Netflix's latest sci-fi thriller, "The Last House," has ascended to the number one spot worldwide on the streaming platform, despite a critical consensus that awards it a meager 27% on Rotten Tomatoes. The 112-minute film, directed by Louis Leterrier and starring Greta Lee and Wagner Moura, debuted last Friday and has since captivated a global audience, according to FlixPatrol data.
This success follows a pattern seen with previous Netflix releases, such as "Bird Box" and "War Machine," which achieved significant viewership despite mixed or poor critical reviews. More recently, the comedy "72 Hours" also found a large audience despite a 17% Rotten Tomatoes score.
"The Last House" centers on the Delgado family—Jason (Moura) and Ann (Lee) and their two children—who find themselves inexplicably trapped within their suburban home. An invisible force seals all exits, mirroring a phenomenon occurring throughout their neighborhood as a relentless rain falls outside. The family begins to witness strange creatures in the storm, forcing them into a desperate fight for survival as resources dwindle over weeks, months, and eventually years.
Director Louis Leterrier, known for action films like "Fast X" and "Now You See Me," found the intimate, personal nature of Matthew Robinson's screenplay particularly resonant. As a father himself, Leterrier identified with the parental drive to protect one's family, stating in an interview that the project felt uniquely personal for him.
Critical reception for "The Last House" has largely focused on its promising premise and strong performances from its leads, with criticisms often arising regarding the film's narrative direction. Many reviewers acknowledged the compelling central family dynamic and survival story but felt the film became convoluted as its larger sci-fi elements were introduced. While Moura and Lee's portrayal of a family adapting to prolonged isolation was praised, some critics found the nearly two-hour runtime strained the contained concept. Parallels to COVID-19 lockdowns were also noted, particularly in the film's final act, which attempts to explain the unfolding mysteries. Some reviews suggested that the claustrophobic tension of the early survival narrative was more engaging than the eventual creature features and climax.
Conversely, Polygon's review praised "The Last House," likening it to "the best Steven Spielberg sci-fi thriller that Spielberg never made." This perspective highlighted the film's success in keeping the family at the core of the narrative, even as the situation escalated into the fantastical.
Regardless of critical opinion, "The Last House" demonstrates that a film's popularity on Netflix is not solely dictated by its critical score, resonating strongly with the platform's vast subscriber base.
