The 10 Highest-Grossing Films of 2011 from Best to Worst – RT Critics

The following are the 10 highest-grossing films of 2011, arranged in order from “best” to “worst” according to the collective opinions of Rotten Tomatoes critics.  Contained is each film’s critical approval, average rating and critical consensus (if there is one).

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2

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96% – 8.34/10 (327 reviews)

Thrilling, powerfully acted, and visually dazzling, Deathly Hallows Part II brings the Harry Potter franchise to a satisfying — and suitably magical — conclusion.

Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol

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93% – 7.68/10 (241 reviews)

Stylish, fast-paced, and loaded with gripping set pieces, the fourth Mission: Impossible is big-budget popcorn entertainment that really works.

Kung Fu Panda 2

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81% – 6.91/10 (174 reviews)

The storyline arc may seem a tad familiar to fans of the original, but Kung Fu Panda 2 offers enough action, comedy, and visual sparkle to compensate.

Fast & Furious 5

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77% – 6.39/10 (198 reviews)

Sleek, loud, and over the top, Fast Five proudly embraces its brainless action thrills and injects new life into the franchise.

Cars 2

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39% – 5.48/10 (215 reviews)

Cars 2 is as visually appealing as any other Pixar production, but all that dazzle can’t disguise the rusty storytelling under the hood.

Transformers: Dark of the Moon

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35% – 4.85/10 (259 reviews)

Its special effects — and 3D shots — are undeniably impressive, but they aren’t enough to fill up its loud, bloated running time, or mask its thin, indifferent script.

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

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33% – 5.02/10 (273 reviews)

It’s shorter and leaner than the previous sequel, but this Pirates runs aground on a disjointed plot and a non-stop barrage of noisy action sequences.

The Hangover Part II

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33% – 4.93/10 (242 reviews)

A crueler, darker, raunchier carbon copy of the first installment, The Hangover Part II lacks the element of surprise — and most of the joy — that helped make the original a hit.

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1

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25% – 4.35/10 (205 reviews)

Slow, joyless, and loaded with unintentionally humorous moments, Breaking Dawn Part 1 may satisfy the Twilight faithful, but it’s strictly for fans of the franchise.

The Smurfs

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22% – 4.01/10 (116 reviews)

The Smurfs assembles an undeniably talented cast of voice actors and live-action stars — then crushes them beneath a blue mound of lowest-common-denominator kiddie fare.

[What do you think of this film?  Be sure to let me know in the comments!  Also, send me your review of any film, and I’ll post it on this site.]

Index of films