Chicken Run sequel lands Netflix’s #2 movie of the week, but two older horrors are also a surprise success

What’s revived interest in these two subpar films?

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nuggetis one of the biggestnew Netflix moviesto stream in December 2023, and it’s already a big hit. TheChicken Runsequel rocketed to number two in theNetflixstreaming charts, racking up nearly 12 million views. It’s everything you’d expect from Aardman Animations, with tons of sight gags and plenty of slapstick for all ages to enjoy.

But if you look a little further down the charts, you’ll see two more unexpected new entrants.Underwater, which has racked up close to six million views, andOld, which is only a few hundred thousand views behind it. The former was a flop when it was released back in 2020, whileOldhas a pretty uninspiring 50% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Old

InOld, a vacationing family discovers that the secluded beach where they’re relaxing for a few hours is somehow causing them to age rapidly, reducing their entire lives into a single day. Eek!

It’s a great concept, but as the 50% Rotten Tomatoes score indicates,Oldhas been deeply divisive. The people who disliked it really disliked it, withThe Cinematic Reelsaying that the film proved that “M. Night Shyamalan is a one-trick pony who isn’t the most exciting filmmaker”.The Australian Herald Sunreckons that it could be a good hate-watch: “Oldis frustrating,Oldis foolish,Oldis fun, andOldjust has to be the so-bad-it’s-good movie of the year.”

There’s no doubt thatOldis flawed. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth watching. Jenny Heaton ofAlternative Lenssaid that “there’s just enough chills and suspense here to give it a trepidatious recommendation,” while Scott Weinberg ofThrillistsuggested that while it “doesn’t rank among M. Night’s finest, [it] has enough interesting ideas, compelling characters, and disturbing moments to keep genre fans happy”.

Underwater

InUnderwater, a team of oceanic researchers have to find safety after an earthquake devastates their deepwater research and drilling facility. What happens next, according toThe New Daily, is “Alien, but with big fish”. The core idea may be as old asAlien, but Scott Weinberg ofThrillistreckons that “when it’s re-told this damn well, you can sign me up every time”.

Donald Clarke of theIrish Timeswasn’t so happy, but did manage to make an excellent 70s music-related joke: the film is “murky, murky, cheap, cheap!”. Starburst liked it more, arguing that “Underwateris an enjoyably delivered, well made, moist monster melee that is perfectly equipped to offer a submerged cinematic wave of entertainment”. It’s derivative as its water is deep, but it’s still enormously entertaining.

Get the best Black Friday deals direct to your inbox, plus news, reviews, and more.

Sign up to be the first to know about unmissable Black Friday deals on top tech, plus get all your favorite TechRadar content.

You might also like

Writer, broadcaster, musician and kitchen gadget obsessive Carrie Marshall has been writing about tech since 1998, contributing sage advice and odd opinions to all kinds of magazines and websites as well as writing more than a dozen books. Her memoir,Carrie Kills A Man, is on sale now and her next book, about pop music, is out in 2025. She is the singer in Glaswegian rock bandUnquiet Mind.

‘That was never the plan’: Arcane creators dismiss claims that the hit Netflix show was going to run for five seasons

Arcane season 2 was reportedly going to run for five seasons, so why is my all-time favorite Netflix show ending after two?

Arcane season 2 confirms the hit series isn’t just one of the best Netflix shows ever made – it’s an animated legend that’ll stand the test of time