Despite topping Netflix’s charts in the UK, Jessica Alba’s latest action film receives overwhelmingly negative reviews from fans and critics alike

Jessica Alba’s new action movie, “Trigger Warning,” has skyrocketed to the No. 1 spot on Netflix’s UK charts just days after its release on June 21. The film stars Alba as Parker, a U.S. Special Forces commando who returns home after her father’s mysterious death to take over the family bar. As Parker delves deeper into her father’s demise, she finds herself embroiled in a dangerous conspiracy.

While “Trigger Warning” has quickly become a popular choice among Netflix viewers, it has not fared well with critics or subscribers. The movie’s plot and script have been widely criticized, continuing Alba’s streak of poorly reviewed films. Despite its commercial success, the film has garnered only a 25% rating on Rotten Tomatoes from 20 reviews, with an even lower audience score of 19%.

Fans took to social media to express their disappointment. One Netflix subscriber wrote on Twitter, “Trigger Warning is one of the most boring movies I’ve seen all year, but it’s also far and away the dumbest! A film seemingly made to justify Netflix’s ability to watch things at 1.5x speed.” Another user criticized the film’s writing, calling it “one of the worst scripts in a while.” Some viewers, despite being fans of Jessica Alba, found the movie lacking. “I’m a fan of Jessica Alba but that movie is really bad,” one person commented.

Although the majority of reviews were negative, some critics were slightly more lenient. The Guardian gave the film three stars, describing it as a “solid Netflix action vehicle.” However, this mild praise was an outlier among the otherwise harsh critiques.

Jessica Alba, known for her roles in films like “Honey” (2003) and “Fantastic Four” (2005), has faced a series of disappointing reviews in recent years. Her movies “Barely Lethal,” “Some Kind of Beautiful,” and “Killers Anonymous” all scored below 30% on Rotten Tomatoes. “Killers Anonymous” received a particularly dismal reception, with a 0% critic score based on nine reviews and a 16% audience score from over 100 ratings.

Despite the negative feedback, Alba’s performance and the film’s action sequences received some praise. However, these positive notes were overshadowed by the criticism of the film’s plot and script, leading to a consensus that “Trigger Warning” does little to redeem Alba’s recent track record in cinema.

Analysis:

Political Perspective: “Trigger Warning” does not directly relate to political scenarios. However, its reception may influence how future films featuring military or governmental themes are perceived. The backlash highlights a potential disconnect between audience expectations and the portrayal of political and military figures in cinema.

Social Perspective: The film’s negative reception mirrors broader societal debates about the quality of content produced by streaming platforms. As Netflix continues to churn out high volumes of content, “Trigger Warning” serves as an example of the criticism that such platforms face regarding the prioritization of quantity over quality.

Racial Perspective: Racial elements are not central to “Trigger Warning.” However, Jessica Alba’s diverse background and her casting in the role of a U.S. Special Forces commando can contribute to discussions about representation in Hollywood and the roles available to actors of different ethnicities.

Gender Perspective: Alba’s role as a strong female lead in an action movie contributes to ongoing discussions about gender representation in film. While her performance received some praise, the overall negative reception of the film highlights the challenges female actors face in action genres, where the success of the movie often hinges on elements beyond their control, such as script and direction.

Economic Perspective: The film’s rapid rise to the top of Netflix’s charts despite poor reviews highlights the economic model of streaming platforms. Success is often measured by viewership numbers rather than critical acclaim. This model can affect the types of films produced, with an emphasis on marketable names and concepts over high-quality storytelling.