Melania Rotten Tomatoes Review: A Wild Divide The 2026 documentary Melania , directed by Brett Ratner, chronicles Melania Trump's life in the 20 days leading to Donald Trump's January 2025 inauguration as current U.S. president. Released late last year, it has ignited fierce debate with its Rotten Tomatoes scores, reflecting deep political polarization in film criticism.

Critic Scores Plunge Low

Critics have savaged the film, giving it single-digit ratings that signal "overwhelming dislike." As of January 31, 2026, Rotten Tomatoes lists a 6-8% score from 15 reviews—often just one positive vote amid harsh pans—while Metacritic hits a dire 4-6/100.

Reviews call it desperate, boring, or the "worst film ever," with The Atlantic's Sophie Gilbert noting Ratner's futile hunt for drama and BuzzFeed's Stephanie McNeal deeming it unwatchable.

This places Melania near historic lows, competing with films under 4% on Rotten Tomatoes' worst-ever list.

Audience Loves It—98-99% High

In stark contrast, verified audience scores soar to 99% on Rotten Tomatoes (over 100 reviews) and 98% Popcornmeter, with theaters reportedly erupting in cheers.

Fans praise Melania as a "class act" and "wonderful human," suggesting pre- existing admiration drives the love—those seeking it out already adore her story.

Metacritic users rate it 1.2/10, but platforms like Letterboxd show 1/5 stars from 3,400+ reviews, hinting at pre-release "review-bombing" wars.

Why the Huge Gap? Multiple Views

  • Polarization Play : Political docs often split this way, but a 92-point critic-audience chasm is rare—fueled by Trump supporters vs. mainstream media distrust.
  • Review Authenticity Drama : Suspicious critic blurbs (e.g., oddly phrased positives) and pre-release audience bombs on Letterboxd spark "hypocrisy" cries on Reddit's r/moviereviews.
  • Access Issues : Mainstream outlets skipped the Kennedy Center premiere, possibly biasing later reviews; Ratner's #MeToo history adds fuel.
  • Betting Buzz : Prediction markets like Context.markets bet against it topping 20%, with "No" bets dominating as of January 29.

Forum Chatter Heats Up

Reddit threads buzz with accusations of Rotten Tomatoes bias, urging flags on "fake" reviews via [email protected].

"They were review-bombing it on Letterboxd before it came out. The fact the audience score is 99% despite that makes it an even bigger slap in the face."

Users from all sides weigh in: some decry pre-release ratings, others mock sitting through it as "licking New York streets." Neutral voices call for verified post-viewing reviews only.

This mirrors trending gossip on X and forums, where Melania trended January 30-31 as a culture-war lightning rod.

Quick Timeline Scoop

  • Nov 2025 : Early Rotten Tomatoes page up.
  • Jan 20-29, 2026 : Pre-release hype, Wikipedia entry.
  • Jan 30-31 : Public drop, scores tank for critics, soar for fans; betting markets active.

TL;DR: Critics roast Melania at 6-8% RT (one thumbs-up), audiences cheer 99%—a massive rift tied to politics, review wars, and Trump fandom. Latest as of Jan 31, 2026.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.