(Photo by Courtesy Everett Collection)

2022’s Rotten Movies You Loved: Fan Favorites of the Year

Take a gander at the top 10 movies of 2022’s box office. The theater-throttling Top Gun: Maverick. Dark noir The Batman. The soulful Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and silly slapstick of Minions: The Rise of Gru. A connective thread between them: They matched their dollar earnings with praise from critics and Fresh scores on the Tomatometer, with Top Gun (the highest domestic grosser of the year with $718 million) flying high with an incredible Certified Fresh 96% from critics and a 99% Audience Score from over 60,000 Verified Ratings. A true meeting of the minds and mass audiences.

But there are outliers in the top 10. Jurassic World Dominion is the most Rotten entry of the franchise, but it’s held on to a Verified 77% Audience Score and made $376 million, so theatergoers generally approved of the dino-cum-locusts mayhem and casting nostalgia bait. And also the critically dragged Black Adam cracked the top 10 box office, rocking a Verified 89% Audience Score.

In that spirit, we’ve put together Rotten 2022 Movies You Loved! Every movie that made over $1 million in theaters with a Rotten Tomatometer score (59% or lower) and a positive Audience Score (60% or higher). These include lit adaptation Where the Crawdads Sing, two from Mark Wahlberg (Father Stu, Uncharted), two from Liam Neeson (Blacklight, Memory) and the Julia Roberts and George Clooney rom-com savior Ticket to Paradise.

There was the disaster (B.O. and genre) Moonfall, tabloid fodder Don’t Worry Darling, and Brad Pitt‘s stylish action/comedy Bullet Train. Once we got the rogues gallery together, we ranked with the highest Audience Score leading. So while critics weren’t fully into these movies, they still put butts in seats (some a few million more than others) — crucial in an economically rocky year — before what looks like a roaring 2023 release lineup. —Alex Vo

Where the Crawdads Sing (2022)

34%

Critics Consensus: Daisy Edgar-Jones gives it her all, but Where the Crawdads Sing is ultimately unable to distill its source material into a tonally coherent drama.

Synopsis: From the best-selling novel comes a captivating mystery. Where the Crawdads Sing tells the story of Kya, an abandoned girl who raised herself to adulthood... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Daisy Edgar-Jones, Taylor John Smith, Harris Dickinson, Garret Dillahunt

Directed By: Olivia Newman

Gigi & Nate (2022)

19%

Critics Consensus: There's no denying Gigi & Nate's good intentions -- but it's also impossible to ignore this cloying drama's clunky execution.

Synopsis: Gigi & Nate is the story of Nate Gibson, a young man whose life is turned upside down after he suffers a near-fatal illness and... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Charlie Rowe, Marcia Gay Harden, Jim Belushi, Josephine Langford

Directed By: Nick Hamm, Elliot Davis

Father Stu (2022)

42%

Critics Consensus: Mark Wahlberg is hard-working but miscast in Father Stu, an issue compounded by the way the movie fumbles its fact-based story.

Synopsis: God needed a fighter, and He found one. Father Stu is based on the true-life story of boxer-turned-priest, Father Stuart Long, whose journey from self-destruction... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Mel Gibson, Jacki Weaver, Teresa Ruiz

Directed By: Rosalind Ross

Uncharted (2022)

41%

Critics Consensus: Promisingly cast but misleadingly titled, Uncharted mines its bestselling source material to produce a disappointing echo of superior adventure films.

Synopsis: Street-smart thief Nathan Drake (Tom Holland) is recruited by seasoned treasure hunter Victor "Sully" Sullivan (Mark Wahlberg) to recover a fortune lost by Ferdinand Magellan... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tom Holland, Mark Wahlberg, Sophia Ali, Tati Gabrielle

Directed By: Ruben Fleischer

Black Adam (2022)

39%

Critics Consensus: Black Adam may end up pointing the way to an exciting future for DC films, but as a standalone experience, it's a wildly uneven letdown.

Synopsis: Nearly 5,000 years after he was bestowed with the almighty powers of the ancient gods--and imprisoned just as quickly--Black Adam (Dwayne Johnson) is freed from... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Aldis Hodge, Noah Centineo, Sarah Shahi

Directed By: Jaume Collet-Serra

Ticket to Paradise (2022)

56%

Critics Consensus: Ticket to Paradise may not send viewers all the way to the promised land, but this reunion for a pair of megawatt stars is still an agreeably frothy good time.

