no matter how difficult the transition might be. He finds himself in a nowhere zone: His police superiors are squeezed by arrogant Nazi commandant Gregor (Dimitrij Schaad), who wants to know what happened to the now-missing Feldgendarm. Lode joins a secret Belgian resistance group led by the Professor (Jan Decleir), and whose ranks include Lode’s sister Yvette (Annelore Crollet), who shows romantic interest in Wil. On the other end is Felix Verschaffel (Dirk Roofthooft), a Nazi ally who Wil’s family is indebted to; Felix loves to paint, and sees Wil as a kindred spirit, and an easy recruit for bloody raids on Jewish neighborhoods. The investigation into the Feldgendarm persists; Wil is torn between the ideas of doing what’s right and doing what’s easy; his relationship with Yvette complicates his inner conflict. Meanwhile, he’s caught in a mighty internal tug-o’-war: Who is he? A passive observer or an aggressive man of action?

What Movies Will It Remind You Of?: Some sequences of subterfuge in the presence of highly punchable Nazi faces recall Inglourious Basterds , although Will is a thoroughly poker-faced and tonally conventional movie. Otherwise, it has a similar aesthetic to other 20th-century war films produced by Netflix, e.g. Narvik and All Quiet on the Western Front .

Performance Worth Watching: Crollet is a magnetic presence here. She renders Yvette as a morally righteous individual whose simmering sexuality ignites a flame in Wil – even though he isn’t sure where and when he should let that flame burn.  

Memorable Dialogue: Wil comes to a harshly pragmatic conclusion about the times he’s living in: “This is about survival. A conscience is a luxury.”

Sex and Skin: Just some out-of-frame action, sans nudeness.

Our Take: Will ’s opening 10 minutes is gripping and intense, establishing a suspenseful tone for the rest of the film: Will Gregor and his sneering, speed-popping goons suss out Wil’s role in the case of the missing Feldgendarm? Will Yvette inspire Wil to stand up and fight the Nazis? Will peer and social pressure influence Wil to go with the fascist flow? Wil frustrates Yvette – and by extension, us – by wavering one way and then the other, torn between self-preservation and selflessness, between risk and his innate aversion to it. Standing pat and being Switzerland in this situation isn’t an option when you’re pulled between outside influences and the nagging conscience inside his head. The question, again, is whether he has the will to overcome his weaknesses.

The conclusion director and writer Tim Mielants – co-scripting with Carl Joos, adapting a novel by Jeroen Olyslaegers – arrives at isn’t definitive, and we shouldn’t expect it to be. Will ’s primary conflicts are far from cut-and-dried; it’s a bummer that the Nazis aren’t always derailed by their own overconfidence and the protagonists don’t always do what’s right and true. That’s the stuff of fantasy, and Mielants’ goal is to fashion a realistic and plausible rock-and-a-hard-place conundrum, and show us what happens when his characters veer between ethical poles. It’s disheartening to see Wil – who for the most part is a decent human being – enjoy a night out dancing with Yvette, and see it spoiled when the wily and suspicious Gregor turns up at the club to torment them. Great joy and great pain butt up against each other like ships too close in the harbor, and Wil is the seal between them, trying not to get squished. 

Mielants skillfully cultivates slow-burn tension, and Robrecht Heyvaert’s cinematography is handsome and memorable. The brunt of the film’s effectiveness lies in the performances, and our lack of patience with Aerts’ somewhat bland depiction of a meek man’s internal struggle is eventually enlivened by Crollet’s work; Wil truly comes to life when she’s on screen, and you’ll wish the screenplay spent more time developing her character. Sometimes it seems as if the core idea looms like a long shadow over the characters – the best of them have about two-and-a-half dimensions – but at least that idea is fraught and compelling enough to hold our attention. Be thankful this is more ambitious than yet another kick-the-Nazis’-asses action picture.

Our Call: All the big, sweeping stories of WWII seem to have been told over and over again; Wil wisely tells an absorbing small-scale story that keenly represents the big-picture conflict. STREAM IT.

John Serba is a freelance writer and film critic based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. 

• Stream It Or Skip It

Does 'Yellowstone' Return Tonight? 'Yellowstone's Season 5, Part 2 Premiere Date Updates

Are 'Chicago Med,' 'Chicago Fire' and 'Chicago P.D.' New Tonight? Here's When 'One Chicago' Returns to NBC With New Episodes

'Bob Hearts Abishola's Billy Gardell Tells ‘Live’ About His Bariatric Surgery and 170 Lb Weight Loss: "I Went From A Young Jackie Gleason To An Old Paul Newman"

Is 'Grey's Anatomy' New Tonight? Here's When The Next Episode of 'Grey's Anatomy' Is On ABC And Hulu 

Whoopi Goldberg Confronts Her 'View' Co-Hosts After Nearly All Of Them Fail To Carry Out Guest J. Lo's Request: "How Come Y'all Weren't Dancing?" 

