HOLLYWOOD HYPOCRISY: THE PERCENT RESURGENCE
Jason Statham and Megan Fox are proving that critical consensus is utterly meaningless in the age of streaming. Their action thriller disaster, Expendbles, which was brutally panned by critics and carries a humiliating % rating on Rotten Tomatoes, has suddenly surged back into the Starz top streaming charts.
This is a major middle finger to the industry establishment. The film, which concluded the aging Expendables franchise and also starred Sylvester Stallone, was a theatrical flop. But fans are flocking to the garbage can cinema, proving that audiences don’t care about sophisticated reviews—they care about Statham kicking butt and Fox looking glamorous.
The audience-driven Popcornmeter rating sits at a much more respectable %, highlighting the massive disconnect between the elite critics and the popcorn-chomping public. The sudden streaming success is reportedly linked to fans binging Statham’s filmography after the recent release of his new movie, A Working Man.
FOX’S MYSTIQUE: CARRYING THE CRITICAL CARCASS
While Statham is the anchor, Megan Fox is the magnetic force giving this critical carcass new life. Fox’s inclusion in Expendbles added a layer of necessary, albeit chaotic, star power to the franchise’s final installment. Her presence, alongside Stallone’s fading glory, was a blatant attempt to attract new viewers.
The star power combination worked, with the film already spending more than days atop streaming charts before its initial dip. Now, it’s back, thanks in part to Fox’s enduring ability to generate buzz, regardless of the quality of the project. This is a testament to her celebrity mystique: if Megan Fox is in it, people will watch it, critics be damned.
The plot, the stunts, and the critical devastation are all secondary to the star combination. The fact that the film is now a streaming “hit” confirms Hollywood is right to focus on bankable names over actual quality control.
STATHAM’S STRATEGY: ACTION OVER AUTHENTICITY
Statham is laughing all the way to the bank, proving that volume and brand loyalty crush critical reviews every time. The actor is currently working through a packed schedule of action flicks, doubling down on the formula that keeps his audiences engaged.
He is set to reprise his role as Adam Clay in the sequel to the film The Beekeeper, though director David Ayer has been replaced by the less established Timo Tjahjanto (Nobody ). Statham is also locked in for Mutiny, an action thriller set for a January release, and is expected to return for a larger role as Deckard Shaw in Fast X: Part , set to begin production this summer.
This aggressive line-up confirms Statham’s strategy: produce high-energy, non-stop action content that appeals directly to the percent of the audience who don’t rely on Rotten Tomatoes scores.
percent? Who cares! Expendbles is what you watch when you want pure, brain-off action. Jason Statham and Megan Fox are an unbeatable B-movie combo. The critics can stay home and watch their art films.
STREAMING SECRETS: VOD PRICE WAR
Statham’s latest, A Working Man, may have left theaters, but its digital push is a clear part of the financial strategy to keep the star’s content flowing. The film is currently available for rent at . and purchase at . on digital platforms like Prime Video.
As an Amazon MGM production, it is primed for a lucrative shift to free streaming on Prime Video once its VOD run is complete. This aggressive digital lifecycle ensures that every piece of Statham-Fox content maximizes its revenue, regardless of initial critical reception.
️ THE CURSE OF THE CRITIC: DOES QUALITY MATTER?
The success of Expendbles on streaming poses a massive, existential question for Hollywood: Does the quality of a film actually matter when the audience will inevitably seek out star power and pure action spectacle? The percent rating should have buried the film, yet its continued resurgence proves the critic is losing the power war.
Megan Fox and Jason Statham are the ultimate weapons in this new media landscape, drawing viewers purely on brand recognition and the promise of over-the-top, unapologetic action.
The ultimate cliffhanger is: As Expendbles continues to thrive with its toxic percent rating, will Hollywood learn that star power and marketing are the only things that truly matter in the streaming era, or will they continue to ignore the audience and chase critical acclaim?
The trash is trending, and the critics are silenced.
