The biggest and buzziest Netflix originals are always destined to crash straight into the number one spot on the platform’s most-watched list, so it’s with an air of inevitability that R-rated actioner Gunpowder Milkshake accomplished the feat less than 48 hours after being added to the platform on Wednesday.
Of course, the movie’s reign may be short-lived when you consider that both installments of the Fear Street trilogy are still nestled comfortably in second and third positions to show incredible staying power, so it’s more than likely that Part Three: 1666 will have dislodged the high concept tale of underworld assassins by the time today is over and done with.
In an unusual turn of events from a broad, violent crowd-pleaser, critics appear to have been enjoying Gunpowder Milkshake more than audiences. The Rotten Tomatoes consensus places the film at a decent 66%, but audiences have ranked it at a lower 52%, even though it’s been generating plenty of positive chatter on social media, which has evidently translated into Netflix viewership. Clearly the numbers don’t lie, though, and a huge volume of subscribers have been rushing to check it out as soon as possible to find out what all the fuss is about.
Either way, co-writer and director Navot Papushado is more than open to the idea of sequels, even if it hasn’t been officially placed into active development as had been teased by production company StudioCanal last week. A sugar rush of stylish action, needle drops and distinguished character actors sinking their teeth into B-tier genre cinema, Gunpowder Milkshake feels as though it was precision engineered to find long lasting life as a cult favorite, and it’s already gotten off to a strong start by dominating the Netflix Top 10.