Does Mariko Die in 'Shōgun'? Anna Sawai Explains the One Big Difference Between the Book and Episode 9 "Crimson Sky"

More From Forbes

Netflix’s ‘rebel moon part 2: the scargiver’ debuts with snyder’s worst-ever review scores.

• Share to Facebook
• Share to Twitter
• Share to Linkedin

Netflix has thrown so much money and advertising into Zack Snyder’s attempt to craft his own Star Wars universe, and the result is an absolute, utter critical disaster. We know that for sure now that the second film is out, Rebel Moon Part 2: The Scargiver , which as of right now is reviewing worse than Part 1, despite this being when the action was supposed to pick up after the assembling of the main “team” in the first film.

While this number keeps fluctuating, early reviews have Rebel Moon Part 2: The Scargiver somewhere between an 8% and 14% on Rotten Tomatoes . So far this is lower than the first film which had a 21% from 173 critics in the end, and a better, but not good, 57% audience score.

Again, this is not just “critics hate Zack Snyder.” Compared to his overall filmography, these films are uniquely terrible. Here’s the grand list of his live-action projects that demonstrates that:

Best Nintendo Switch Games: It’s Mario’s World, We’re Just Visiting

• Dawn of the Dead – 76% critics, 77% audience score
• Zack Snyder’s Justice League – 72% critics, 93% audience
• Army of the Dead – 67% critics, 75% audience
• Watchmen – 65% critics, 71% audience
• 300 – 61% critics, 89% audience
• Man of Steel – 56% critics, 75% audience
• Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice – 29% critics, 63% audience
• Sucker Punch – 22% critics, 47% audience
• Rebel Moon Part 1: A Child of Fire – 21% critics, 57% audience
• Rebel Moon Part 2: The Scargiver - (8-14%) critics, N/A audience

As you can see, critics have actually rated half of Snyder’s movies positively, though with Rebel Moon Part 2 here, that will be 5/10. But if these scores stand, Part 2 will be his lowest rated feature ever. And the first film is his second lowest audience score ever behind only Sucker Punch, a film Snyder has himself said needs “fixing” with a director’s cut, so it’s not just that snooty critics take issue with these movies.

Things are complicated for Rebel Moon as Snyder has seemed to indicate that these two films are the “corporate” PG-13 cuts while his unleashed R-rated cuts coming out this summer are essentially different movies. This entire thing has been a marketing gimmick by him and Netflix but it seems pretty clear they should have just gone with his original take and not neutered it for…why, exactly? Why would they bother? It’s not like they need to be concerned about PG-13 versus R-rated ticket sales. Whatever the case it seems like it was a huge misstep (not that more gore and nudity would necessarily save these films).

Snyder also seems…a bit out of touch with reality when it comes to Rebel Moon, saying recently he believes that he needs four to six Rebel Moon movies to tell the story. After this, it’s not even clear Netflix will allow him a third film. If viewership is there it may not matter what review scores are, but the first film did not break into Netflix’s top 10 original movies list in the end.

After the R-rated cuts, this is probably it for Rebel Moon, which may be for the best.

Follow me on Twitter , Threads , YouTube , and Instagram .

Pick up my sci-fi novels the Herokiller series and The Earthborn Trilogy .

• Editorial Standards
• Reprints & Permissions

Log in or sign up for Rotten Tomatoes

Trouble logging in?

By continuing, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes.

Email not verified

Let's keep in touch.

Sign up for the Rotten Tomatoes newsletter to get weekly updates on:

• Upcoming Movies and TV shows
• Trivia & Rotten Tomatoes Podcast
• Media News + More

By clicking "Sign Me Up," you are agreeing to receive occasional emails and communications from Fandango Media (Fandango, Vudu, and Rotten Tomatoes) and consenting to Fandango's Privacy Policy and Terms and Policies . Please allow 10 business days for your account to reflect your preferences.

OK, got it!

Movies / TV

No results found.

