It’s a common notion that just because something is popular, that doesn’t mean it’s good. That is especially true on streaming services, and often on Netflix, where it is certainly the case today. Netflix has just released a new Kevin Hart film, 72 Hours, and it has quickly become one of the worst-reviewed comedies in the history of the service.
72 Hours has just a 17% on Rotten Tomatoes from critics, with a still-not-good 48% audience score, indicating that this is not going to be a fan-favorite. But, of course, it’s debuted at #1, so people are absolutely watching it. That figure puts 72 Hours in a rare low tier of Netflix originals, with similar movies like:
- The Bubble – 20%
- Game Over, Man! – 19%
- Special Correspondents – 16%
- Senior Year – 24%
- Thunder Force – 22%
There is, however, the “bottomless pit” tier as well, which includes the likes of:
- The Ridiculous 6 – 0%
- The True Memoirs of an International Assassin – 0%
- Naked – 0%
- Father of the Year – 0%
I know that you’re probably going to say that Netflix just puts out “slop,” so of course its comedies are bad. But at this point, Netflix puts out so much content that yes, it does find some gems in all genres. Here are its highest-scored original comedies:
- Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl – 100%
- Hit Man – 95%
- Dolemite Is My Name – 97%
- To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before – 96%
And Netflix also has the Knives Out series, boasting 97%, 91% and 92% scores for its three installments so far, with more to come. As for 72 Hours, Kevin Hart is a comedy giant, at least at the box office. The film also stars Best Supporting Actress Nominee from One Battle After Another, Teyana Taylor, opposite Hart, so it has star power. Here’s the synopsis:
“A forty-year-old executive hopes to save his flailing career by joining a group of twenty-somethings on a wild three-day bachelor party, after he’s inadvertently added to their group text.”
Honestly, not the worst idea for a comedy I’ve heard, but it just doesn’t work, it seems. A review excerpt:
- FandomWire: “The streaming game prioritizes content over quality. That’s when Netflix tags in director Tim Story, who recycles the same material so frequently that it practically amounts to self-plagiarism.”
Ouch. But hey, if you want a positive take, one of the only positive reviews is from the New York Times!
- “The humor is broad and crude and often genuinely funny. The younger comedians are excellent foils for Hart, who himself remains an uncanny talent.”
So, if you’re going to watch, I wish you luck, but don’t be surprised if it’s a miss.
Follow me on Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram.
Pick up my sci-fi novels the Herokiller series and The Earthborn Trilogy.