Mel Gibson movie with awful Rotten Tomatoes score climbs Netflix chart

A “terrible” Mel Gibson thriller from the 2020s has become one of Netflix’s most-watched movies on its top 10 chart, despite a low Rotten Tomatoes score.

Gibson was once one of the biggest actors in Hollywood, whether it was Mad Max, Lethal Weapon, What Women Want, or his ascent into filmmaking with Braveheart and The Passion of the Christ (which is still the highest-grossing R-rated movie of all time in the US).

However, controversies in the mid-2000s saw his star fall, leading to a number of starring roles in bargain bin movies and other low-budget films.

One such title is On the Line, now available on Netflix. It follows Elvis Cooney (Gibson), a radio host who takes a terrifying call from a man threatening to kill his entire family. “To save loved ones, the radio host will have to play a survival game and the only way to win is to find out the identity of the criminal,” the synopsis reads.

It was quietly released in 2022 to mostly negative reviews, earning a 21% score on Rotten Tomatoes (plus a 32% audience rating). While one critic called it a “really good Mel Gibson film”, others described it as “remarkably unthrilling and the big payoff might just have you throwing your popcorn at the screen… terrible, just terrible.”

It’s currently at number four on Netflix’s top 10 chart, behind Irish Wish, Damsel, and Shirley — and, unlike most critics, viewers have been enjoying it. “On The Line with Mel Gibson from Romuald Boulanger is a fantastic movie, thanks for showing it,” one user tweeted.

“This movie On the Line on Netflix got me hooked within the first 10 minutes,” another wrote. “On the Line on Netflix really had me feeling 100 emotions but good movie,” a third posted. “Mel Gibson and the entire cast did absolutely fabulous in the On The Line movie! It’s on Netflix. Whew. What a ride,” a fourth wrote.

On the Line is streaming on Netflix now. You can also check out other movies you should be streaming this month, and the best movies of 2024 so far.