• What's the Tomatometer®?
• Login/signup

Movies in theaters

• Opening this week
• Top box office
• Coming soon to theaters
• Certified fresh movies

Movies at home

• Fandango at Home
• Netflix streaming
• Prime Video
• Most popular streaming movies
• What to Watch New

Certified fresh picks

• Challengers Link to Challengers
• Abigail Link to Abigail
• Arcadian Link to Arcadian

New TV Tonight

• The Jinx: Season 2
• Knuckles: Season 1
• The Big Door Prize: Season 2
• THEM: The Scare: Season 2
• Velma: Season 2
• Secrets of the Octopus: Season 1
• Dead Boy Detectives: Season 1
• Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story: Season 1
• We're Here: Season 4

Most Popular TV on RT

• Baby Reindeer: Season 1
• Fallout: Season 1
• Shōgun: Season 1
• The Sympathizer: Season 1
• Ripley: Season 1
• 3 Body Problem: Season 1
• Under the Bridge: Season 1
• Sugar: Season 1
• A Gentleman in Moscow: Season 1
• Best TV Shows
• Most Popular TV
• TV & Streaming News

Certified fresh pick

• Under the Bridge Link to Under the Bridge
• All-Time Lists
• Binge Guide
• Comics on TV
• Five Favorite Films
• Video Interviews
• Weekend Box Office
• Weekly Ketchup
• What to Watch

The Best TV Seasons Certified Fresh at 100%

Best TV Shows of 2024: Best New Series to Watch Now

What to Watch: In Theaters and On Streaming

Awards Tour

Watch An Exclusive Pixar Studio Tour, Plus Inside Out 2 Secrets From The Set

Weekend Box Office Results: Civil War Earns Second Victory in a Row

• Trending on RT
• Rebel Moon: Part Two - The Scargiver
• The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare
• Play Movie Trivia

Season 2 – 3%

Where to watch, 3% — season 2.

Watch 3% — Season 2 with a subscription on Netflix.

Audience Reviews

Cast & crew.

João Miguel

Bianca Comparato

Michel Gomes

Rodolfo Valente

Rafael Lozano

Viviane Porto

Popular TV on Streaming

Critics reviews, season info.

• Advertising

• Prime Video
• Best & Worst

Select Page

The Rope Curse 3 – Netflix Review (2/5)

Posted by Karina "ScreamQueen" Adelgaard | Dec 18, 2023 | 4 minutes

THE ROPE CURSE 3  on Netflix is a horror movie from Taiwan (org. title: Zong xie 3 ) and continues the story from its predecessor, The Rope Curse 2 . You can watch it on its own as well. Read our  The Rope Curse 3 movie review here!

THE ROPE CURSE 3 is a new Netflix addition in the horror genre. As the title reveals, it is a new movie in an exciting horror franchise. It’s a horror movie from Taiwan (org. title: Zong xie 3 ) and continues the story from its predecessor, The Rope Curse 2 .

However, you can actually watch this movie on its own as well. You’ll miss out on some details, but the big picture is still there for you to enjoy. The story is rooted in Taiwanese folk culture but also deals with exorcism, which we certainly know from English-language horror movies as well.

Continue reading our The Rope Curse 3 movie review below. Find it on Netflix from December 18, 2023.

Seven bodies, seven lives

As with most horror movies, some lines are repeated again and again. In  The Rope Curse 3 , one of these lines is “Seven bodies, seven lives”. In other horror movies, it could be “The power of Christ compels you!” as this Taiwanese horror movie deals with exorcism. Just like The Exorcist  movies !

YOU MIGHT LIKE Check out our  The Exorcist: Believer  review right here >

This movie from Taiwan is naturally an exorcism horror film that is deeply rooted in Taiwanese folk culture. As such, we learn about other demonic forces than in exorcism movies from the West.

In The Rope Curse 3 , the story focuses on Guan Yu (Chang Ting-hu) He is a gifted young man from a family of exorcists. However, he dreams of being a parkour influencer. A star on YouTube, to be precise.

However, his life is about to change as he gets caught up in a series of spooky events at an eerie hotel. And yes, there are moments of very efficient horror during this time.

Not all horror works

The 68-year-old Bor-Jeng Chen has starred in all three The Rope Curse movies. I love it when an actor is part of a franchise throughout. However, I have no connection to this actor, so it isn’t something that draws me in.

For me, the movie had strong moments of horror, but I just lose the connection when it goes too deep into folklore rituals.

For me, it just isn’t scary. Instead, it becomes almost funny and cartoon-like. This is not to say it isn’t exactly as valid or believable as any exorcism story from the West. It just simply doesn’t manage to conjure feelings of fear or terror in me.

Will there be a  The Rope Curse 4 ?

As this third movie in the Taiwanese horror franchise ends, there is clearly an opening for  The Rope Curse 4  to be made. Also, it’s now on Netflix which means a whole new (and much larger) audience can be reached.

Make sure you stick around for the end-credit scene.

There are some behind-the-scenes moments during  the credits, and a final scene  after  the end credits are over. Make sure you catch everything if you’re into this franchise.

Watch The Rope Curse 3 on Netflix now!

The director is Shih-Han Liao and the writers are Keng-Ming Chang and Tzu-Ming Ma. Director Shih-Han Liao also directed an episode of the HBO horror anthology series titled Folklore   (season 2, episode 1) while writer Keng-Ming Chang co-wrote The Bridge Curse (2020) .

