Action Movies Critics Loved That Totally Bombed At The Box Office

A movie critic's job is to offer insightful, observant, but overall subjective opinions to help us decide if we're going to enjoy a film. It's not important to be right about whether one is good or not, but noting a film's overall quality is a tool we often take for granted. On the flip side, audiences aren't always "right" either, passing up great movies on the way to something else.

There are lots of reasons genuinely great movies can end up tanking at the box office. Issues like a terrible — or worse, ignorant — marketing plan by the studio, as "Crimson Peak" endured; or, as Schwarzenegger realized with the release of "The Last Action Hero," poorly timing the film's release date can lead to disaster. And sometimes the project's topic is something a general audience isn't going to vibe with, leading to niche and classic works that are still worth remembering. Action movies are bait for general audiences, however, and it's rare but shocking when a proper shoot-em-up that earns coveted critical acclaim doesn't click with ticket-buyers. Let's remember some of the best action flicks that audiences missed the first time out.

"The Nice Guys" stars Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling continue to have thriving careers, and yet this rollicking Shane Black action-comedy is somehow even less well known than Robert Downey Jr.'s comeback ride, "Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang." With a Rotten Tomatoes score of 91%, critics understood we had a fresh new take on a formula made familiar by "48 Hrs." and "Lethal Weapon," yet it scrambled for audience notice. It took fourth place in its opening weekend, its lunch stolen by a movie about grumpy iPhone birds and "Neighbors 2," a Seth Rogen flick that we have no problems with, but is a better experience at home, flying as high as a French-fry-laden seagull.

It's possible that "The Nice Guys" and its visibly '70s-era hardboiled premise threw off audiences, who associate films about this era with dramas like "Boogie Nights" and "Jackie Brown." Even so, there are few roles where Crowe doesn't go all out, and as the movie's heavy, Jackson Healy, how can you not expect him to go fightin' 'round the world? Gosling, meanwhile, repeatedly proves he's adept in various genres and as PI Holland March, he's at the top of his game here.

Say the name William Friedkin, and the eerie jingle of "The Exorcist" kicks off in the backs of our minds. While there's no doubt that he's the director of one of the finest horror movies ever made, it ignores the rest of a strong career. Included in his resume is "Sorcerer," an intense action-drama that had the bad luck to come out during the summer of "Star Wars," with a title that recalled something far more supernatural than an ordinary truck and its deadly cargo.

Freidkin intended "Sorcerer" to be a reimagining of the original novel "Le Salaire de la peur" ("The Salary of Fear") by French author Georges Arnaud, but some critics passed the film over as a remake, instead. Roger Ebert quickly became an advocate for the film, and that may have helped Friedkin's secret action masterpiece earn the glowing critical reassessment it has today. Nothing, however, could tear audiences away from droids and fascism; not even its star, Roy Scheider, who helped Steven Spielberg dominate the box office with "Jaws" two years earlier. "Sorcerer" fought to earn $12 million worldwide, against a $21 million budget. Despite its obscurity, it remains one of the best, most cerebral action movies ever made.

With its slow, contemplative cinematography and bleak palette, it may be hard to think of "Children of Men" as the action-thriller it's categorized as actually being. Cerebral in its environmental and mortal conceits, and, frankly, beautifully depressing, it remains a sleeper hit with those that know it. Regarded lovingly by critics and Film Twitter goblins, it's hard to get people onto the couch to "enjoy" one of the best soul-destroying flicks since "Grave of the Fireflies."

With a decaying world and the remnants of infertile humanity falling into chaos, there's not a lot of hope to look for in its car chases and one-shot cafe explosions. Yet, there is some, as a single baby becomes a mostly silent protagonist in a world crying to make as much noise as it can with the time it has left. Despite a magnificent 92% on Rotten Tomatoes and the talents of star Clive Owen, it limped through its time at the box office. It came up $6 million short against its $76 million budget. We know "Children of Men" is a masterpiece, dammit. You should find that out, too.

Two pulp movies for the price of one, like the cheapo drive-ins of old. That's the gimmick of "Grindhouse," which hands us the Troma-riffic Robert Rodriguez love letter "Planet Terror" as an early dessert to help the much talkier Quentin Tarantino second act "Death Proof" go down smoother. Peppered in are gonzo trailers for movies that didn't exist. Some of them were so fun that they've since been released, like "Machete" and "Hobo With A Shotgun." But the real meat of "Grindhouse" is good enough.

"Planet Terror" blends over-the-top action with gory zombie guts, even adding in the effects of a missing film reel; while "Death Proof" is a bit more '70s thriller, with a serial killer who screws with the wrong pack of women. Critics loved the deliberate homage to the decades of joyously crap movies they've experienced. Audiences, unfortunately, were uninterested, and the true reasons are probably multiple but also vague. The total length, trailers and all, was over three hours — that's a big ask for its Easter weekend release. And both segments starred Rose McGowan, whose presence may have tanked the film's advertising, thanks to the involvement of since-convicted sexual predator and producer Harvey Weinstein. All told, "Grindhouse" made less than half its budget, despite being a quality ride with two top directors.

If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).

Bruce Timm, Eric Radomski, and Paul Dini's "Batman: The Animated Series" remains one of the finest entries in the Batman canon. With its stylish aesthetic, Kevin Conroy's gravelly voice as our hero, and Mark Hamill as the Joker, it offered a cache of terrific stories that pulled in adults and kids. It was partially with that in mind that WB greenlit a full-length movie on the strength of its first season. Eager to capitalize on success, "Mask of the Phantasm" went from being a straight-to-DVD movie-length episode to a theatrical release, with WB able to give the animators greater funding to make up for a truncated development time.

Unfortunately, the hurried schedule and light marketing campaign weren't enough to give what's arguably still the best Batman movie a Christmas miracle. It only earned $5.6 million worldwide – the opening weekend gross a bigger bomb than what Joker would make in a Lockheed Martin missile factory. Critics began setting the stage for its redemption once it hit home video, however, realizing that they'd missed something wonderful. Today, it typically receives the glory it's due from Batman's biggest fans. Even outside of the superhero genre, it's an excellent piece of action.