As one of the most well-received films of all-time, Citizen Kane has fans from all over the world. The movie is often critically acclaimed as one of the few movies that is more or less universally adored. So much so that it is one of the few films to sit on media aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes with a 100% positive rating. That was until now.
The 100% rating is now gone courtesy of a review that was written some eighty years ago. The review is pretty dismissive of the movie, and its negative tone means that the Orson Welles masterpiece is now “only” rating at 99% positivity.
Rotten Tomatoes literally dug up an 80 year old negative review of Citizen Kane and now the movie no longer has a 100% fresh rating pic.twitter.com/0I8cxvuGdd
— Screaming Pectoriloquy (@Caulimovirus) April 26, 2021
With 115 positive reviews and one negative review, though, it is a shame to see the long-standing 100% rating brought down. Even when you factor in some of the commentary within the review, some might suspect that this has simply been introduced for a touch of controversy.
The review also feels a bit contrarian, with a hint of negativity for the sake of being different from the general consensus. The film was adored at the time, and even to this day is a favourite for film fans from all over the world.
If you have never seen Citizen Kane, then, be sure to listen to the 115 positive reviews as opposed to the one negative review out there. There is a reason why, even today, the movie is still held up as a standard of top quality writing and acting. It’s a timeless classic, and one decades-old review shouldn’t put anyone off enjoying what is a deeply satisfying watch overall.