An interesting discussion has popped up online. Can theAnthonyandJoe Russobrothers make a good movie outside of Marvel? At the moment, the answer appears to be no, at least according to reviews by critics. Each of their non-Marvel movies has a rotten score on Rotten Tomatoes while each MCU movie they made is certified fresh. That’s definitely something for them to worry about.
Still, the pair remains one of Hollywood’s most formidable directing duos. Apart from James Cameron, they are the only other directors to make a $2 billion movie. Together with Cameron, they are also the only directors to make two $2 billion films. Their work as producers also cannot be understated as they are part of the teams behindExtraction and Everything Everywhere All at Once.And when it comes to television, who can ever forgetCommunity?
Here is how each Russo Brothers movie scores on Rotten Tomatoes.
9‘The Electric State’ (2025)
Score: 15%
The Electric State
The Electric Statetraces the journey of Michelle (Millie Bobby Brown), a teenage orphan, asshe attempts to locate her brother in a dystopian version of the American West.Accompanying her is a robot named Cosmo and the drifter, Keats (Chris Pratt). Things get interesting when she enters the ‘Exclusion Zone,’ an area inhabited by banished robots from a failed rebellion.
Money Poorly Spent
The Russo Brothers were trusted with a whopping $320 million budget, making this one ofthe most expensive movies ever made. Unfortunately, the awesomeness is limited to the visuals only. Most critics took issue with the decision by the bros to cheat on the source material — the 2018 illustrated novel by Simon Stålenhag — which was named one of the best books of the year by NPR. The two leads weren’t spared of a scolding either. The Rotten Tomatoes consensus thus reads:“Lumbering along like a giant automaton,The Electric Statehas plenty of hardware to back it up but none of the spark that’d make it come to life.”
8‘You, Me and Dupree’ (2006)
Score: 20%
You, Me and Dupree
InYou, Me and Dupree, Carl (Matt Dillon) and Molly Peterson (Kate Hudson) are a newlywed couple and their chemistry is potent. But we sense it will only be a matter of time before the bliss ends. That time comes whenCarl’s best friend, Dupree (Owen Wilson), starts living with them after losing his job and home.
Poor Characterization
Communityproved that the Russo brothers can handle comedy very well, so it is surprising that they messed up here. Critics generally felt that the problem lay with Wilson’s character, Dupree, as the movie kept alternating between making him sympathetic and manipulative. Overall, they felt it was“a rather generic entry into the arrested development subgenre, with themes borrowed from other more successful and funnier films. Dupree wears out its welcome."
7‘Cherry’ (2021)
Score: 37%
Cherry,adapted from Nico Walker’s book of the same name, tracesthe titular character’s troubled life journey from his time in the army to his struggles with PTSD after getting honorably discharged.Cherry (Tom Holland) resorts to opioids to cope, and drags his wife, Emily (Ciara Bravo), into the habit. And as financial resources get depleted, Cherry becomes a bank robber.
Spider-Man Meets the Russos Again
Tom Holland has never been better (or more likable), and watch for the queen of facial expressions, Ciara Quinn Bravo. Both of them beg for Oscars here, but the material just isn’t good enough. Critics agree, noting that the movie is“certainly stylish, and it offers Tom Holland a welcome opportunity to branch out, butCherry’s woes stem from a story that’s too formulaic to bowl anyone over.“Indeed, there are many similarmovies about PTSD and veterans, but give Cherry a try.
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6‘The Gray Man’ (2022)
Score: 45%
The Gray Man
Court Gentry (Ryan Gosling) fromThe Gray Manis fished from prison andtasked with working as a CIA assassin known as Sierra Six, who is recruited from prison to work as an elite assassin. Then he uncovers dark secrets about his employers. Furious, he plots to expose the truth — but is he getting in over his head? Predictably,Lloyd Hansen (Chris Evans), a brute and mercenary, is sent to hunt him down, and so the fun begins.
An Average Spy Thriller
Gosling impresses and Chris Evans’ enthusiasm shows. He was definitely glad to be in another Russo brothers movie. Ana de Armas also shines as a sexy femme fatale who can kill without blinking and whom you’d think twice about taking home to your mama. However, RT certified critics feltThe Gray Manwas“filled in with lukewarm leftovers from far better films.“You can see their point, especially since many movies have handled this convict-to-hero premise better.
