I’m all for audiences embracing critically reviled films, that’s why I still regularly check out user scores on IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes, just to not be totally lost in my critical bubble, which is such an easy place to get sucked into.

Knowing the world of film criticism all too well, I realize that cliques happen, waves of peer-pressured bandwagon fervor wreak havoc. If it happens that you don’t agree with the flock, then you run the risk of being chastised and mocked. I couldn’t care less, but there are some who do. The hive mind mentality is most definitely part of today’s film criticism.

In 2017, critics seemed to be in universal agreement that David Ayer’s “Bright,” starring Will Smith and Joel Edgerton, was a terrible action movie. The film, which garnered a 26% on RT and 29 on Metacritic, was widely mocked by the critical community, with many proclaiming it to be the worst film of the year.

The critical response was so bad that Ayer ended up scolding a few of the detracting critics, including IndieWire’s David Ehrlich, going as far as daring Ehrlich to try to write his own script. One might understand Ayer’s ire, a lot was riding on his film which, at the time, was the most expensive Netflix ever produced at a reported budget of $90M.

In a rather surprising twist of fate, audience reactions for the film were the polar opposite of the critical community. “Bright” ended up receiving an RT audience score of 90% —which has since lowered to 84— and on Google the film was at 90%. On Netflix, based on 1,469 user submission, the reviews were also overwhelmingly positive, with most being 4 or 5 stars.

Speaking to Inverse, Edgerton is now opening up about Bright’s nasty reviews. The actor praises the film’s blend of high fantasy with the police procedural genre, but acknowledges the impact of the negative reviews, stating they may have derailed plans for a sequel.

I have a lot of feelings about “Bright”. I’m fascinated by the disparity between critical and audience responses to movies. Often, the audience score is low, but critics love it, or vice versa. Occasionally, you get a double win or a double loss. My brother’s TV series, “Mr Inbetween”, is one of the rare double wins. But “Bright” was in the low 30s with critics, yet it resonated with viewers. Netflix’s algorithms would confirm that, as many people rated it highly, showing a clear appetite for more. I think critics were a bit too harsh on it.

About that sequel to “Bright,” it didn’t happen for a number of reasons, but the movie’s critical reputation wasn’t one of them. It was delayed a few times, due to co-star Will Smith’s busy schedule and due to Netflix’s inability to find a director (Ayer didn’t want to return). Eventually, Netflix canceled the whole thing after Smith’s “Oscar slap” scandal.

Ayer has never been embraced by critics, “Bright” is just one of many films he’s directed that got panned — the others include the likes of “The Tax Collector,” “Suicide Squad,” “Sabotage,” and “Street Kings.”

President Biden and former President Obama appeared on stage together Saturday night in Los Angeles with late-night host Jimmy Kimmel — a conversation that included poking fun at former President Trump, touting the Democratic incumbent’s policy achievements and trying to motivate voters to head to the polls in November.

“I could have done nothing and done better than him,” Biden replied when asked about the former GOP president, whom Kimmel referred to as “Orange Julius Caesar,” before touting the strength of the nation’s economy, the low unemployment rate and other accomplishments. “We’re trying to give ordinary people a chance, just a chance.”

Obama added that Biden had built upon their policies when he was president and Biden was vice president, such as expanding access to the Affordable Care Act and increasing funding for efforts to stop climate change.

“At its best, the presidency is a relay race. You take the baton and you run the race” and then hand it your successor, Obama said. “I take great pride in what the Biden administration has accomplished. And it’s a reminder that we don’t have to just vote against something in this election. … But we can take pride in affirming the extraordinary work that Joe has done.”

The star-studded fundraiser at the Peacock Theater in downtown L.A. is expected to raise at least $28 million — the largest cash haul from a one-night event in Democratic history.

Obama, George Clooney and Julia Roberts were among the headliners. Thousands of Biden supporters paid between $250, for a seat far from the stage, and $500,000 — for a ticket package that includes prime seats, photos with both presidents and a VIP after-party — to attend what is likely to be one of the president’s last major L.A. fundraisers before the November election.

“This Saturday, we are going to see an unprecedented and record-setting turnout from the media and entertainment world,” said media mogul Jeffrey Katzenberg, a Democratic megadonor and the only nonelected official who is a co-chair of the president’s reelection campaign. “The enthusiasm and commitment for Biden-Harris couldn’t be stronger. We all understand this is the most important election of our lifetime.”

