Apple TV’s ‘Fast & Furious’ Meets ‘Jumanji’ Action Movie Is an Instant Streaming Sensation
Apple TV’s *Matchbox the Movie*, starring John Cena, has become the service’s top film in domestic and global streaming rankings despite poor reviews. Its immediate popularity shows that the action title has drawn viewers, although Apple TV’s smaller flow of original films can make its rankings less competitive.
Cena plays a secret agent framed for stealing a nuclear weapon, who teams up with estranged childhood friends to recover it. The cast also includes Jessica Biel, Sam Richardson and Teyonah Parris, and the film was directed by Sam Hargrave, known for *Extraction*. It has a 25% Rotten Tomatoes score and, according to FlixPatrol, ranked ahead of *F1*, *Mayday* and *The Gorge*; its next competition on Apple TV is the biopic *Tenzing*.
- *Matchbox the Movie* topped Apple TV’s domestic and global charts.
- The John Cena action film has a 25% Rotten Tomatoes score.
- It ranked ahead of streaming holdovers including *F1*.
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Apple TV is Apple’s subscription streaming service, where viewers can watch original films and television programmes. Its film rankings show which titles are attracting the most viewing on the service, but they are relative to Apple TV’s own catalogue.
The film stars John Cena as a secret agent accused of stealing a nuclear weapon, who joins forces with friends from his childhood. Jessica Biel, Sam Richardson and Teyonah Parris also star, and Sam Hargrave, who directed the action film Extraction, is behind the camera.
A streaming ranking measures audience interest, while a review score reflects critics’ assessments; the two can differ. The film’s position is therefore a sign of its reach on Apple TV, though comparisons with services that release more films may be difficult.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
The film’s rapid rise to the top suggests it has found a sizeable audience, and streaming rankings offer a useful measure of what viewers choose to watch. Its action premise and recognisable cast may make it appealing entertainment even to people who do not share critics’ reservations.
The case against
A top ranking does not by itself show that the film is broadly popular or well received: Apple TV releases fewer original films, so the field it is competing in may be limited. Its low review score also suggests that strong viewing figures should not be taken as evidence of critical success or lasting audience approval.