"Bright" is the latest example of a film panned by critics and later praised by fans. Is this just a clear opinion divide, or are fans reacting to the expectations set up by critical reviews?

The gap between critic and fan responses to major films has been growing. There is no one "consensus" on either side, but lately we've seen more examples of critics loving a film while the audience slams it. On the flip side, if critics dislike a film, many fans seem to like it. Since the critics' reviews are posted first, some fans may be reacting to the expectations, thinking, "Well, it's not THAT good/bad."

Over at Rotten Tomatoes, the new Will Smith Netflix movie "Bright" currently has a 33 percent rating but an 89 percent Audience Score. That's a massive divide.

It's reminiscent of "Justice League" having a low 41 percent rating from critics vs. fans giving it a 78 percent Audience Score. On the other side, it also calls to mind "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" getting a 92 percent rating from critics and just 53 percent from the audience.

Sometimes it pays to put fans in defense mode before they even see the movie.

Director David Ayer is no stranger to this dynamic. His "Suicide Squad" got a 26 percent rating from critics and 61 percent from fans. He's taking the "Bright" criticism in stride:


The critic vs. fan divide continued as more reactions poured in:

"Bright" was released on Netflix on December 22. What did you think of it?

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