Melania Documentary Receives Dismal Critical Reception
The much-discussed documentary film focusing on Melania Trump has debuted to overwhelmingly negative reviews, achieving one of the lowest scores ever recorded on the popular review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes. Titled simply Melania, the film chronicles the twenty days leading up to Donald Trump's second presidential inauguration in January 2025.
Critics Pan Film as 'Dull' and 'Terrible'
Currently languishing with a meagre 7% approval rating from professional critics, the documentary has been described in scathing terms across numerous publications. Variety labelled the production 'a shameless infomercial,' while The Guardian went further, calling it 'pure, endless hell.' Additional criticism came from The Irish Times, which branded it a 'triumph of the dull,' and the Daily Express, noting its 'mostly dull behind-the-scenes movements.'
Financial Prospects Appear Bleak
The film's commercial outlook appears equally grim following its UK release on January 30, 2026. Early projections suggest opening weekend earnings could be as low as $1 million, representing a potentially catastrophic financial outcome for distributor Amazon. The company reportedly invested $40 million to license the documentary and produce an accompanying docuseries, making this the highest price ever paid for a documentary project.
Comparisons with Infamous Film Failures
The documentary's abysmal rating places it among some of cinema's most notorious critical failures. It currently shares its 7% score with the widely criticised musical drama Music, starring Kate Hudson and Sia. More remarkably, Melania scores lower than several universally panned comic book adaptations including:
- Catwoman (8%)
- Elektra (11%)
- When Harry Met Lloyd (10%)
Contrasting Audience Reactions Emerge
Despite the overwhelmingly negative critical consensus, audience responses present a strikingly different picture. The film boasts a near-perfect 99% score on the Popcornmeter rating system, with some viewers describing it as 'classical art' and reporting sold-out screenings ending with enthusiastic applause. This dramatic divergence between professional critics and general audiences highlights the polarising nature of the documentary.
Production Controversies Surround Director
Much of the behind-the-scenes discussion has focused not on the documentary's subject but on its director, Brett Ratner. The filmmaker faced renewed scrutiny during production due to multiple misconduct allegations from 2017, which he has consistently denied. Several crew members reported difficult working conditions, with one stating Ratner was 'the worst part of working on this project' while another noted Melania Trump herself was 'totally nice' and 'the opposite of Brett Ratner.'
Limited Positive Feedback Amid Criticism
The London Evening Standard offered one of the few moderately positive assessments, describing the documentary as 'rather fascinating' in a three-star review. This stands in stark contrast to most critical evaluations, including that of Metro writer Kimberley Bond, who attended a near-empty screening and described the film as 'vacuous, empty, and devoid of any emotional heft' while calling it a 'beige vanity exercise.'
The documentary remains in UK cinemas, though its combination of devastating critical reviews and concerning financial projections suggests its theatrical run may prove short-lived.
