In news that will surprise literally nobody, it’s been confirmed that the third and final instalment of the ‘Fifty Shades’ franchise leaves a lot to be desired.
But poor reviews don’t always lead to dismal box office figures, and which was the case for ‘Fifty Shades Freed’.
Even though the film was universally panned, the movie raked in almost $100 million in ticket sales, with a total of $98.1 million being handed over by fans eager to check in with Mr and Mrs Grey.
In honour of Fifty Shades’ disappointing but bankable conclusion, here are eight other films that brought in cinemagoers in their droves (despite their awful reviews)...
‘Batman vs. Superman: Dawn Of Justice’ (2016)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 27%
What the critics said: “A movie that beats you into submission and makes you wonder if the sun will ever come out again.” - The New Republic
Opening weekend takings: $422.5 million worldwide.
‘The Da Vinci Code’ (2006)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 25%
What the critics said: “What’s wrong with The Da Vinci Code can be summed up in one word: everything!” - New York Observer
Opening weekend takings: $224 million worldwide.
‘Suicide Squad’ (2016)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 26%
What the critics said: “To say that the movie loses the plot would not be strictly accurate, for that would imply that there was a plot to lose.” - New Yorker
Opening weekend takings: $266 million worldwide.
‘Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest’ (2006)
Rotten tomatoes score: 54%
What the critics said: “Lumpen direction, lousy writing and pouting performances aside, the worst thing about Dead Man’s Chest is its interminable length.” - The Guardian
Opening weekend takings: $271 million worldwide.
‘Transformers: Age Of Extinction’ (2014)
Rotten tomatoes score: 18%
What the critics said: “For those who aren’t still blindly faithful to something they liked when they were nine, despite the colossal scale, there’s little to see here.” - Empire
Opening weekend takings: $303 million worldwide.
‘The Twilight Saga: New Moon’ (2014)
Rotten tomatoes score: 28%
What the critics said: “A big bowl of adolescent romantic mush garnished with horror-lite action scenes and a rushed road trip, The Twilight Saga: New Moon is a mess.” - Detroit News
Opening weekend takings: $274 million worldwide.
’2012′ (2009, confusingly)
Rotten tomatoes score: 40%
What the critics said: “As you might expect with director Roland Emmerich, the movie isn’t a patch on the trailer.” - Chicago Reader
Opening weekend takings: $230 million worldwide.
‘Fifty Shades Of Grey’ (2015)
Rotten tomatoes score: 25%
What the critics said: “Basically, they made a lousy, mid-2000s-era Katherine Heigl romance with a handful of explicit sex scenes spliced throughout the familiar clichés.” - Chicago Sun Times
Opening weekend takings: $242 million worldwide.