Summary
- Despite poor reviews,
The Union
is Netflix’s top movie, beating out popular titles like
The Emoji Movie
. - Critics and audiences slam the movie for its generic plot, uninspired characters, and weak dialogue.
- The film’s stars, Wahlberg and Berry, couldn’t salvage the lackluster plot, contributing to its forgettable nature.
Mark Wahlberg and Halle Berry’s new movie with a 41% Rotten Tomatoes score, The Union, is Netflix’s most-watched movie. Directed by Julian Farino (Entourage) with a script written by Joe Barton (The Lazarus Project) and David Guggenheim (Safe House, Stolen), Netflix’s new action comedy follows a down-to-earth construction worker who is thrust into the world of espionage when his high school sweetheart recruits him for an intelligence mission. Other than Wahlberg and Berry in the lead roles, The Union cast also includes Mike Colter, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Alice Lee, Jackie Earle Haley, and J.K. Simmons.
Now, a few days after its debut, Wahlberg and Berry’s new action comedy is Netflix’s most-watched movie. The Union is number one on Netflix’s Top 10 movies in the United States today, August 19. It ranked in front of The Emoji Movie, Night School, Trolls Band Together, Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax, and The Super Mario Bros. Movie.
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The Union is Netflix’s frothy spy rom-com starring Halle Berry and Mark Wahlberg, and the movie’s ending might just be setting up a new franchise.
Why The Union Reviews Are So Bad
It Has 41% & 27% Scores On Rotten Tomatoes
The Union is the number one movie on Netflix in the United States today despite dismal reviews from both critics and audiences. On Rotten Tomatoes, the movie has a terrible 41% score from the critics, and an even worse 27% audience score. The Union reviews are overwhelmingly critical of its generic and predictable nature, with many deriding the film for its lack of originality and stale dialogue. Many of the reviews highlight the film’s failure to stand out among other spy thrillers, pointing to its clichéd plot, uninspired characters, and weak script.
Despite the presence of stars like Wahlberg and Berry, their performances are widely seen as insufficient to elevate the film above its mediocrity, with some reviews outright criticizing their on-screen chemistry. The movie’s reception doesn’t get better among audiences and, in fact, it’s even worse, as indicated by its Rotten Tomatoes scores. Among the 250+ ratings on Rotten Tomatoes, audiences criticize its poor casting, uninspired plotting, disinterested performances, lack of originality, and overall dullness of the direction and script.
A bad movie like The Union being popular on Netflix is nothing new. In fact, both actors have previously starred in bad Netflix movies that were somewhat popular on the streaming service, including Wahlberg’s Me Time, which scored 7% and 32% on Rotten Tomatoes, and Berry’s Bruised, which received much more respectable 50% and 56% scores. Overall, despite being the steamer’s most-watched movie right now, The Union is another forgettable entry into Netflix’s catalog of action comedies.
Source: Netflix
The Union (2024)
2.5
The Union is an upcoming film that explores the intersecting lives of multiple characters as they navigate complex relationships, personal struggles, and social issues.
- Director
- Julian Farino
- Release Date
- August 16, 2024
- Studio(s)
- Leverage Entertainment , Municipal Pictures , Closest to the Hole Productions
- Writers
- David Guggenheim , Joe Barton
- Runtime
- 109 Minutes