Synopsis: Academy Award® winners George Clooney and Julia Roberts reunite on the big screen as exes who find themselves on a shared mission to stop their lovestruck daughter... View Full Synopsis

Starring: George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Kaitlyn Dever, Billie Lourd

Directed By: Ol Parker

The 355 (2022)

24%

Critics Consensus: It has a stellar cast and it's conceptually progressive, but The 355 squanders it all on a forgettable story, unremarkably told.

Synopsis: When a top-secret weapon falls into mercenary hands, wild card CIA agent Mason "Mace" Brown (Oscar®-nominated actress Jessica Chastain) will need to join forces with... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jessica Chastain, Sebastian Stan, Penélope Cruz, Lupita Nyong'o

Directed By: Simon Kinberg

Family Camp (2022)

40%

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: When their pastor encourages the congregation to sign-up for a week away at family camp, Grace (Leigh-Allyn Baker) believes she's found the perfect cure for... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tommy Woodard, Eddie James, Leigh-Allyn Baker, Gigi Orsillo

Directed By: Brian Cates

Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore (2022)

46%

Critics Consensus: Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore avoids some of the pitfalls that plagued its predecessor, but lacks much of the magic that drew audiences into the wizarding world many movies ago.

Synopsis: Professor Albus Dumbledore (Jude Law) knows the powerful Dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald (Mads Mikkelsen) is moving to seize control of the wizarding world. Unable to... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Eddie Redmayne, Jude Law, Mads Mikkelsen, Ezra Miller

Directed By: David Yates

#10

Blacklight (2022)

12%

Critics Consensus: Turn it off.

Synopsis: Trust, identity, and the danger of unchecked power push a covert operative to the edge in director Mark Williams' intense action thriller BLACKLIGHT. Travis Block... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Liam Neeson, Aidan Quinn, Emmy Raver-Lampman, Taylor John Smith

Directed By: Mark Williams

#11

Memory (2022)

29%

Critics Consensus: A pale facsimile of better action thrillers by star Liam Neeson or director Martin Campbell, Memory proves to be one of their most forgettable efforts yet.

Synopsis: Alex Lewis (Liam Neeson) is a hired assassin at a turning point. Living in El Paso, Texas, and coming to grips with a faltering memory... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Liam Neeson, Guy Pearce, Monica Bellucci, Taj Atwal

Directed By: Martin Campbell

#12

The King's Man (2021)

41%

Critics Consensus: Ralph Fiennes' solid central performance in The King's Man is done dirty by this tonally confused prequel's descent into action thriller tedium.

Synopsis: As a collection of history's worst tyrants and criminal masterminds gather to plot a war to wipe out millions, one man must race against time... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Ralph Fiennes, Harris Dickinson, Rhys Ifans, Djimon Hounsou

Directed By: Matthew Vaughn

#13

Studio 666 (2022)

56%

Critics Consensus: Studio 666 doesn't quite take its horror-comedy hybrid to 11, but if you're in the mood, this cheerfully over-the-top outing is a lot of fun.

Synopsis: In STUDIO 666, Rock & Roll Hall of Famers Foo Fighters move into an Encino mansion steeped in grisly rock history to record their much... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Dave Grohl, Taylor Hawkins, Nate Mendel, Rami Jaffee

Directed By: BJ McDonnell

#14

Jurassic World Dominion (2022)

29%

Critics Consensus: Jurassic World Dominion might be a bit of an improvement over its immediate predecessors in some respects, but this franchise has lumbered a long way down from its classic start.

Synopsis: This summer, experience the epic conclusion to the Jurassic era as two generations unite for the first time. Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard are... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum

Directed By: Colin Trevorrow

#15

Bullet Train (2022)

52%

Critics Consensus: Bullet Train's colorful cast and high-speed action are almost enough to keep things going after the story runs out of track.

Synopsis: In Bullet Train, Brad Pitt stars as Ladybug, an unlucky assassin determined to do his job peacefully after one too many gigs gone off the... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Brad Pitt, Joey King, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Brian Tyree Henry

Directed By: David Leitch

#16

Don't Worry Darling (2022)

38%

Critics Consensus: Despite an intriguing array of talent on either side of the camera, Don't Worry Darling is a mostly muddled rehash of overly familiar themes.