Trump spent Saturday campaigning in Detroit, where he accused Biden of weakening the economy and stoking inflation, the Associated Press reported. Biden was fundraising “with out-of-touch elitist Hollywood celebrities,” said Trump campaign spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt.

While much of Saturday evening’s comedic moments were provided by Kimmel and celebrities such as Jason Bateman, Kathryn Hahn, Jack Black and Barbra Streisand, the president and the former president also got in a few jokes.

“Remember the pandemic, [Trump] said, ‘Don’t worry, just inject a little bleach,’ ” Biden said. “It worked for him, the color of his hair.”

Biden then turned serious, noting that more than 1 million Americans have died from COVID-19.

“It has a profound negative impact on the economy. It had a profound negative impact on the attitudes of Americans,” Biden said. “One of the things I’m very proud that we did is we brought an end to pandemic.”

Kimmel recalled the toilet paper shortage in the initial weeks of the pandemic.

“He promised he would make America great again, and the next thing you know, we are wiping ourselves with envelopes,” Kimmel said, prompting Obama to laughingly interject, “Is that how you handled it Jimmy?”

Kimmel grew serious when discussing his young son Billy, who needed three open-heart surgeries because of a congenital birth defect, asking why Republicans would want to overturn the Affordable Care Act, known as “Obamacare.”

Biden said efforts to chip away at the healthcare policy enacted while Obama was president would significantly harm Americans, notably the millions who have preexisting conditions.

“Look, this guy started it. I expanded it,” he said. “Here’s the deal, the fact is these guys don’t seem to care. It’s saving the country money.”

He turned to Obama and noted, “It has your name on it.”

“I never minded that, I have to say. I am happy to call it Obamacare. Please do. I don’t really understand how that was an insult,” he said before adding that politics shouldn’t be about phony performative displays. “At its best, politics is how we come together to solve problems.”

Kimmel noted that after one of his son’s surgeries, Biden sent a card and a stuffed animal that looked like Biden’s German shepherd, Commander, who was moved out of the White House after repeatedly biting Secret Service agents.

“Unfortunately, little Commander bit Billy’s toe off, so he needs more healthcare,” Kimmel said, prompting Obama to say, “Fortunately, he’s covered!”

In a serious moment, Biden turned grave when he noted that the next president is likely to be able to nominate two Supreme Court justices.

“The idea that if he’s reelected he’s going to appoint two more flying flags upside down,” Biden said, referring to the recent controversy over an upside-down flag being flown outside of Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr.’s Virginia home.

The president added that the prospect of Trump picking new justices is among the “scariest parts” of the Republican winning in November, and recounted Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas’ comments about other rights that could be threatened in the aftermath of Roe vs. Wade being overturned.

An audience member shouted “gay rights,” and Biden responded, “Not on my watch.”

First Lady Jill Biden told a story about punching a neighborhood bully who had “tormented” her younger sister when she was 13.

She said everyone was here tonight to show Trump “exactly how we deal with bullies. … We don’t cower, we don’t turn away. We show up. We speak up.”

She then presented the contrast of the election between her husband and Trump, as she sees it: “Joe, a man who has dedicated his life to serving his community. Who honors the rule of law instead of trying to bend it to his own will. And rallies the world to fight for democracy and freedom.”

Or, the first lady continued, “we can choose someone who wakes up every morning caring about one person and one person only. Himself.”

Other elected officials and celebrities who attended included Gov. Gavin Newsom; Reps. Ted Lieu (D-Torrance), Robert Garcia (D-Long Beach), Nanette Diaz Barragán (D-San Pedro), Grace F. Napolitano (D-Norwalk); and singer Paul Anka. Also spotted was Los Angeles City Councilmember Kevin de León, whom Biden urged to resign in October 2022 after he was heard on a leaked audio with other council members that featured racist and derogatory remarks.

Public entrances to L.A. Live were fenced off throughout the afternoon with well-dressed attendees mixing with T-shirted tourists on the sidewalks. Private security and Los Angeles police officers stationed around the perimeter allowed diners to access the restaurants around the venue.

Around 5 p.m., a few hundred pro-Palestinian protesters gathered outside Crypto.com Arena and the adjacent JW Marriott hotel. They waved Palestinian flags and chanted, “Biden, Biden can’t you see, Palestine will be free,” and other slogans.

