Chicken Run sequel lands Netflix’s #2 movie of the week, but two older horrors are also a surprise success
Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget is one of the biggest new Netflix movies to stream in December 2023, and it's already a big hit. The Chicken coop sequel shot to number two on Netflix's streaming charts, with nearly 12 million views. It's everything you'd expect from Aardman Animations, with loads of sight gags and plenty of slapstick for all ages to enjoy.
But if you look a little further into the charts, you will see two more unexpected newcomers. Underwaterwhich has racked up nearly six million views, and Old, which has only been viewed a few hundred thousand times. The first was a flop when it was released in 2020 Old has a rather uninspiring 50% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Old
In Old, a family on vacation discovers that the secluded beach where they relax for a few hours is causing them to age rapidly, reducing their entire lives into one day. Eek!
It's a great concept, but as the 50% score on Rotten Tomatoes indicates: Old has sown deep divisions. The people who hated it really hated it The cinematic role saying that the film proved that “M. Night Shyamalan is a one-trick pony who isn't the most exciting filmmaker”. The Australian Herald Sun thinks it could be a good hate-watch: “Old is frustrating, Old is foolish, Old is fun, and Old It just has to be the so-bad-it's-good movie of the year.”
There's no doubt about that Old has mistakes. But that doesn't mean it's not worth watching. Jenny Heaton from Alternative lens said that “there's just enough chills and thrills here to make it a timid recommendation,” while Scott Weinberg of Thrillist suggested that while it “isn't among M. Night's best, it has enough interesting ideas, compelling characters and disturbing moments to keep genre fans happy”.
Underwater
In Underwatera team of oceanic researchers must seek safety after an earthquake destroys their deep-water research and drilling facility. What happens next according to The new everydayis “Alienbut with big fish.” The core idea is perhaps as old as Alienbut Scott Weinberg from Thrillist thinks that “if it's retold this damn well, you can sign me up every time”.
Donald Clarke of the Irish times wasn't too happy, but did manage to make an excellent 70s music-related joke: the movie is “dark, dark, cheap, cheap!”. Starburst liked it more, arguing that “Underwater is an enjoyably delivered, well-crafted, dank monster melee that's perfectly equipped to deliver an immersive cinematic wave of entertainment”. It's derivative because the water is deep, but it's still hugely entertaining.