8 Sci-Fi Movies Critics Love That Regular People Just Shrugged At. Pick a Side.

Critics and audiences watched the same eight movies and walked out with different opinions. Somebody is wrong every time. We picked who.

Number one has a 91 on Metacritic and a B minus CinemaScore.

1. 8
   Superman Returns (2006)5.3

   Audiences had this one right. Critics were too polite.

   A $223M reported budget for a very expensive tribute act. Critics gave it a 72 on Metacritic. Audiences gave it a 6.1 on IMDb and a shrug.
2. 7
   Lucy (2014)4.0

   Audiences win. This movie uses 10 percent of its brain.

   Critics handed it 67% on Rotten Tomatoes. Audiences handed it a C+ CinemaScore. It still made $469M worldwide, so people showed up. They just didn't buy it.
3. 6
   Undertone (2025)4.0

   Critics win, barely. It's creepier than a C grade.

   74% on Rotten Tomatoes versus a C CinemaScore. Widest gap on this list: critics beat 59% of movies, audiences only 16%. Guru's Take is 6.3.
4. 5
   War of the Worlds (2005)5.3

   Critics win. Spielberg's grimmest blockbuster is also his scariest.

   $603.9M worldwide and a B+ CinemaScore, yet the movie.guru score sits at 5.3. People bought the tickets, then talked themselves out of liking it.
5. 4
   28 Years Later (2025)6.0

   Critics win. The weird stuff is the whole point.

   88% on Rotten Tomatoes, a B CinemaScore. Danny Boyle made a coming-of-age story wearing a zombie sequel costume, and a $151.3M worldwide crowd wanted more running.
6. 3
   Backrooms (2026)6.1

   Audiences have a point. The hallways are better than the story.

   $10M reported budget, $400.6M worldwide. Legit huge. But a B minus CinemaScore says people loved the vibe and shrugged at the plot. 86% on Rotten Tomatoes feels generous.
7. 2
   Nope (2022)6.3

   Critics win, and audiences will catch up eventually.

   83% on Rotten Tomatoes, a B CinemaScore, $171.2M worldwide. Jordan Peele made a sky-watching western and people wanted a jump scare every ten minutes. Guru's Take is 7.8.
8. 1
   Her (2013)7.9

   Critics win. Yes, the one where he dates his operating system.

   95% on Rotten Tomatoes, 91 on Metacritic, then a B minus CinemaScore and $25.6M domestic. Joaquin Phoenix talking to an earpiece is the best sci-fi romance of its decade.

$1,467 says the #1 pick gets more angry comments than the other seven combined.

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Current mood: ready to fight about it