Summary
- Netflix’s “They Cloned Tyrone” received rave reviews, earning the highest ratings ever for a sci-fi film.
- John Boyega’s performance in this Netflix Original has been hailed by critics as outstanding.
- The verdict has come and The Cloned Tyrone is garnering impressive ratings on Rotten Tomatoes, indicating a hit for the streaming platform.
Netflix’s sci-fi movie The Cloned Tyrone starring Jamie Foxx has received its best reviews ever. Directed by Jewel Taylor in her feature debut, the film tells the story of an eccentric trio (Fox, John Boyega and Teonna Paris) who stumble upon a sinister government conspiracy involving cloning. The cast also includes Kiefer Sutherland and David Alan Grier. The film was initially shown in a limited circuit from 14 July and is available for streaming on Netflix from 21 July.
Now that Netflix’s They Cloned Tyrone is available to stream for everyone, the verdict on Boyega’s playful sci-fi film is in, and critics are speaking surprisingly positively to the Netflix original (according to Rotten Tomatoes). Critics praised the film’s comedy, particularly praising the performances of the three lead actors. Here’s a preview of the positive reviews:
Brian Tallerico, RogerEbert.com
A creative and funny surprise amid a summer of relatively few original movies on streaming services.
Robert Daniels, The New York Times
“They Cloned Tyrone” also lives up to its elegant style: John Carpenter’s hazy, hazy cinematography and blaxploitation-inspired costumes, as well as the lively performances of its actors.
Todd McCarthy, Deadline Hollywood Daily
Although not perfectly balanced or fully realised, They Cloned Tyrone is stimulating in its mix of science fiction and contemporary political elements. It’s offbeat, daring and totally welcome as something different and unexpected in style.
Ross McIndoe, Slant
The satire here isn’t as precise as its predecessors, but it helps that Boyega, Parise, and Fox have a chemistry that no secret government lab could create.
Christian Zilko, IndieWire
The winning cast allows Taylor to take advantage of the formula the Coen brothers have used to make their careers: It’s always fun to watch lovable goofball detectives solve a mystery they’re not qualified to solve.
Amon Warman, Empire
A beautiful and entertaining hoot that has something to say without sacrificing joy, backed by three great performances.
Lovia Gyerke, THR
Overall it is a fascinating journey. Much of the credit goes to the cast, whose ability to play both comedic and dramatic situations makes their characters endearing.
Peter Bradshaw, Guardian
Screenwriter Juel Taylor made his directorial debut with the screenplay he co-wrote; It’s a weird job, a bit confusing but enjoyable.
G. Allen Johnson, San Francisco Chronicle
“They Cloned Tyrone” can be heavy at times and run a bit long, but the compelling performances of their daring all-star trio make it fun.
Jordan Hoffman, The Messenger
If mixing science-fiction and comedy with an analysis of a community’s nuanced feelings towards the wider culture wasn’t enough, the film also has great visuals.
Adam Graham, The Detroit News
Juel Taylor’s feature film debut is part Body Snatchers, part Get Out and part Cabin in the Woods, striking a balance between serious content and entertainment.
He dismissed the negative trend of cloned Tyrone Netflix film criticism
While the streaming giant has ample resources to attract world-class talent, Netflix original movies are not known for critically acclaimed works. The streamer’s biggest film in history, the star-studded Red Notice has been largely panned by critics and currently holds a 36% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Another big Netflix film, The Gray Man, stalled at 46% despite the presence of Ryan Gosling and Chris Evans. The 2023 thriller The Mother, starring Jennifer Lopez, continues a trend of critics disparaging Netflix’s hugely popular movies, and it currently holds just a 43% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Sure, there are significant success stories on Netflix like Bird Box, The Adam Project, and Extraction that have received generally positive reviews, but these movies haven’t received universal acclaim either. With a score over 90% on Rotten Tomatoes, The Cloned Tyrone qualifies as a critical gem by Netflix’s standards, a positive nod to the skills of the director and actors. It will be interesting to see how the sci-fi film’s numbers compare to Netflix’s other usually less acclaimed hits.
Source: Rotten Tomatoes