Netflix has compiled a listof their top ten most popular English-language films based solely on hours viewed in their first 28 days of release.As Netflix’s selection of films continues to grow, so does the number of viewing hours that determine the most watched movies on the platform. The most watched movies on Netflix of all time now include more recent releases likeLeave the World Behind, which has been viewed thousands of times within 28 days of its premiere.
15Enola Holmes (2020)
189,000,000 Hours Viewed
The little sister of Sherlock Holmes, who has just as much if not more observational prowess as her brother, goes on a puzzling adventure to find her missing mother. The film stars Millie Bobby Brown as Enola, Henry Cavill as Sherlock, and Helena Bonham Carter as their mother, Eudoria.
Enola Holmes was released to positive reviews, with critics praising its entertaining and smart plot as well as a great cast that was able to uphold the latter. With great reviews, the movie was given a sequel, Enola Holms 2, with all the actors reprising their roles in another fun adventure movie.
Enola Holmes
146 Underground (2019)
205,400,000 Hours Viewed
An action-packed vigilante thriller directed byMichael Bay,6 Undergroundis about a group of people who fake their deaths to become vigilantes and take down a corrupt dictator. The film starsRyan Reynoldsas One, the leader of the group, as he recruits others with similar special skills to take on reckless missions.
Similar toOcean’s Eleven,6 Undergroundfeatures a team of people with singular special abilities that add up to an unstoppable force. The movie was met with moderate to negative reviews and was considered brainless and flashy in ways that did not contribute to its lack of a complex plot.
6 Underground
13The Kissing Booth 2 (2020)
209,250,000 Hours Viewed
Based on the books of the same name by Beth Reekles,The Kissing Booth 2is the second installment in the trilogy and the most watched.Joey Kingstars in this romantic teen comedy. Elle (King) starts her senior year of high school as she juggles grades, college applications, and a long-distance relationship with Noah (Jacob Elordi).
It’s surprising that this movie has been viewed so much, as critics and audiences have given it highly unfavorable reviews. While most did not agree with its direction, the movie does have a lighthearted take on teen drama, and it’s an easy watch if all you’re looking for is to turn your brain off.
The Kissing Booth 2
12The Irishman (2019)
214,500,000 Hours Viewed
This crime movie follows a truck driver, Frank Sheeran (Robert De Niro), as an old man in a retirement home recounting his time as a hitman for the Bufalino crime family and eventually working for Jimmy Hoffa (Al Pacino). This movie marks the ninth collaboration between Martin Scorcese and Robert De Niro. Most of the actors in the film have also collaborated on multiple projects in the past.
The Irishman received highly positive reviews from critics and audiences many saying it’s one of Scorcese’s best movies and one of thebest movies of the 21st century. While the movie was nominated for ten Academy Awards and five Golden Globes, it failed to win a single one.
The Irishman
11The Unforgivable (2021)
214,700,000 Hours Viewed
Upon her release from prison after 20 years for the murder of a sheriff who came to evict her and her five-year-old sister, a woman (Sandra Bullock) must confront the court of public opinion as she tries to rebuild her life. It’s the second most viewed Netflix movie starring Bullock, next toBird Box.
The movie was met with moderate reviews, with most saying that the movie was unrelentingly grim and deserves at least some moments of positivity, but does not deliver.Angelina Joliewas originally chosen to star in the film way back in 2010, but as production began, Bullock was chosen to star, and she was also announced to be a producer of the film.
The Unforgivable
10’Extraction' (2020)
135,700,000 Views
The son of an incarcerated Indian drug lord is kidnapped, but his father refuses to pay the ransom. Instead, black-market mercenary Tyler Rake (Chris Hemsworth) is called in to pull off a miraculous extraction. He would have succeeded, too, if not for a last-minute double-cross that throws everything into chaos.
Despite being amongNetflix’s most popular movies, this film is flawed when it comes to plotting or characterization. Fans watch for one reason only: the action.First-time director Sam Hargrave leans heavily on the throttle inExtractionby filming car chases strapped to the front of cars and immersing audiences with an eleven-and-a-half-minute continuous one-take action sequence.
Extraction
9’Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery' (2022)
136,300,000 Views
Daniel Craigreprises his role as the now-iconic charming detective Benoit Blanc in the sequel to the massively popular whodunit,Knives Out. The 2022 film thrusts viewers into a luxurious getaway on a private Greek island owned by eccentric tech billionaire Miles Bron (Edward Norton) who extends the invitation to his closest and most successful friends (played byJanelle Monáe,Kathryn Hahn,Kate Hudson,Dave Bautista,Jessica HenwickandMadelyn Cline).
With a stellar ensemble cast masterfully guiding audiences through the film’s increasingly dangerous twists and turns,Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mysterymanages to be a worthy sequel to the fan-favorite first movie. The dialogue is witty, the mystery smart and the revelations genuinely unpredictable – it’s a great time from start to finish.
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
8’The Mother' (2023)
136,400,000 Views
Among the most popular Netflix movies, 2023’sThe Motheris an action thriller that leans heavily onJennifer Lopez’s star power. Lopez plays the titular character, a former US Army operative who comes out of hiding and partners with an FBI agent to pursue the criminals who have taken her daughter.
The Motherrelies on the usual genre tropes and doesn’t do much to change the formula.While there’s fun to be had in watching the protagonist be an incredibly talented assassin in the movie, it feels like wasted potential for Lopez, who falls short of becoming an iconic action hero.
The Mother
7’We Can Be Heroes' (2020)
137,300,000 Views
Whatuntouchable film did not need a sequel?The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl in 3-D– butWe Can Be Heroesis here anyway. Directed byRobert Rodriguez, the film revolves around a group of superheroes' kids, who team up and work together to save the planet after their parents are kidnapped by alien invaders.
To be fair, it is more of a standalone superhero film than a legacy sequel. It has divided critics and fans, as adults can’t fully appreciate its zany elements, which were clearly designed for children. That said,We Can Be Heroesis a kid-oriented movie that has a lot of heart and accomplishes what it set out to do: to entertain young audiences and inspire them to embrace their own world-changing potential.
We Can Be Heroes
6’The Gray Man' (2022)
139,300,000 Views
TheRusso brothersdeliver another gripping action movie throughThe Gray Man, which follows the disillusioned CIA agent “Sierra Six” (Ryan Gosling) who discovers a dark secret about his agency. He’s soon pursued by the bloodthirsty and reckless former agent, Lloyd Hansen (Chris Evans), who will destroy whatever and whoever is in his path in his pursuit of Six.
With its almost comically evil villain, absurd action sequences, and over-the-top narrative,The Gray Manbarely gives audiences time to breathebetween its most exciting parts. It’s rightly among the most liked movies on Netflix, in large part likely due to Gosling’s incredible performance as a mysterious and bold action hero.
