While critics gave Black Adam a mere 44% rating and labeled it a “rotten tomato” on Rotten Tomatoes, global audiences scored it a much more generous 89%. With box office forecasts estimating $135 million in opening weekend revenue, the gap between critics and audience reactions is downright comical.

Black Adam, starring megastar Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, finds itself in a situation much like Sony’s Venom back in 2018. Both Venom and its sequel, Let There Be Carnage, sharply divided critics and viewers.

A Deep Divide—Wider Than the Mariana Trench

While critics and general audiences often disagree on blockbuster films, in rare cases, that divide becomes so vast it becomes the main story. This is one of those cases.

One fan, Jon Negroni, shared on Quora during the Venom debate:

“The short answer is: critics rate a movie; audiences rate an experience.”

Another viewer, Alexandra Cravioto, agreed:

“To a regular moviegoer, a film is ‘good’ if it makes them feel something—if they enjoy their time at the theater. Critics, on the other hand, focus on how the film is made: the script, editing, special effects, acting, story continuity…”

In other words, it’s not uncommon for a poorly made film (Venom) to be widely enjoyed, while a technically brilliant one (Hereditary) may turn off parts of the general audience.

So, What About Black Adam?

While critics acknowledged Dwayne Johnson’s charismatic performance as the DC Universe’s latest anti-hero, they harshly criticized the film’s plot and writing.

• Slashfilm wrote: “Black Adam feels more like a sketch than a finished movie.“

• Cinemablend added: “After years of production to shift the power balance in the DC Universe, the final product is a letdown.“

• IndieWire was blunt: “Every character in Black Adam feels like a cheap knockoff from Gotham or the Marvel Cinematic Universe.“

• 

But Do Audiences Care? Not Really.

Despite critical backlash, the film’s ultimate fate lies with the audience reaction and box office performance.

Ever since Venom sparked similar debates, comic book and superhero film fans have largely reached a conclusion:

Critics don’t matter anymore.

Do Critics Favor Marvel and Trash DC?

Following Black Adam‘s “rotten” rating, DC fans reignited a long-standing conversation:

Are superhero films outside the Marvel Cinematic Universe unfairly judged?

This suspicion stems from a pattern—Justice League (39%), Batman v Superman (29%), and Suicide Squad (26%) all received dismal critic scores, despite having loyal fanbases.

One fan pointed out:

“Man of Steel was loved by audiences but poorly rated by critics. Meanwhile, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law got high praise from critics despite being disliked by fans.”

A Twitter user wrote:

“If Black Adam had a Marvel logo instead of DC, Rotten Tomatoes critics would’ve rated it over 70%. I love both cinematic universes, but the bias toward Marvel over the years is ridiculous.“

Media outlet Watch compared Black Adam to Thor: Love and Thunder, which received 64% and a “fresh” label from critics—despite comparable quality.

All Eyes on Opening Weekend

As debates rage online, all eyes are on Black Adam’s first-weekend box office numbers, expected to be revealed next Monday. If the movie pulls in strong numbers, it may be the strongest rebuttal yet to how Rotten Tomatoes and other critical aggregators evaluate superhero films outside of Marvel.