The Most Divisive Christmas Films

Critics vs Moviegoers…

Christmas Eve (2015) starring Patrick Stewart and 2013 The Christmas Candle are the Christmas movies that have caused the biggest divide between critics and public, a new study has found.

The study, conducted by online expert VPNOverview.com, compiled data from Rotten Tomatoes on more than 80 Christmas movies and ranked them based on the difference between the critics’ reviews and the audience score.

“The relationship with Christmas movies is most often one of love or hate, with little space for in-betweens. Whether it’s timeless classics or new releases, Christmas movies undoubtedly attract a huge audience every year, and regardless of the critics’ opinions lots of festive movies are still loved by many and have a huge following.

“The list also shows how sometimes critical acclaim isn’t enough to earn a film’s popularity, showing how impeccable movie making sometimes is not enough.” – A spokesperson from VPNOverview.com

Among the movies which the audience enjoyed, first place is a tie between Christmas Eve, released in 2015 and starring Patrick Stewart, and The Christmas Candle, both with a variance of 53%.

Christmas Eve has received a rating of at least 3.5 stars out of five by 53% of the audience but received a positive review from none of the Tomato critics. The Christmas Candle was positively received by 21% critics compared to a promising 74% of the general public. The movie, which came out in 2013, follows the story of a minister’s quest to modernize his village whose inhabitants believe that whoever lights the candle will be granted a Christmas miracle.

In third comes Santa Claus: The Movie, the oldest film on the list as it was released in 1985, and while it is rated as a decent film by 66% of movie-watchers, the Tomatometer registered only 20% of critics giving it a good score – a difference of 46%.

Fourth on the list is a 2021 Netflix new release, Love Hard, starring Nina Dobrev (The Vampire Diaries), Jimmy O. Yang (Crazy,Rich,Asians), Darren Barnet (Never Have I Ever) and Harry Shum Jr. (Glee, Shadowhunters). The movie, a love story about modern day and online dating split the critics down the middle, with 50% giving it a good score, while there was a strong consensus from the audience, 94% of which rated it highly, resulting in a 44% variance and also the best audience score of the top 15.

The top five closes with Last Christmas, the 2019 bittersweet romantic comedy starring Emilia Clarke (Game of Thrones) and Henry Goulding (Crazy Rich Asians, A Small Favour), with a variance of 35%, after 46% of critics rated it positively, in contrast with 81% of the audience scoring it highly.

Top 15 most divisive Christmas movies – Audience’s favourites

The research also found the movies which were loved by the critics but panned by the public, with Happy Christmas from 2014, starring Anna Kendrick (Pitch Perfect) and Melanie Lynskey (Two and a Half Men). The movie was liked by 76% of critics, but only 37% of the audience, resulting in a 39% variance.

The second biggest gap between critical acclaim and public indifference is Netflix’s Let it Snow (2019), a romantic comedy that follows the stories of a small town group of high schoolers during a snowstorm, who will find love and friendship. While the 81% of critics were positive about the film, only 46% of the audience agreed, a difference of 35%.

The top three closes with Alien Xmas, a 2020 stop-motion animated film that revolves around X, a small alien whose job is to save the world when extra-terrestrials attempt to steal Earth’s gravity. The movie was a hit with 100% of critics, which couldn’t compare to the 69% of the audience who liked it, with the gap between the two resulting in a variance of 31%.

Seven out of the 10 most divisive movies that critics enjoyed but the public didn’t are Netflix productions.

Top 10 most divisive Christmas movies – Critics’ favourites

The analysis was conducted by VPNOverview.com, cybersecurity experts dedicated to helping internet users feel safer and protected online.