Netflix's new sci-fi thriller The Last House has topped the platform's global charts despite receiving poor reviews from critics, continuing the streamer's pattern of hits that underwhelm on Rotten Tomatoes. Directed by Louis Leterrier and starring Greta Lee and Wagner Moura, the film follows the Delgado family as they become trapped inside their sealed suburban home while unexplained creatures roam outside, forcing them to survive for years on dwindling supplies.

The 112-minute film debuted on Friday 7 August and quickly became Netflix's most-watched title worldwide, according to FlixPatrol data, despite sitting at just 27% on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics who disliked it generally praised the central family drama and performances but felt the film lost momentum once its bigger sci-fi elements and COVID-lockdown parallels took over in the final act; Polygon's own review, by contrast, was positive, comparing it to "the best Steven Spielberg sci-fi thriller that Spielberg never made". The film follows other poorly reviewed Netflix successes such as Bird Box, War Machine and 72 Hours, reinforcing that mainstream viewing habits often diverge sharply from critical consensus.