Top 10 Movies That Divided Opinions

Between boos at Cannes, exaggerated praise, and online fandom battles, some titles became true emotional and aesthetic battlegrounds. From misunderstood classics to controversial streaming hits, these 10 films left audiences wondering: did we even watch the same movie? Let’s dive in:

Joker: Folie à Deux (2025)

Directed by Todd Phillips and co-written by Scott Silver, the new Joker takes the villain’s dark world into a psychological musical starring Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga. The daring concept blends theatrical style, musical numbers, and mental unraveling, turning Gotham into a stage of obsession and collapse.

Even before its release, the film had already divided audiences. For some, it was a rare artistic gamble in Hollywood; for others, pure self-indulgence. Debates erupted on social media, with some seeing genius in its genre fusion and others seeing only self-parody and pretension.

Mother! (2017)

Written and directed by Darren Aronofsky, the film stars Jennifer Lawrence and Javier Bardem in a surreal fable about creation, destruction, and religion. An ambitious allegory, it turns the house into a metaphor for the planet and the protagonist into Mother Nature, both muse and martyr.

Booed at Venice, Mother! became a symbol of modern cinematic polarization: some saw a visionary masterpiece, others an unbearable experience. Accused of pretension and misogyny, Aronofsky defended it as “visual poetry.” Even today, few agree on what it truly meant.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017)

Directed by Rian Johnson, The Last Jedi broke from the saga’s traditional formulas. The story defied expectations: the hero does not save the day, the villain experiences doubt, and the Force takes on new interpretations. It was the most auteur-driven episode since the 1977 original.

The fandom did not forgive. Accused of betraying George Lucas’s legacy, the film sparked angry reactions, hate campaigns, and debates about toxicity in fan communities. Critics, however, praised it as the franchise’s most mature and unpredictable entry. The galaxy was truly divided.

Zack Snyder’s Justice League (2021)

After being removed from the original production, Zack Snyder regained creative control and released his definitive version of Justice League. At four hours long, the new cut reshapes the narrative, deepens the characters, and delivers the epic fans had imagined.

It became both a cultural phenomenon and a hot topic: was it the triumph of an auteur’s vision or the result of online fandom influence? The Snyder Cut became a symbol of how social media can reshape a blockbuster’s destiny and how authorship is never simple in the digital age.

Fight Club (1999)

Directed by David Fincher and based on Chuck Palahniuk’s novel, the film turned modern male boredom into a visual manifesto. Edward Norton and Brad Pitt portray a conflict between consumption and chaos, identity and nihilism. Initially overlooked, it became a cult classic in the 2000s.

The irony backfired: many fans interpreted the satire literally. What was intended as critique became a manual of aggressive masculinity. Fincher himself said, “People understood the opposite of what I meant.” A film about alienation, alienated by its audience.

Crash (2004)

Written and directed by Paul Haggis, Crash assembled a star-studded cast including Sandra Bullock, Don Cheadle, and Matt Dillon to explore Los Angeles’ racial and moral tensions in a dramatic mosaic. Quietly released, it shocked the industry by winning Best Picture at the 2006 Oscars.

That victory became one of the award’s most controversial. Many viewed it as a shallow tale about racism designed to comfort white audiences; others defended it as an honest depiction of a divided America. Crash is remembered as much for its ambition as for its flaws.

The Blair Witch Project (1999)

Directed by Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sánchez, this found-footage horror film redefined marketing and indie horror. With a micro-budget and handheld cameras, it convinced audiences it was real and became a cultural phenomenon.

The success also raised doubts: was it genius or a trick? Critics debated whether the fear came from the story or the marketing. Still, The Blair Witch Project inspired a generation of filmmakers and proved that what you cannot see can be more frightening.

Antichrist (2009)

Written and directed by Lars von Trier, starring Charlotte Gainsbourg and Willem Dafoe, Antichrist is a descent into grief and guilt. A symbolic tale mixing philosophy, eroticism, and violence with a hypnotic and cruel aesthetic.

The film was both booed and applauded at Cannes, banned in some countries, and analyzed by critics and feminists. Some called it misogynistic, others courageous. Antichrist turns suffering into spectacle and the viewer into a witness, creating one of the most intense debates on the limits of art.

The Whale (2022)

Directed by Darren Aronofsky (who appears again on this list) and written by Samuel D. Hunter, the film stars Brendan Fraser in one of the decade’s most talked-about performances. A reclusive teacher, struggling with obesity and guilt, tries to reconnect with his daughter before it’s too late.

The drama sparked discussions on fatphobia and representation. Some viewers saw empathy and humanity; others saw fetishized suffering. The film divided juries, critics, and activists, showing that sensitivity depends on the perspective behind the camera.

Girl (2018)

Written and directed by Lukas Dhont, the film tells the story of a young trans girl dreaming of becoming a ballerina, played by a cisgender actor. Its delicate cinematography and European realism won awards at Cannes and critical acclaim.

However, the excitement soon turned to controversy. Trans viewers criticized the portrayal of the protagonist’s body and suffering, accusing Dhont of fetishization and erasure. Girl became a symbol of the “transfake” debate and a reminder that cinematic empathy has ethical limits.

Cinema thrives on contradictions, which may be why it remains alive. Each of these films shows that art rarely achieves consensus. There is only friction, desire, and perspective.

Between boos and applause, audiences remain divided, but one thing is certain: if a film sparks this much debate, it touched something real, even if it is just our cinephile ego.

See you in the next article!