As mentioned earlier,  The Rope Curse 3 continues the story from its predecessor, The Rope Curse 2 , but you  can watch this on its own. The first movie,  The Rope Curse came out in 2018, and the sequel, The Rope Curse 2 , is from 2020.

With this third movie, it might be over, but I doubt it. If it’s a hit on Netflix anyway. The movie was a hit in Taiwan in movie theaters. It has ended up securing the #2 spot in the local box office rankings for 2023. That should tell you  a lot about the popularity of this franchise!

The Rope Curse 3 is being released on Netflix globally on December 18, 2023.

Director: Shih-Han Liao Writers: Keng-Ming Chang, Tzu-Ming Ma Stars: Ting-Hu Zhang, Hsing-Wen Lee, Yi-Jung Wu, Bor-Jeng Chen, Hsu An-Chih, Hangee Liu, Lotus Wang

Aspiring to become a parkour influencer, a gifted young man from an exorcist family gets caught up in a swirl of spooky events at an eerie hotel.

• Recent Posts

• Infested – Shudder Review (3/5) - April 22, 2024
• The Jinx: Part Two – HBO/Max Review - April 20, 2024
• Rebel Moon Part Two: The Scargiver – Netflix Review (2/5) - April 19, 2024

About The Author

Karina "ScreamQueen" Adelgaard

I write reviews and recaps on Heaven of Horror. And yes, it does happen that I find myself screaming, when watching a good horror movie. I love psychological horror, survival horror and kick-ass women. Also, I have a huge soft spot for a good horror-comedy. Oh yeah, and I absolutely HATE when animals are harmed in movies, so I will immediately think less of any movie, where animals are harmed for entertainment (even if the animals are just really good actors). Fortunately, horror doesn't use this nearly as much as comedy. And people assume horror lovers are the messed up ones. Go figure!

Related Posts

Devil’s Gate (3/5) – Movie Review

February 3, 2018

Murder On Middle Beach – HBO Review

November 13, 2020

June 23, 2017

Prey for the Bride – Movie Review (2/5)

February 16, 2024

Pin It on Pinterest

Screen Rant

Rebel moon 3's plot detail revealed by zack snyder.

Following the Netflix premiere of Rebel Moon - Part Two: The Scargiver, director Zack Snyder reveals what the plot for Rebel Moon 3 could be.

The article contains major spoilers for Netflix's Rebel Moon - Part Two.

• Zack Snyder reveals that the plot for Rebel Moon Part 3 will likely be to search for Princess Issa after initially being believed to be dead.
• The victory in Veldt could also inspire more revolutionaries against the Imperium.
• Rebel Moon Part 3 has not been confirmed yet by Netflix, although Snyder is planning to continue the franchise's worldbuilding.

Following the streaming release of Rebel Moon - Part Two: The Scargiver on Netflix, director Zack Snyder teases the plot for a potential Rebel Moon 3 . The two-part film takes place in a galaxy where inhabitants are oppressed by the Imperialistic Motherworld and its brutal military, the Imperium. When the Imperium sets its sights on the small farming planet of Veldt, former Imperium soldier Kora (Sofia Boutella) rallies a rebellion to save the planet. Meanwhile, Snyder already has plans for a potential third movie.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter , when questioned about Rebel Moon - Part Two: The Scargiver 's cliffhanger ending, Snyder teased the story of Rebel Moon 3 . While the movie hasn't been greenlit, the director explained it would see Kora and her fellow warriors searching for Princess Issa (Stella Grace Fitzgerald) , who was previously believed to be deceased. Additionally, the warriors will try to use their victory on Veldt to inspire a coalition of planets to rebel against the Imperium. Check out Snyder's statement below:

The story of movie three would be tracking [Princess Issa] down and finding out how [the rebels] can use the victory at Veldt to create a coalition of planets that were on the edge of rebellion, but have now seen the example of downing a dreadnought. Maybe now there’s an opportunity. It’s a chink in the armor. That’s really what it is.

Will Rebel Moon 3 Really Happen?

There are plans for at least six rebel moon movies..

Ultimately, since The Scargiver is already struggling critically, its viewership will be the ultimate factor in determining Rebel Moon 3 's future.

The cliffhanger ending of Rebel Moon - Part Two: The Scargiver paves the way for a third movie after dropping its biggest bombshell that Princess Issa was still alive . Kora thought she killed her after the tyrant Balisarius (Fra Free) orchestrated the murder of the royal family to get his hands on the Motherworld. Her death was arguably more significant than the King's or Queen's because she was prophesied to end the Motherworld's long history of conquest. However, the idea that she may still be alive restores hope that she will still fulfill that prophecy.

