Paying Critics for Positive Reviews on Rotten Tomatoes is officially now True

[Valentis]

https://nordic.ign.com/ophelia/72407...iews-uncovered

While film and television reviews aggregator Rotten Tomatoes has come under scrutiny by filmmakers like Martin Scorsese before, a new report doubles down on why consumers may want to think twice before taking a recommendation from the website.

In an in-depth report published earlier today, Vulture uncovered a scheme from a PR firm called Bunker 15 to goose reviews for 2018 Daisy Ridley drama Ophelia. After initial reviews came in, resulting in a disappointing 46% rating on Rotten Tomatoes (a movie is deemed “rotten” if falling short of a 60% rating), Vulture reports that Bunker 15 started paying lower-level critics on the website to post positive reviews for $50 a pop, essentially trying to manipulate the system. The firm also lobbied one critic to change their negative review to positive.

As it turns out, the scheme worked and the money followed: Ophelia jumped up to a 62% rating, scoring that coveted “fresh” label, and the next month, IFC Films announced it acquired the film for distribution.

Bunker 15, for its part, denied the allegations, with founder Daniel Harlow telling Vulture, “We have thousands of writers in our distribution list. A small handful have set up a specific system where filmmakers can sponsor or pay to have them review a film.”

Understandably, many reacted to the report with a mixture of disbelief and sadness over how this could happen.

[Captain Smith]

There's a report out on the book blurbs on the back cover. Some well known authors demand a buck or two for that rave review. What else is new? The report goes over how famous writers for centuries did this.

[Godzilla2099]

This was beyond obvious when they said The Last Jedi was so epic that it was the next Empire Strikes Back

[krazijoe]

WHAT? It's like that NEVER happens, specially in Video Games...Doesn't IGN Review movies too?

[Username taken]

My problem with RT is how they've expanded the critic pool in the last 5 or 6 years or so. Especially the inclusion of the "blogger, content creator type" critics.

There's a critic on YT I "used" to listen to that pretty much said he gave some reviews based on "what he thought his fans wanted to hear". Now, I am not saying that these guys opinions shouldn't be heard, just that a lot of these guys might not provide objective reviews because of "algorithms" and the need to constantly get views. About 20 or so years ago, RT had about 30-50 critics or so and they were from reputable outlets who weren't out solely to create digital content.

The truth is, the way RT has expanded will allow folks to game the system by paying off a lot of these types. I'm not so sure that professional critics that write for the likes of the Hollywood Reporter and Variety will be paid off to provide good reviews.

[Tofali]

If Rotten Tomatoes has removed all reviews connected to the PR company paying those "critics" then I don't see how these bit of news reduces RT relevance to cinemagoers

[Captain Craig]

And if I'm not paid you'll get a negative review.
Lot of saps out there who surrender their free will to Reviews....still. Can't trust themselves. Sad.

[Mister Mets]

This was beyond obvious when they said The Last Jedi was so epic that it was the next Empire Strikes Back

Not really.

To get a blockbuster to high 90s would be a more complex scenario, in which several times as many people would have to accept paydays, as getting an indie film to 62%, something that they weren't able to cover it up.

There's different factors with the Last Jedi.

[skyvolt2000]

WHAT? It's like that NEVER happens, specially in Video Games...Doesn't IGN Review movies too?

THis has always been TRUE.

This is not new news.

They just don't promote it through normal means.

I know of online free lance job sites that let folks post jobs and those jobs are there.

That is why Amazon made changes to review posting.

[Jokerz79]

Here's the simple way I've always done it find a critic you usually agree with and stick with them.

[thwhtGuardian]

Here's the simple way I've always done it find a critic you usually agree with and stick with them.

Yeah, tastes vary so not every critic is going to say something that is meaningful to you. For instance, a critic who hates creature features isn't going to have criticisms that match my tastes, so the things that they would find critical might not apply to me which would make the review meaningless to me.

[Powerboy]

Here's the simple way I've always done it find a critic you usually agree with and stick with them.

My method is to not read reviews until after I've seen a movie.

[Tofali]

My method is to not read reviews until after I've seen a movie.

I bet neither do most cinemagoers, they just check the critics and audience score

[80sbaby]

Here's the simple way I've always done it find a critic you usually agree with and stick with them.

That's what you're supposed to do. Most people don't actually understand how critic reviews work.

[KurtW95]

So much of the critic game is corrupt.