5‘Welcome To Collinwood’ (2002)
Score: 55%
Welcome to Collinwood
Welcome to Collinwoodfollows Cosimo (Luis Guzmán), who,after landing in jail, hatches a plan for the perfect score.His motley group of comrades includes a struggling boxer, a hopeless romantic thief, and a fake mastermind. We now enter thecrime-gone-wrong territory.
Not as Good as the Original
Remaking a perfect movie isn’t always a great idea, and the Russo brothers clearly set themselves up for failure by serving us a version of Mario Monicelli’s Oscar-nominated 1958 Italian movie,Big Deal on Madonna Street (I soliti ignoti). It lacks the crisp cinematography and the heavy jokes. Thankfully, the directors improved on these two areas later in their careers. Reviewers concluded that the new film“contains some funny moments, but it’s still a very lightweight comedy.”
4‘Avengers: Infinity War’ (2018)
Avengers: Infinity War
There is a major problem inAvengers: Infinity War. Thanos (Josh Brolin) isplanning to collect all six Infinity Stones and use them to wipe out half of all life in the universe.Our favorite heroes try to stop him, but the big bad purple dude didn’t come to play this time.
Thanos the Eliminator
For a long time, superheroes have always won in their movies, so this MCU installment was a breath of fresh air. The action is outstanding, the story is detailed and the visuals are so good that the Academy of Motion Arts and sciences gave a thumb up. The Rotten Tomatoes critics consensus reads:“Avengers: Infinity Warably juggles a dizzying array of MCU heroes in the fight against their gravest threat yet, and the result is a thrilling, emotionally resonant blockbuster that (mostly) realizes its gargantuan ambitions.”
3‘Captain America: Civil War’ (2016)
Score: 90%
Captain America: Civil War
The Sokovia Accord, a government initiative to regulate the activities of the Avengers causes a rift in the group inCaptain America: Civil War.Some oppose it, some agree to it. Former bosom buddies, Iron Man and Captain America lead their respective teams in a fight against each other.
Hero Vs Hero
The Russo brothers create a deliciously stylish atmosphere with colorful sets, numerous scenic locales, and stunning set pieces, all of which comprise a banquet for the eyes. They also dispatch a bunch on new and exciting characters to straighten out matters. Rotten Tomatoes reviewers describedCivil Waras“an action-packed superhero blockbuster boasting a decidedly non-cartoonish plot and the courage to explore thought-provoking themes."
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2‘Captain America: The Winter Soldier’ (2014)
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Charming, well-adjusted Steve Rogers finds his picture-perfect Avenger life annihilated inCaptain America: The Winter Soldierwhen hestarts working for S.H.I.E.L.D. and uncovers a conspiracy within the organization.Teaming up with Black Widow and Falcon, he sets out to eliminate the threat. Standing in their way is the deadly assassin known as the Winter Soldier.
Arguably the Best MCU Solo Movie
This impeccable film is in many ways the standard against which all other superhero films ought to be judged. It has villains pulling strings behind the shadows and another baddie who fights better than the hero. Plus, there are tons of memorable sequences. Who can ever forget the elevator fight? Or the highway fight? Critics verdict?“Suspenseful and politically astute,Captain America: The Winter Soldieris a superior entry in the Avengers canon and is sure to thrill Marvel diehards.”
1‘Avengers: Endgame’ (2019)
Score: 94%
Avengers: Endgame
The universe isn’t the same inAvengers: Endgame. Thanos’ devastating snap has wiped out half of all life. It’s thus upto the surviving Avengers to come up with a plan to reverse everything.But how will they do it? Well, Ant-Man devises a genius time-travel idea.
The Storm is Over
Fans always knew the Avengers would eventually come out on top, but they never knew the story would be this beautiful. In the final chapter, the Russo brothers bring all the big guns and serve epic battles and quotes that stick with you forever. The RT critics consensus reads:“Exciting, entertaining, and emotionally impactful,Avengers: Endgamedoes whatever it takes to deliver a satisfying finale to Marvel’s epic Infinity Saga.“Hopefully, the upcoming Avengers films from the director duo will be this good.
