Cats: The Worst Movie of the Decade Hits Netflix
A movie that was dubbed the worst of the 2010s has just hit Netflix, causing a stir among viewers. Despite its initial flop, Cats is now available for streaming, prompting mixed reactions from subscribers. Will it make its way to the top 10 chart? Only time will tell.
The Unexpected Resurgence of Flop Movies on Netflix
Just because a movie or series flops - both critically and commercially - doesn’t necessarily mean it will do the same on streaming. Especially when it comes to Netflix, where time and again we’ve seen failures enjoy a new lease of life and maintain a spot on the top 10 chart for weeks.
But there are some titles so bad that even a Netflix release might not be enough to convince viewers to tune in – or they could end up traumatizing a whole new viewership pool.
The Worst Movie of the Decade: Cats
In case you hadn’t guessed it already, we’re talking about Tom Hooper’s 2019 Broadway musical adaptation, Cats. Despite being hailed the 'worst movie of the 2010s,' it arrived on Netflix on January 16.
When the film was released in December 2019, it unexpectedly flopped at the box office, making $75.5 million against an estimated production budget of around $95 million. It also earned just 19% from the critics and 53% from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes. A few years back, analysis by SlotsOnlineCanada found Cats to be the worst movie of the 2010s.
The narrative didn’t translate well from stage to screen, and the visual effects, particularly the decision to create cat-like human characters with digital fur, thrust the film into uncanny valley territory. The Hollywood Reporter described the film as a profoundly disturbed state through the gaps between your fingers at the finished film. Variety added that Cats hurts the eyes and ears, as nearly all the musical numbers have been twisted into campy, awards-grubbing cameos for big-name stars in bad-CG cat drag.
Despite all of this, Netflix has added Cats to its library, with some subscribers baffled at the choice. Will Cats hit the top 10 chart? Time will tell…
Mixed Reactions to Cats on Netflix
The addition of Cats to the Netflix library has prompted mixed reactions from subscribers, with some expressing disbelief and others anticipating second-hand embarrassment. Taking to X/Twitter, one wrote: 'Wait they’re putting Cats on Netflix??' Another said: 'lol Netflix’s description of Cats (2019) being ‘visually striking’ ya you can f*cking say that again.' A third added: 'In case anyone wants to experience the second-hand embarrassment again… Cats is coming to Netflix on Tuesday.'
