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Netflix’s Top 10 charts have a knack for pulling off surprises — and sometimes those surprises aren’t necessarily winners. Case in point: “The 5th Wave,” a 2016 sci-fi movie starring Chloë Grace Moretz that just popped into the streamer’s Top 10 in the U.S. (as of this writing, it’s currently sitting at #9). Based on the YA novel by Rick Yancey, the story features an alien invasion, humanity on the brink, and a teenager trying to survive.
The thing is, this movie wasn’t exactly a beloved hit in its day. Critics ripped it to shreds, audiences weren’t much kinder, and it pretty much disappeared without a trace as soon as it left theaters. Yet here it is, almost a decade later, getting a fresh wave of attention. That’s because Netflix, as we’ve seen time and time again, can turn long-forgotten titles into overnight streaming “hits,” thanks to a mix of star power, curiosity, and the platform’s high-profile Top 10 rankings — which, as I’ve pointed out across too many posts to count (like this one), essentially reward recency as much as actual quality.
Netflix resurrects another box office bomb
For some perspective, “The 5th Wave” came out back in 2016, the same year that gave us blockbusters like “Rogue One” and “Deadpool.” Meaning, it’s understandable if a movie like “The 5th Wave” slipped under your radar the first time around. On Rotten Tomatoes, the movie is currently sitting at a pretty brutal 17% critics score, with audiences rating it 38% based on more than 25,000 reviews, and that rare alignment between critics and viewers tells you just about everything you need to know. Not that it matters to Netflix’s almighty algorithm.
The streamer’s Top 10 lists thrive on the here-and-now. A title gets added into the mix, viewers maybe spot a familiar actor’s face in the thumbnail, and curiosity does the rest. Sometimes, that rediscovery turns into genuine enthusiasm. One thing that a title’s re-entry into the Netflix Top 10 doesn’t tell you is just how many people tried it out and ended up frustrated with their decision.
In this case, it’s probably a mix of both. Moretz still has name recognition, the alien invasion hook is an easy sell, and the movie hasn’t been front-and-center in years. Whether viewers make it to the closing credits without regret is another story. But if nothing else, “The 5th Wave” proves Netflix will dust off just about anything — the good, the bad, and everything in between.