8 Reasons Rebel Moon Part 2 Reviews Are So Bad

Although The Scargiver ends in victory, it's one victory in a whole galaxy that needs freedom. Both movies are building toward something bigger, so it's not surprising Snyder has plot ideas for Rebel Moon 3 , and co-writer Kurt Johnstad revealed the overall plan is for there to be six movies in the series . However, like the first two, the following four movies will technically be two movies with two parts each. While Snyder and Johnstad are interested in more to expand the universe's lore, the main question is whether Netflix will greenlight the sequels.

Both Rebel Moon movies received poor reviews , leaving some questions about more movies. The sequel even marked Snyder's lowest-rated film on Rotten Tomatoes so far. Despite being criticized, the first film received stellar viewership, enjoying the ninth-best debut of any Netflix original. If the sequel can also obtain these numbers, further sequels are a possibility. Ultimately, since The Scargiver is already struggling critically, its viewership will ultimately determine Rebel Moon 3 's future.

Source: THR

Netflix’s ‘Baby Reindeer’ Is a Brilliant and Jarring Account of Stalking, Victimization and Emotional Turmoil: TV Review

By Aramide Tinubu

Aramide Tinubu

• ‘Hell’s Kitchen’ Review: Alicia Keys Musical Brings a Vibrant Depiction of Teen Girlhood to Broadway 3 days ago
• Roku’s ‘The Spiderwick Chronicles’ Lacks the Excitement and Adventure of the Novels: TV Review 4 days ago
• Riley Keough and Lily Gladstone Anchor Hulu’s Heartbreaking Murder Mystery ‘Under the Bridge’: TV Review 1 week ago

In his seven-part Netflix miniseries, “ Baby Reindeer ,” adapted from his one-man show, Scottish writer and comedian Richard Gadd recounts the true story of being harassed and stalked for years. Compelling and unsettling, Gadd, who portrays Donny Dunn, the fictionalized version of himself, transports the audience to one of the most painful periods of his life. The series untangles the nuances of his emotions, his stalker’s temperament and past incidents that fortified his frame of mind at the time. Shocking, hilarious, painful and devastating, “Baby Reindeer” is a rare gem on television, reminding us of what is possible in the medium. 

Popular on Variety

Still, Martha’s brash personality and shocking laugh don’t stop Donny from indulging her. Soon, she’s coming to the bar daily, sitting through his shifts and bestowing him with the nickname “Baby Reindeer.” When Donny finally tries to let Martha down gently, she’s unwilling to let go of the illusion she’s conjured up about what they mean to one another. Instead, she begins infiltrating every segment of Donny’s existence, including his standup shows and his personal life, which involve Teri (Nava Mau), a therapist he’s recently begun dating. 

Like Michaela Coel’s HBO series, “I May Destroy You,” Gadd’s “Baby Reindeer” is a vulnerable and candid account of varied abuses, and how they can echo through every chamber of someone’s life. In seven episodes, Gadd illustrates how Martha’s obsession with Donny becomes both a nuisance and a morbid fascination for him. Moreover, the series also tackles gender biases, since the male/female roles in this harassment story are flipped. 

Dark and brilliant, “Baby Reindeer” carefully unpacks the frailties of human emotion and mental illness. Raw and sometimes humorous, the audience learns more about Donny and the complexities and events that have shaped his humanity. As the series closes, we are forced to confront the lies we tell ourselves and others and how all of those things affect the ways in which we show up in the world — and what we deem acceptable. 

All episodes of “Baby Reindeer” are streaming on Netflix .

More From Our Brands

A private school promised to help troubled kids. instead, some say, it was a nightmare, a bevy of luxury resorts is about to transform this quiet costa rica beach town, caitlin clark reportedly nearing $28m contract with nike, be tough on dirt but gentle on your body with the best soaps for sensitive skin, terry carter, mccloud and original battlestar galactica star, dead at 95, verify it's you, please log in.

Rebel Moon Part 2 ending explained: your biggest questions answered about the Zack Snyder Netflix movie

We break down the ending of Rebel Moon: Part Two – The Scargiver

Rebel Moon: Part Two – The Scargiver has one explosive ending. Below, we've broken down the details of the movie's biggest reveals and exactly what goes down in the finale, so you can get up to speed on everything that happened at a glance. 

The movie, directed by Zack Snyder , is the second part of the Rebel Moon story, which kicked off with Part One – A Child of Fire . This time, we see the peaceful inhabitants of Veldt go up against the sinister, powerful Imperium in a battle for survival. 

So, for all your questions answered on the Rebel Moon 2 ending explained, head to the below. It goes without saying, but consider this your spoiler warning for the film's ending. Turn back now if you haven't seen the movie yet!