A group blocked an entrance to the fundraiser near the hotel, sitting down in front of the gates. Confused attendees approached and wondered how they’d get inside. They were able to enter a gate near the arena as protesters screamed, “Shame on you!”

Protesters later blocked the street outside the hotel after they shut down the gate.

Jennifer Jajeh, a Palestinian and South L.A. resident, stood at the entrance to the fundraiser confronting those going inside.

“The people on the ground in Gaza are experiencing terror every moment of their lives,” Jajeh said. “I feel that the people who are supporting a candidate who is supporting a genocide should feel some discomfort. Kathy Griffin, you can be yelled at for two minutes.”

The crowd of protesters began to dissipate by 7 p.m. An LAPD spokesperson said there had been no arrests.

Law enforcement officers respond to protesters near the campaign event with President Biden outside the Peacock Theater.

(Alex Brandon / Associated Press)

The event came at a critical time for Biden.

While the Democrat has outpaced Trump in dollars raised in California and nationally, the former president has seen a burst of donations since being convicted in late May of 34 felonies of falsifying business records about $130,000 in payments to adult film actor Stormy Daniels, who alleges they had sex in Lake Tahoe during a golf tournament, in an effort to influence the 2016 presidential election.

Trump’s first fundraising swing after the convictions was in California this month.

National and swing-state polls show a razor’s-edge tight race. And voters, some of whom are apathetic about Biden and Trump partly because of their age, are anxious about domestic economic concerns as well as global tumult — the extended wars between Russia and Ukraine and between Israel and Hamas.

Late Friday night, Biden left the Group of 7 summit — a gathering in Italy of leaders of Western nations focused on tackling global issues such as trade, the economy and security — as well as a private meeting with Pope Francis. After a refueling stop at an Air Force base in Maryland, the president landed in Los Angeles around dawn Saturday.

It’s unknown how Biden spent time after he landed; but his son Hunter, who was convicted of three felony gun charges this week, lives in Malibu. In February, Biden spent about 90 minutes with his son and his grandson at the Ivy restaurant on Hunter Biden’s 54th birthday. Hunter Biden was among the family members who attended Saturday’s fundraiser.

On the Peacock Theater stage, Kimmel asked what presidents have the power to do, noting that he had been making fun of Trump for years on television.

“Every hear of Delta Force? It’s not just a TV show,” Biden said, referring to an elite Army Special Forces unit. “The idea he’s threatening retribution. This is the United States of America. Did you ever think you would hear anything like this?”

Obama said this was among the reasons it was so important for Democrats to be active, from persuading young people to vote to having respectful discussions with family members and friends who have different political leanings.

“If those things happen, then Joe Biden will be reelected president of the United States, Kamala Harris will be reelected vice president of the United States and Jimmy Kimmel will be safe to do his show,” Obama said. “And I’ll be able to do what ex-presidents are supposed to do, which is not hang out with Jimmy Kimmel. Let’s get to work.”

Under Paris begins with a pre-title sequence where a group of marine scientists are dangerously close to a man-eating shark. Unsurprisingly, all but one member of the team survives the vicious attack. The surviving scientist, Sophia (Berenice Bejo), goes on to live far away in Paris with memories of the traumatic incident where she lost her husband. The shark, named Lillith for some reason, finds her way to Sophia once again after conservation activist Mika (Léa Léviant) spots her in the Seine River with a tracker.

From this point, director Gens seems confused about whether the shark must be treated as a monster or pet. This dilemma, which persists for an hour of the film’s runtime, is rather frustrating to watch. By the time the film makes up its mind, it gets hard to root for the protagonist, especially since good old logic seems to take a hit too.

Add to the proceedings a smug mayor (Anne Marivin), who doesn’t want anything hampering the triathlon Olympics in Paris, leaving you wondering how the Parisian cops let a bunch of 20-year-old activists foil their covert operation? It’s possible, sure, but the film needs to sell it. Even as the number of underwater deaths begin mounting, the Parisians are strangely devoid of any panic. Further narrative issues come in the way of a screwball subplot involving the discovery of active World War II artillery under the Seine. The shark may be kept under wraps, but how is the mayor keeping this a secret? Again, it’s possible, but the film does not attempt whatsoever to convince the audience of the plausibility of the premise.