“Mindcage,” a thriller from 2022 featuring a star from the television series Manifest, has made a surprising entrance onto Netflix’s Global Top 10. The movie, which garnered critical panning upon its initial release, follows two detectives seeking assistance from an incarcerated serial killer, the Artist, when a copycat killer emerges. The cast includes Martin Lawrence, Melissa Roxburgh, John Malkovich, Robert Knepper, Jacob Grodnik, and Aiden Turner, with Roxburgh known for her role as Michaela Stone in Manifest, which concluded its fourth and final season on Netflix in 2023.
Despite its initial critical reception, the 2022 thriller has found success on Netflix, securing a spot in the Global Top 10 for the week of January 22-28. “Mindcage” recorded an impressive 14.7 million hours watched and garnered 9.1 million total views during its debut week, claiming the second position behind Kevin Hart’s “Lift,” which maintained its dominance for the third consecutive week.
Understanding the Initial Criticism Surrounding “Mindcage”
Upon its release, “Mindcage” had a limited theatrical run before heading straight to video-on-demand in December 2022, resulting in minimal attention and reviews. The critical response, although sparse, was predominantly negative. The film holds a mere 18 percent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on just 11 reviews from approved critics. In contrast, the audience reception was more favorable, yielding a stronger 66 percent score from over 250 ratings.
Critics, as reflected in reviews, described “Mindcage” as a forgettable thriller with a familiar premise, laden with serial killer clichés and exhausted tropes. Many critiques pointed out similarities to iconic films such as “The Silence of the Lambs” and 1990s serial killer movies like “Seven” and “Fallen.” Despite the overall negative reception, some reviews acknowledged John Malkovich for his standout performance, praising his portrayal of a deranged serial killer in “Mindcage.”
Why not check out: Paul Dano and Seth Rogen’s “Dumb Money” Gains Second Wind on Netflix
