Kevin Hart leaps to No. 1 with new Netflix movie, but critics don't like it

Kevin Hart leaps to No. 1 with new Netflix movie, but critics don't like it

Netflix has a new No. 1 movie. Just days after its debut, the action-comedy "Lift" has taken the top spot on the most-viewed streaming list. The heist film stars Kevin Hart and has garnered a lot of attention, but not much critical acclaim.

The Rift landed on Netflix last Friday (January 14) and has already surpassed The Equalizer 3, After Everything, and Society of the Snow on Netflix's Top 10 list. And with Netflix's list of new movies and shows to watch this week looking a bit thin, the film could stay atop the service's most-watched chart for a long time.

In the film, Hart plays Cyrus, a master thief recruited by an Interpol agent's ex-lover (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) to pull off a so-called "impossible" heist. The plan is to steal $500 million in gold bullion from an airliner from London to Zurich.

But to complete the mission in the air, Cyrus must first gather a fearless crew to help him. And as expected, once on the plane, not everything goes according to plan, and the team must pivot quickly on the fly.

In addition to Hart and Mbatha-Raw, the film stars Sam Worthington, Vincent D'Onofrio, Ursula Corbello, Billy Magnussen, and Kim Younge. Additionally, the new Netflix original film will be directed by F. Gary Gray, who is no stranger to high-stakes blockbusters, having previously directed "The Fate of the Furious" in 2017.

The Rift may be high on Netflix's top 10 list, but the critical response has been less than positive.

Right now, the film holds a low score of 28% on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, and it appears that viewers are not that impressed with the heist comedy. Lift's audience score currently stands at just 34% from over 250 reviews.

Richard Roper of the Chicago Sun-Times claimed that Lift "steals ideas from better films" and labeled it "unoriginal," but praised its "talented" cast; RogerEbert.com's Christy Lemire similarly felt it was "star-studded" and "competently produced," but ultimately concluded that it was an "empty" experience.

Peter Travers was particularly scathing in his ABC News review, stating that Lift "starts off the New Year with a Kevin Hart fiasco that doesn't even try to be funny, preferring to glide along as a mediocre heist film that steals time that can never be recovered."

Similarly, Samantha Bergson of IndieWire said that "what is really being stolen here is our time," and Ed Power of the Daily Telegraph described "Lift" as an "Ocean's 11 knockoff" with "zero appeal."

Empire Magazine's Beth Webb described it as "tumultuous," but praised Mabata-Roe's performance, saying the film "should drive her to bigger and bolder things."

While there are few positive reviews online, Adrian Horton of The Guardian said in a three-star review that "there are plenty of elements to keep many viewers on their toes throughout the film's 1 hour 44 minute running time."

If you crave an easily digestible Netflix movie that mixes blockbuster spectacle with witty humor, "Rift" may appeal. And with a PG-13 rating and an overall tone that doesn't take things too seriously, it's perfect for the whole family.

However, if you are looking for something memorable on Netflix, you might want to choose from Netflix's best movies instead. Lift is a very forgettable action-comedy that won't make this year's best-of list.

If you want alternatives, there are plenty of top films to watch this week. And if you subscribe to Max, the streaming service has added a selection of movies with high Rotten Tomatoes scores.

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