Rebel Moon: Part 2 ending explained

The Rebel Moon 2 ending is packed with action. After the Imperium, led by Admiral Noble, shows up on Veldt, Kora and the others fight back. The plan leads Kora and Gunnar, who have recently shifted from friends to lovers, to the Dreadnought above, where Kora plants explosives at the heart of the ship and detonates them just in time to knock the weapons off course and spare Veldt. 

Things come to a head when Kora and Noble have a dramatic showdown on the Dreadnought as it crashes. They battle it out with swords drawn, and ultimately it looks like game over for Kora, as Noble almost kills her – until Gunnar arrives and saves her. Kora takes her sword and beheads Noble, though it remains to be seen if he's really dead for good this time. 

Tragically, Gunnar was shot in the battle, and dies when he and Kora get back down to Veldt. Nemesis also perishes in the fighting. 

As for the war on Veldt, the Bloodaxes arrive in time to repel the Imperium's forces, meaning the village lives to see another day. 

Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more

The movie comes to an end with General Titus informing Kora that she did not, in fact, kill Princess Issa as she believes – the Princess is alive, and the closing moments of the film suggest the next quest will be finding her. 

Who dies in Rebel Moon 2?

There are some major deaths in Rebel Moon 2. Gunnar dies after getting shot on the Dreadnought, while Nemesis is killed in an epic sword fight down on Veldt. Villager Den is killed by Admiral Noble, and Noble himself is also killed – though he could return, as we've already seen…

How is the Imperium defeated in Rebel Moon 2?

Kora takes down the Dreadnought with some well-placed explosives, while the rest of the Imperium's forces are wiped out by a combination of the villagers fighting on Veldt and the Bloodaxe's fleet. 

What did Kora do in the past?

It's revealed in Rebel Moon 2 that Kora is responsible for the death of Princess Issa. Her adopted father, Regent Balisarius, orchestrated a coup against the royal family and part of that plan involved Kora killing the young Issa. Then, after the king, queen, and princess had died, Balisarius pinned the blame on Kora, though she managed to flee. 

Right before she died, Princess Issa said she forgave Kora, and, as we learn at the end of the movie, she somehow survived being shot. That most likely has something to do with her magical powers, which we discovered in the first installment are capable of resurrection. 

Where is Princess Issa in Rebel Moon 2? 

All we find out about the mysterious Princess Issa is that she's alive, and that she needs to be found. It's open ended for now just where she might be and what might happen when she's discovered. 

Where is Balisarius in Rebel Moon 2?

Regent Balisarius appears only once in Rebel Moon 2 in a flashback sequence. Where he is and what he's up to remains to be seen – after all, in Rebel Moon: Part One, we only got a few glimpses of him (mostly in flashback again), until the very end, when he appeared to be in another plane of reality. 

Will there be a Rebel Moon 3?

At the moment, nothing is confirmed, but Snyder has been clear that he has more ideas for the future of the universe. "We definitely have a story in mind, if we were to go forward," he told us . "We're waiting to have the totality of these movies come out, including the director's cut . I'm probably going to make this other little small movie in the meantime, and before we decide what to do with more Rebel Moon movies. But yeah, excited to make more Rebel Moon movies, if that was in the offing."

Is there a Rebel Moon 2 post-credits scene?

There is no Rebel Moon 2 post-credits scene, which means that, once the credits start rolling, you're free to close the film. 

That's a wrap on the Rebel Moon 2 ending explained. For even more, check out our interviews with Snyder and the cast, which touched on the movie's action and the Sucker Punch director's cut . 

I'm an Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, covering all things film and TV for the site's Total Film and SFX sections. I previously worked on the Disney magazines team at Immediate Media, and also wrote on the CBeebies, MEGA!, and Star Wars Galaxy titles after graduating with a BA in English. 

Jennifer Lopez is forced to team up with a snarky AI bot to defeat Shang-Chi star Simu Liu in the wild trailer for Netflix’s latest sci-fi action romp

Avengers directors compare Millie Bobby Brown to Tom Holland as they tease her "fantastic" performance in new graphic novel adaptation which reunites them with Endgame team

Westworld star joins the cast of Wednesday season 2

Most Popular

• 2 Broken Roads review: "Systems that sound good on paper don't work as intended"
• 3 Open Roads review: "A cozy, nostalgic road trip that can't quite get into gear"
• 4 Dragon's Dogma 2 review: "Embrace the chaos and there's nothing quite like it"
• 5 Rise of the Ronin review: "A decent PS5 exclusive action RPG that's driven and hamstrung by its ambition"
• 2 Rebel Moon Part Two – The Scargiver review: "Zack Snyder’s sci-fi epic stumbles towards the finish line"
• 3 Abigail review: "A blood-bomb of fun that needs more narrative meat"
• 4 Sometimes I Think About Dying review: "Daisy Ridley demonstrates her star power"
• 5 Challengers review: "A pulsating tale that's sure to get deuces flowing"
• 2 Alien RPG Building Better Worlds review: "Carrying on the quiet momentum of one of the best TTRPGs out there"
• 3 X-Men '97 episode 6 review: "The heart of the X-Men has triumphantly returned, but at what cost?"
• 4 X-Men '97 episode 5 review: "Heartbreaking at the most catastrophic level"
• 5 Fallout review: "A big Vault Boy-style thumbs up"

