One viewer warned fans will be left frustrated (Image: Netflix)
The film is currently amongst the most watched titles on Netflix, despite attracting some scathing reviews.
Having only landed on the platform at the end of last week, the new title — called 180 — is rapidly climbing the charts.
At the time of writing, it sits in fourth place in the top 10 most watched films amongst UK subscribers.
This puts it just behind a trio of other recent arrivals, including comedy Roommates, creature feature Thrash and the nature documentary Gorilla Story Told By David Attenborough.
Despite being listed as a Netflix original film, the streaming giant has released very little information about the title itself.
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What is known is that the film is a South African production, described as gritty, suspenseful and emotional.
According to its brief synopsis, the story unfolds after an unexpected road rage incident leaves a man’s son in a critical condition. The grief-stricken father then spirals down a dark path of emotional turmoil and vengeance, reports the Mirror.
Only a single critic has published a review online, falling well short of the number required to register a score on the review site Rotten Tomatoes. That reviewer stated: “180 is an above-average thriller that offers tension, suspense and considerable food for thought.”
However, a considerably greater number of film enthusiasts who have already seen the movie have made their feelings known — and for the most part, their verdicts have been far from flattering.
One viewer even confessed they had to switch it off after just 20 minutes. Another was equally scathing, writing: “One of the worst movies I have ever watched. Trust me don’t waste your time. It is not at all a realistic depiction of how a father would seek revenge. The main character has to be the dumbest character on the planet. What a joke.”
It is still rising in the charts (Image: Netflix)
A further viewer echoed these sentiments, posting: “This may possibly be the worst I’ve ever watched in my life. They tried making a sentimental movie but they completely missed the mark.”
Some attempted to identify saving graces in the film, with many highlighting the cinematography as its sole strong point. As one viewer noted: “Honestly, the cinematography was great, and the acting was good-this could have been a great film.”
Yet they went on to outline its considerable shortcomings: “What let it down, however, was the main character. He is so poorly written, with zero sense of situational awareness, that he constantly finds himself in situations where he nearly dies or puts his life in danger every few minutes. He is brash in the face of stone-cold killers and even issues threats from a car boot while hoodwinked and handcuffed behind his back.”
They concluded: “Silly doesn’t quite cover it. I should have known from the beginning: when a gun was pointed in his face while his son sat in the back of the car, and later, when confronted by his wife, he simply replied that it was nothing. Seriously poor writing.
“It reached a level of ridiculousness where I just kept fast-forwarding to the end, knowing I wasn’t missing anything. Save yourself the time watch the inciting incident and the conclusion, because everything in between will only frustrate you.”
180 is streaming on Netflix.