Synopsis: Alice and Jack are lucky to be living in the idealized community of Victory, the experimental company town housing the men who work for the... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Florence Pugh, Harry Styles, Olivia Wilde, Gemma Chan

Directed By: Olivia Wilde

#17

Medieval (2022)

39%

Critics Consensus: Some solid set pieces aren't enough to compensate for Medieval's thin and often incomprehensible plot.

Synopsis: Inspired by the true story of Jan ika, one of greatest warriors in history. After the death of its reigning emperor, the Holy Roman Empire... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Ben Foster, Matthew Goode, Sophie Lowe, Til Schweiger

Directed By: Petr Jákl

#18

The Contractor (2022)

45%

Critics Consensus: The Contractor is caught between message movie and standard-issue action thriller, satisfying neither aim despite strong work from a talented cast.

Synopsis: Chris Pine stars in the action-packed thriller as Special Forces Sergeant James Harper, who is involuntarily discharged from the Army and cut-off from his pension.... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Chris Pine, Ben Foster, Gillian Jacobs, Eddie Marsan

Directed By: Tarik Saleh

#19

Morbius (2022)

15%

Critics Consensus: Cursed with uninspired effects, rote performances, and a borderline nonsensical story, this dreary mess is a vein attempt to make Morbius happen.

Synopsis: One of the most compelling and conflicted characters in Sony Pictures Universe of Marvel Characters comes to the big screen as Oscar® winner Jared Leto... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jared Leto, Matt Smith, Adria Arjona, Jared Harris

Directed By: Daniel Espinosa

#20

Moonfall (2022)

35%

Critics Consensus: Whether Moonfall is so bad it's good or simply bad will depend on your tolerance for B-movie cheese -- but either way, this is an Emmerich disaster thriller through and through.

Synopsis: In Moonfall, a mysterious force knocks the Moon from its orbit around Earth and sends it hurtling on a collision course with life as we... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Halle Berry, Patrick Wilson, John Bradley, Michael Peña

Directed By: Roland Emmerich

#21

Easter Sunday (2022)

40%

Critics Consensus: Easter Sunday's refreshing representation is frustratingly undermined by stale gags and an unimaginative approach to its numbingly familiar story.

Synopsis: Stand-up comedy sensation Jo Koy (Jo Koy: In His Elements, Jo Koy: Comin' in Hot) stars as a man returning home for an Easter celebration... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jo Koy, Eugene Cordero, Tia Carrere, Asif Ali

Directed By: Jay Chandrasekhar

#22

Prey for the Devil (2022)

15%

Critics Consensus: There's no dearth of possession stories within the genre, and potboiler Prey for the Devil may leave completists needing a truly horrific -- or at least fun -- exorcist palate cleanser.

Synopsis: Sister Ann (Jacqueline Byers) believes she is answering a calling to be the first female exorcist... but who, or what, called her? In response to... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jacqueline Byers, Colin Salmon, Christian Navarro, Lisa Palfrey

Directed By: Daniel Stamm

#23

Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank (2022)

56%

Critics Consensus: While it might be intriguing for Mel Brooks completists, Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank is an often ungainly blend of kid-friendly animation and grown-up gags.

Synopsis: A down-on-his-luck hound finds himself in a town full of cats who need a hero to defend them from a ruthless villain's evil plot to... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Michael Cera, Samuel L. Jackson, Ricky Gervais, Mel Brooks

Directed By: Mark Koetsier, Chris Bailey, Rob Minkoff

#24

Amsterdam (2022)

31%

Critics Consensus: Amsterdam has a bunch of big stars and a very busy plot, all of which amounts to painfully less than the sum of its dazzling parts.

Synopsis: In 1933 three close friends find themselves at the center of one of the most shocking secret plots in American history.

Starring: Christian Bale, Margot Robbie, John David Washington, Chris Rock

Directed By: David O. Russell

#25

The Invitation (2022)

32%

Critics Consensus: Despite a very likable lead and a refreshingly light touch, The Invitation is ultimately too predictable to thrill as either a romance or a horror story.

Synopsis: After the death of her mother and having no other known relatives, Evie (Nathalie Emmanuel) takes a DNA test... and discovers a long-lost cousin she... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Nathalie Emmanuel, Thomas Doherty, Stephanie Corneliussen, Alana Boden

Directed By: Jessica M. Thompson