• International edition
• Australia edition
• Europe edition

Rebel Moon – Part Two: The Scargiver review – Zack Snyder’s bombastically fun sequel

The divisive director’s sci-fi follow-up is both original and derivative and will be unlikely to convert anyone, but there’s something charming about its sincerity

I s there a contemporary Hollywood film-maker who better epitomizes the modern commerce-v-art quagmire than Zack Snyder ? Snyder has an instantly recognizable style and a deathless dedication to his singular vision; he also, at the behest of various studios, volunteers to think almost entirely in terms of franchises, comic books and self-conscious myth-making – whether he’s trying to interrogate those myths or just build them up so he can smash them down with maximum mayhem.

Rebel Moon, his sci-fi/fantasy franchise for Netflix, pulls both sides of his career to further extremes. It’s a multimillion-dollar two-parter (for now) that’s technically original and highly derivative, with Snyder’s fanboy obsessions taken so far around the bend that they become niche again. Even his hordes of online fans don’t seem to care that much about it. Rebel Moon – Part 2: The Scargiver, following last year’s A Child of Fire kickoff, is supposed to be an explosive finale. But with expanded R-rated cuts of both movies definitely on the way, and ideas rattling around in Snyder’s brain for even more sequels, the whole project feels like one long, never-ending middle.

And yet: maybe this accidental middle ground is exactly what Snyder needs. Structurally, The Scargiver is no one’s idea of a proper stand-alone movie, or even a normal sequel. The first film followed the recruitment efforts of Kora (Sofia Boutella), an ex-soldier whose idyllic life on the humble farming moon Veldt is interrupted by Imperial – er, Imperium forces demanding all of their crops. Kora and Gunnar (Michiel Huisman) set out to find warriors willing to help defend Veldt; by making his failed Star Wars pitch without Lucasfilm, Snyder cut out the middleman on his Seven Samurai ripoff.

Though A Child of Fire ended by kinda-sorta killing off main Imperium bad guy Atticus Noble (Ed Skrein) in a pre-emptive skirmish, he was quickly revived, so that The Scargiver can basically function as Climactic Battle: The Movie. Kora and Gunnar, along with their recruits Nemesis (Doona Bae), Titus (Djimon Hounsou) and Tarak (Staz Nair), return to Veldt and rally the citizens to defend themselves against Noble and the Imperium forces. That’s pretty much the whole movie.

This means almost all of The Scargiver is set on and above Veldt, a disappointing change from the gleeful planet-hopping of the first film. Here, instead of various sequences of nabbing warriors from various Star Wars-y worlds, there’s a single extended scene where the warriors trade backstory secrets, featuring some flashbacks that go off-world, plus a longer one revealing more about Kora’s checkered past. That’s all part of the protracted calm before the laser-blasting storm; during this early section, Snyder also includes a farming montage as only the director of 300 could. When these rebels reap their harvest of grain, they reap hard.

The comparably quieter moments all lead into an extended battle sequence that fuses last-stand westerns with a cartoon version of first world war trench warfare, and brings to mind overloaded early-2000s digital-cinema spectacles like Attack of the Clones or The Matrix Revolutions. (If that makes you shudder, subtract one star from this review’s rating. If you couldn’t stand A Child of Fire, might as well subtract two or three.) Snyder favors barrages over set pieces, and character design (which is often delightful) over character development (which is typically minimal); the nuances of human relationships elude him. He even has trouble with human-robot relationships; Jimmy, the mechanical man voiced by Anthony Hopkins , is still lurking around grappling with his sense of self. This leaves Boutella, a muscular and graceful presence, to sell Kora’s regrets, determination and self-lacerating fury with the kind of physical expressiveness that would be equally at home in silent movies and fantastical motion-capture.

Lucky as Snyder is to have her, the whole movie doesn’t rest on Boutella. There’s also a deranged zeal to Snyder’s muchness. If he’s going to bust out the kind of floating/falling giant airship over-favored by Kevin Feige in half a dozen Marvel movies, at least he stages a terrific sliding-objects fight during the fall. If he’s going to knock off his own versions of lightsabers, they’re going to look sharper and deadlier. If he’s going to utilize his newest favorite directorial party trick – focus so shallow that only a minority of any given image looks sharp at a time – he’s going to do it with the utmost commitment, even when it’s nonsensical (as in establishing shots).

