How do Hollywood's 'most bankable stars' fare against the critics?
Forbes recently released their list of Hollywood's most bang-for-buck stars. The magazine ranked actors and actresses based on the cost of hiring them versus how much money their movies made at the box office. To make the top five on the list, a performer's film needed to make at least an average of $29 for every dollar that was spent to hire them. The actual formula Forbes used was slightly more complex, but we'll spare you the nitty gritty. This is a movie site, not math class.
The finance mag rated "Twilight" stars Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson as the No. 1 and No. 3 most cost-effective stars working in Hollywood, respectively, with "Harry Potter" lead Daniel Radcliffe, Anne Hathaway, and Shia LeBeouf rounding out the top five. For a relative pittance, these actors have made a staggering combined $9 billion for the studios that employ their talents. Talk about getting your money's worth!
While the Forbes list is an interesting analysis to be sure, it focuses only on the business side of Hollywood. But what about the quality of the films in question? Sure, they made billions of dollars, but if going to the movies has taught us anything, it's that box office receipts do not always translate into enjoyable film experiences.
Scan the filmography of any of the actors mentioned on Forbes' list, and you'll soon see that not every movie they've been a part of has been a critical success. When the Rotten Tomatoes "Tomato Meter" scores for each film are averaged out, the results are overwhelmingly mediocre. R. Patz, K. Stew, and The Beef may bring in the box office dollars for the studios, but more often than not, they deliver pure shlock to moviegoers.
Kristen Stewart
- K Stew's movies have an average Tomato Meter score of 47 per cent. Her highest rated film in recent years, with 89 per cent, was the Greg Mottola coming-of-age comedy "Adventureland." However, Stewart's highest profile role, Bella Swan, is another story entirely. Not a single film in the "Twilight Saga" has scored more than 49 per cent on the Tomato Meter. Critics absolutely revile the vampire series, but that hasn't stopped the "Twilight" films from pulling in nearly $2 billion in ticket sales to date.
Anne Hathaway
- Her infectious smile may have audiences convinced otherwise, but the critics are not biting. Sporting an average Tomato Meter score of 49 per cent, the brunette beauty has definitely made a few turkeys in her time. With the exception of "Brokeback Mountain" and "The Devil Wears Prada," the majority of Hathaway's films have received muted and middling reviews from critics. Her turn as Catwoman in the upcoming "The Dark Knight Rises" could mark the end of a long critical slump for the actress. Plus, word on the street is that those Batman movies tend to do pretty well at the box office.
Robert Pattinson
- Everyone's favourite sparkling vampire really knows how to pick 'em. Boasting an average Tomato Meter score of 48 per cent, R. Patz may have a bulging bank account thanks to his film career, but he has won no fans amongst critics. Admittedly, the "Twilight Saga" is one of the top-grossing film franchises of the past decade, but it has suffered increasingly negative reviews as the series has progressed. The actor's dramatic turn in "Water for Elephants" received semi-positive reviews, but there was little praise for Pattinson's performance. And let's forget "Remember Me," shall we? The critics certainly have.
Daniel Radcliffe
- The "Harry Potter" star is the odd man out here, and it's not because he's a rather odd-looking man. With an average Tomato Meter score of 80 per cent, Radcliffe's movies beat out the competition in terms of quality. The "Harry Potter" films are a rare example of big-budget blockbusters that manage to please both audiences and critics. And it's a good thing, too! Radcliffe's post-"Potter" career will need all the padding it can get for that Tomato Meter.
Shia LeBeouf
- Is it at all surprising that a man who starred in cinematic masterpieces like "Eagle Eye" and the "Transformers" trilogy has an average Tomato Meter score of 48 per cent? He may sleep on a pile of money thanks to his box office triumphs, but at the end of the day, Shia is still partially responsible for ruining the fourth "Indiana Jones" movie. How do you sleep at night, LeBeouf? Oh, right: on top of that giant pile of cash.
