Matchbox: The Movie topped Apple TV’s U.S. movie chart during its opening weekend, despite largely negative early reviews. The strong debut suggests the familiar toy brand drew viewers, but one weekend at No. 1 doesn’t show whether they’ll keep watching.
John Cena stars as Sean, an undercover CIA agent who returns to his hometown and reconnects with his childhood friends. Their reunion takes a dangerous turn when they get caught up in an international conspiracy and embark on a globe-trotting mission to save the world.
Inspired by Mattel’s classic Matchbox toy cars, the action movie features high-speed car chases and spy-movie spectacle. Sam Hargrave, who directed Extraction 2, helmed the film. Jessica Biel co-stars as Aimee, alongside Sam Richardson (Veep), Teyonah Parris (The Marvels), Arturo Castro (Broad City) and Danai Gurira (Black Panther).
The film debuted on Apple TV on Oct. 9. FlixPatrol’s streaming rankings put it at No. 1 on the service’s U.S. movie chart over its opening weekend. That early chart success contrasts with its critical reception: Matchbox: The Movie has a 25% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Variety criticized the film as a placeholder between Fast & Furious installments, arguing that its action overwhelms its attempts at emotional storytelling. The Wrap was more forgiving of the ensemble, calling the movie a genial time-waster, but also criticized its toy-commercial sensibilities.
Matchbox is another attempt to turn a Mattel property into a major entertainment franchise, following the success of Barbie, which became a cultural phenomenon. The opening-weekend chart result shows that the Matchbox name drew viewers at launch; whether that interest lasts is still an open question.