Rebel Moon almost certainly didn’t need to be two multiple-cut movies. It probably could have gotten by as zero. But as a playground for Snyder’s favorite bits of speed-ramping, shallow-focusing and pulp thievery, it’s harmless, sometimes pleasingly weird fun. (That said, the first part is better and weirder.) The large-scale pointlessness feels more soothing than his past insistence on attempting to translate Watchmen into a big-screen epic, or make Superman into a tortured soul. Even Rebel Moon’s shameless attempts at serialization – The Scargiver essentially ends with another extended sequel tease, this time for a movie that stands a decent chance of never happening – feel freeing, because they excuse Snyder from the uncomfortable business of staging an apocalyptic showdown, or, worse, imparting a mournful philosophy. The whole bludgeoning enterprise is so daftly sincere, you could almost call it sweet.

Rebel Moon Part 2: The Scargiver is out now on Netflix

• Zack Snyder
• Science fiction and fantasy films
• Anthony Hopkins
• Action and adventure films

Most viewed

• Election 2024
• Entertainment
• Newsletters
• Photography
• Personal Finance
• AP Investigations
• AP Buyline Personal Finance
• AP Buyline Shopping
• Press Releases
• Israel-Hamas War
• Russia-Ukraine War
• Global elections
• Asia Pacific
• Latin America
• Middle East
• Election Results
• Delegate Tracker
• AP & Elections
• Auto Racing
• 2024 Paris Olympic Games
• Movie reviews
• Book reviews
• Personal finance
• Financial Markets
• Business Highlights
• Financial wellness
• Artificial Intelligence
• Social Media

Seinfeld’s upcoming Netflix movie about Pop-Tarts to be featured in IndyCar race at Long Beach

FILE - Jerry Seinfeld is shown before the men’s singles final of the U.S. Open tennis championships between Casper Ruud, of Norway, and Carlos Alcaraz, of Spain, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2022, in New York. Seinfeld’s upcoming Netflix comedy will be featured during this weekend’s IndyCar race at Long Beach as rookie Linus Lundqvist will drive a car painted to look like a Pop-Tart in recognition of the movie “Unfrosted.”(AP Photo/John Minchillo, File)

• Copy Link copied

Jerry Seinfeld’s upcoming Netflix comedy will be featured during this weekend’s IndyCar race at Long Beach as rookie Linus Lundqvist will drive a car painted to look like a Pop-Tart in recognition of the movie “Unfrosted.”

Chip Ganassi Racing’s No. 8 will be painted in the texture of an unfrosted Pop-Tart along with images of Seinfeld and some of the movie cast members. The partnership, which is in collaboration with Ganassi sponsor American Legion, is promoting the May 3 film release.

The movie marks the directorial debut for the comedian.

Seinfeld claimed all the way back in 2018 that he had been “thinking about an invention of the Pop-Tart movie. Imagine the drunk on sugar-power Kellogg’s cereal culture of the mid-60s in Battle Creek, (Michigan) That’s a vibe I could work with.”

The movie, co-written by Seinfeld, stars Seinfeld along with Jim Gaffigan, Melissa McCarthy, Amy Schumer, Hugh Grant, James Marsden, Bill Burr, Fred Armisen, Dan Levy and others. “Unfrosted” tells the tale of 1963 Michigan, the year before Pop-Tarts hit grocery store shelves.

“Making a movie about Pop-Tarts has led to so many wonderful, unexpected surprises, and as a car guy, I honestly cannot believe our film’s logo will be on an IndyCar entry this weekend,” Seinfeld said. “I am grateful to Chip Ganassi Racing for making this happen, and honored to be affiliated with The American Legion and the work they do to support American Veterans.”

The American Legion signed off on the promotion as part of its “Be the One” mission that aims to save the lives of veterans by raising awareness, destigmatizing mental-health treatment and educating veterans, service members and their loved ones about what to do when a person appears at risk of suicide. Comedy is often used as a way to alleviate the symptoms that can lead to thoughts of suicide.

“The ability for the American Legion to partner with Jerry Seinfeld, ‘Unfrosted’ and Netflix is an incredible opportunity to expose our organization and the work we do for veterans to an entirely new audience within the entertainment community — and — the general public that are fans of Jerry Seinfeld and his comedy,” said Dean Kessel, chief marketing officer of The American Legion.

“We know that humor can be therapeutic for those battling mental health issues. Partnering with the ‘Unfrosted’ project ties nicely into our ‘Be The One’ platform and our efforts to destigmatize veterans who are seeking help and our prevention of veteran suicide.”

AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing