One of the great things about streaming services is the ability to find an older movie or TV show that proves to be a hidden gem, overlooked in its time for one reason or another. But that argument is a bit harder to make when a movie was as widely panned as The Snowman, the 2017 Michael Fassbender mystery that as of April 18 is the No. 1 trending movie of the day in the US on Netflix.
The Snowman was based on the novel of the same name by Jo Nesbø, the author's seventh book in a series focused on the detective Harry Hole. The book became an international bestseller and the movie adaptation was quite anticipated before its release, with an exciting cast and crew.
Fassbender was a well-known two-time Oscar nominee; Rebecca Ferguson had broken out just a couple years prior with Mission: Impossible — Rogue Nation; while you also had the likes of J.K. Simmons, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Toby Jones, Chloë Sevigny and Val Kilmer making up the supporting cast. Behind the camera was Tomas Alfredson, who had received high praise for Let the Right One In and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.
Then critics saw the movie. Reviews were scathing, as it earned a 6% score on Rotten Tomatoes, with it being described as "two hours of uninterrupted, snow-caked boredom" by the Chicago Reader's J.R. Jones. The audience score on Rotten Tomatoes is only slightly better, as it comes in at 18% positive. That was all then backed up with its box office, which totaled just $6.7 million in the US.
But, lo and behold, the movie is garnering attention six years later on Netflix, though many can’t be baffled by that fact.
Netflix's biggest flex is its ability to turn any piece of garbage—and THE SNOWMAN is a complete piece of garbage—into the most-watched movie on any given day.April 18, 2023
FYI - The Snowman is on Netflix now!! It's a mystery movie with Michael Fassbender and my fav part about is it makes no sense because they edited it A LOT after they finished filming to where it no longer had a cohesive narrative.Enjoy!!April 17, 2023
I don't know what to think about the fact Netflix sent me an announcement that The Snowman is available the day after the Love is Blind debacle. Is it some kind of threat? pic.twitter.com/CwOmp9jbuEApril 17, 2023
“Do you wanna watch The Snowman?It doesn’t have to be The Snowman…I gave you all the clues…”https://t.co/xmePdBgEnIApril 18, 2023
While getting the chance to bash The Snowman once again seems to be a fun opportunity for many, there are those who seem to have enjoyed the movie after discovering it on Netflix:
They put The Snowman on Netflix a movie I was very excited to see but, didn’t because it was universally called the worst movie of 2017. I am SO excited.April 17, 2023
#NowWatching The Snowman (2017) #Netflix.Very decent film,i dont understand the bad reviews,maybe too complicated for lot of people who are mostly interested in simple and lazy writing,im not one of them.I enjoyed it. https://t.co/sVdh0b0iSAApril 18, 2023
I found a movie called the snowman on Netflix it’s good asfApril 17, 2023
The viewing habits of Netflix subscribers can be quite ranging. Other recent movies that have flown up the Netflix daily viewing chart include Roald Dahl's Matilda, the Mel Gibson movie Dragged Across Concrete and the little seen Helen Hunt horror movie I See You.
The Snowman is available on Netflix in the US (not available to stream in the UK). Check out what other TV shows and movies are popular on Netflix right now with our roundup of the Netflix daily top 10.
