While Sylvester Stallone's Tulsa King continues to dominate Paramount+ with its fourth season, another project from the action legend is quietly making waves on a different streaming platform. Alarum, a 2025 action thriller that was savaged by critics, has found an unexpected second life on Prime Video, climbing into the platform's global top 10 most-watched titles this November.
The film, which also stars Scott Eastwood and Mike Colter, holds a rare 0% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, a distinction that usually signals a swift trip to obscurity. Yet, despite the critical drubbing, audiences are flocking to it, proving that sometimes a bad review can't stop a good old-fashioned action flick from finding its audience.
What's Behind the Surprising Success?
It's not uncommon for streaming platforms to revive interest in underperforming films, but Alarum's rise is particularly notable. The movie is currently rubbing shoulders with heavyweights like the rom-com The Love Hypothesis and Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone in Prime Video's most-watched list. This suggests that viewers are either curious about the negative buzz or simply in the mood for a straightforward, R-rated action thriller.
Critics were nearly unanimous in their disdain. Collider's Jeff Ewing gave it a 3/10, writing, "Even committed performances can't quite move the needle when the concept of the scene is undercooked, wasting a talented cast and what could be an engaging premise for no comprehensible reason at all." Other reviews echoed similar sentiments, pointing to a weak script and missed potential.
What Is 'Alarum' About?
For those intrigued by the morbid curiosity of a 0% rating, Alarum follows former rivals Joe (Eastwood) and Lara (Willa Fitzgerald), who go rogue during a mission and get married. Now living off the grid at a quiet retreat, their peaceful existence is shattered when a wanted hard drive falls into their hands, dragging them back into a world of danger and espionage. The screenplay was written by Alexander Vesha, with direction from Michael Polish.
While the film's premise might sound like a standard action setup, its execution clearly didn't win over critics. Still, the star power of Stallone, Eastwood, and Colter, combined with the convenience of streaming, appears to be enough to attract a sizable audience.
This isn't the first time a critically panned film has found success on streaming. In fact, fantasy flops that deserve a second look have a history of gaining cult followings after their initial release. Similarly, Stallone's Creed dominated Pluto TV for 70 days straight, showing that his appeal transcends critical reception.
As Tulsa King continues to earn praise—boasting an 86% critic approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and adding new cast members like Flula Borg and Gretchen Mol—Stallone's career is a study in contrasts. He can headline a critically acclaimed series and simultaneously star in a film that critics despise, yet both find audiences.
For now, Alarum is one of the ten most-watched movies on Prime Video worldwide. Whether this translates into a long-term streaming hit or just a fleeting moment of curiosity remains to be seen. But for fans of Stallone and action cinema, it's a chance to see the legend in a role that, despite its flaws, delivers the kind of gritty, no-holds-barred entertainment that streaming audiences seem to crave.
If you're in the mood for a thriller that's more critically acclaimed, you might want to check out Jake Gyllenhaal's Prisoners, which has become an Apple TV hit. Or, for a different kind of spy thriller, Prime Video's Alex Rider offers a binge-worthy alternative to The Night Agent.
Stay tuned to ShowtimeSpot for more updates on streaming trends and the latest in entertainment news.
