More often than not, the reaction from the moviegoing public seems to parallel the critical response to a given picture. This isn’t a hard and fast rule. However, it’s still safe to say that critics and film lovers align more often than not.
I imagine that comes down to the fact that a good movie is a good movie. Full stop. The key difference between a critic and your average movie lover is that the critic might have an easier time articulating what makes the film good. However, almost anyone who appreciates cinema can tell the difference between a dud and a gem. Accordingly, it makes a lot of sense that film scholars and movie buffs often see eye to eye in their respective ratings.
There are exceptions to every trend, of course. Mickey Reece’s 2021 horror film Agnes is one such example. The film has a 68% ‘fresh’ rating on Rotten Tomatoes with more than 50 critic’s reviews counted. Beloved journalist Scott Weinberg even included the flick on a list spotlighting the best horror films of 2022.
With a critical response like that, you might assume the film made a similar impression on viewers. If you were to make that assumption, however, you would be dead wrong. The flick holds a 25% user approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. And the picture’s IMDb viewer score is equally dire. The flick currently sits at a 3.8/10 on the platform.
This divisive horror thriller that fans and critics cannot seem to agree on unfolds as follows:
A nun’s disturbing behavior sparks rumors of demonic possession at a remote convent. When a priest-in-waiting and his disillusioned mentor are sent to investigate, their methods backfire, leaving a wake of terror and trauma.
Poring over some of the user reviews, it looks as if viewers felt cheated by the tonal shift in the back half of the picture. Funny enough, that’s the piece critics connected with. Several film journalists who gave the picture a positive review praised the way that Agnes breaks from the formula in the second half. I guess all that goes to show that some films can’t please everyone.
Hayley McFarland plays the titular character in Agnes. Chris Browning, Molly C. Quinn, Sean Gunn, and Chris Sullivan round out the cast.
When does Agnes leave Hulu?
If you feel compelled to see where you fall on this polarizing religious horror film, act quickly. Agnes leaves Hulu on April 6, 2025.
That’s all we’ve got for you at present, dear reader. Stay tuned for more updates in the near future. If you’d like to keep up with me on social media, you can find me on Threads as @FunWithHorror.
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