What a movie surprised everyone by reaching first place in the top France on Netflix a few hours after it was posted on the platform. However, it received very bad reviews.
For only two days, Les Déguns 2, released in July 2023 in cinemas, topped the Netflix France rankings, an improbable success for this film which hardly won over critics. Available on the platform since October 30, this feature film, directed by Cyrille Droux and Claude Zidi Jr., is the continuation of the adventures of Nono (played by Nordine Salhi) and Karim (played by Karim Jebli), two young people from the neighborhoods Marseille who embark on ever more absurd plans to try to succeed, despite their legendary clumsiness. This second opus takes up the ingredients of schoolboy humor and incredible situations that made the web series successful The Déguns on YouTube, transformed into a film in 2018 with a first part which had 400,000 views when it was released. If the work clearly targets an audience fond of this type of uninhibited comedies, the popularity of the film on Netflix is puzzling, especially since the reviews are far from laudatory.
“A cinematic ordeal”: lCritics are pouring out for The Déguns 2
The reception given to the film The Déguns 2 was not the warmest, as evidenced by the numerous comments on Google and other platforms. “A cinematic ordeal”, “Gags seen and seen again” or even “How could it be worse? It’s difficult (…) It’s absolutely not funny” are all comments that come up in negative reviews. The critics point out the lack of originality of the scenario, the dialogues considered caricatures and a humor which struggles to be renewed. With an average rating of 2.2/5 on Google, the film seems to be mostly disappointed. However, it would be unfair to deny the enthusiasm of certain fans who find it a light and regressive comedy, perfect for a stress-free evening.
Les Déguns 2, an unexpected rise on Netflix
The rise of The Déguns 2 at the top of the rankings Netflix questions how such a critically criticized film can dominate streaming audiences. Netflix's algorithm could have played a decisive role in offering it massively to users fond of light and offbeat comedies. The curiosity of spectators seems to have done the rest, fueled by digital word of mouth which, even negative, could paradoxically stimulate interest. It remains to be seen whether this popularity will be fleeting or whether the second part of the film will manage to transform this buzz into a more lasting craze.
Article written in collaboration with 6Médias.
France
