Why I don't take Rotten Tomatoes seriously

[JTStarkiller]

I think the analysts at RT put more thought into it than that believe it or not Starkiller.

How so? All I see are Fresh and Rotten ratings (no numbers or values or anything). Seems to me all they do is divide the number of Fresh ratings by the total amount.

 

[Mr. Socko]

The thing I don't like about RT is the lack of "intensity" of the critics' ratings. Calculating films by collective fresh or rotten ratings only can be a little misleading.

If 95 out of 100 people think a movie is good, but nothing entirely special, that film will get a 95%. But if 85 out of 100 think a film is a masterpiece, while the other 15 think it was simply mediocre, that film will get an 85%.

Theoretically, film #2 will most likely be the better one.

Okay, I just pulled that out of my ass, but it makes sense, eh?

You put it correctly. I agree here. Metacritics is better in this way because that site weighs every review in from 1-10 then gives an overall number.

 

[primemover]

How so? All I see are Fresh and Rotten ratings (no numbers or values or anything). Seems to me all they do is divide the number of Fresh ratings by the total amount.

That is what the site is for, to tell the general public how many critics have a favorable opinion of a film. This site is not for statisticians, it's for the average film going public and it's there to help them pick a movie to go to, and a quick glance at how many people out of the whole liked the film is quite handy.

BTW, they DO average each film by rating, on the right of the percentage bar under the Fresh and Rotten review tally.