In a surprising twist, the audience score for the documentary about Melania Trump has sparked controversy, with some questioning the legitimacy of its ratings. While Rotten Tomatoes has firmly denied any allegations of bot manipulation, skepticism remains among viewers.
The disparity between critic and audience scores is striking. The platform recently asserted that the scores on its "Popcornmeter" are derived solely from reviews submitted by verified users—those who have indeed purchased tickets for the film. A spokesperson for Rotten Tomatoes emphasized this point, stating, "There has been NO bot manipulation on the audience reviews for the Melania documentary. Reviews displayed on the Popcornmeter are VERIFIED reviews, meaning it has been confirmed that users have bought a ticket to the film."
However, the film's performance at the box office has raised eyebrows. After experiencing a steep decline of 67% in its second weekend, the documentary garnered only $14.5 million against a hefty production budget of $40 million and an additional $35 million allocated for marketing. This financial shortfall has led to questions about the authenticity of the audience reviews.
Critics have highlighted that many of the so-called verified reviews seem to originate from newly created accounts with no prior review history. One user on X (formerly Twitter) remarked, "The ‘verified’ Rotten Tomatoes audience reviews for the Melania doc all come from new accounts that have never posted before. Who is paying for these bots?" This comment underscores the skepticism surrounding the credibility of the ratings.
Another user echoed these concerns, noting that the verified reviews appeared to be overwhelmingly positive yet came from individuals with little to no previous engagement on the platform. This situation has led to claims that the Melania documentary might be among the most artificially boosted films in terms of audience reviews.
Adding to the discourse, late-night host Jimmy Kimmel pointed out the film's low critic score of just 5%, humorously noting that it ranks lower than the infamous movie "Gigli." He contrasted this with the staggering 99% audience score, suggesting that such a discrepancy warrants investigation, quipping, "We need to get to the bottom of this! Send in Tulsi Gabbard and the FBI. Seize the ticket machines, the popcorn buckets, the box office receipts at every multiplex in America!"
Kimmel also referenced reports of bulk ticket purchases intended to inflate audience numbers, which were allegedly distributed for free to Republican activists and senior citizen homes. He recalled a similar incident from 2019, where the Republican National Committee reportedly purchased a large quantity of Don Jr.'s book to boost its sales figures, highlighting the lengths to which political entities might go to manipulate public perception.
As it stands, the Melania documentary holds a mere 8% critic score juxtaposed with an astonishing 99% from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes. This stark contrast leaves room for debate: Are these audience reviews genuine reflections of public opinion, or is something more insidious at play? What do you think—are the ratings legitimate, or is there a hidden agenda behind this polarizing film?
