‘By Any Means’ Shows Critics and Audiences on Rotten Tomatoes Have Divergent Views

Historical crime thrillers often come with a heavy load, especially when they tackle uncomfortable real-world issues. ‘By Any Means’ navigates this challenging terrain, blending genre excitement with civil rights-era violence since its initial reviews emerged.

Directed by Elegance Bratton and penned by Sascha Penn, the film debuted in theaters over Labor Day weekend, bringing with it two distinct sets of expectations. Critics have scrutinized its treatment of sensitive historical topics, while audiences have shown up primarily for the star power of Mark Wahlberg and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II.

These two groups have reached remarkably different conclusions. Critics remain divided, with scores hovering in the mid-to-high 60s on Rotten Tomatoes, whereas general audiences have responded much more positively, elevating the film’s audience score to an impressive 88 percent on the same platform.

Set in 1966 Mississippi, ‘By Any Means’ follows Wayne Strider, a young Black FBI agent portrayed by Abdul-Mateen II, who is tasked with investigating a series of brutal murders targeting civil rights leaders. He teams up with Gregory Scarpa, a real-life mafia hitman turned FBI informant played by Wahlberg, as they pursue the killers, despite their starkly different moral compasses.

This central duo has become a focal point of discussion, both positively and negatively. Critics have noted a tonal mismatch between the two performances, with Abdul-Mateen II’s grounded, “reliably magnetic” portrayal often feeling out of sync with Wahlberg’s broader, more theatrical interpretation of Scarpa.

Several reviews have pointed out that Wahlberg’s prosthetic makeup can be distracting, while others have criticized the film for not adequately addressing its more serious historical themes. Some argue that it leans too heavily into revenge-thriller tropes, sacrificing a deeper engagement with the civil rights-era violence at its core.

In contrast, audiences seem less troubled by these tonal discrepancies. With hundreds of ratings logged, the film’s strong audience score aligns with Abdul-Mateen II’s career-best performances, suggesting that viewers are responding to the film on a purely entertainment-driven level.

The film also represents a comeback for Wahlberg, whose recent projects, including ‘Balls Up’, ‘The Family Plan 2’, and ‘Play Dirty’, have struggled to resonate with audiences. ‘By Any Means’ now ranks among his top 10 highest-rated films by audience score, marking a significant turnaround after a series of mixed reviews.

Supporting the leads are actors like Nicole Beharie, Josh Lucas, David Strathairn, and Giancarlo Esposito, who portrays civil rights leader Vernon Dahmer, a pivotal figure in the film’s narrative. The screenplay is inspired by a loosely true story, merging real historical events with dramatized characters to craft its central investigation.

Currently, ‘By Any Means’ is exclusively in theaters through Paramount Pictures, with no confirmed streaming date, making its box office performance the primary indicator of its success for the time being. Whether the divide between critics and audiences ultimately impacts the film’s longevity remains to be seen, but this disparity has already become a significant part of the conversation surrounding it.

In a film centered on the clash of two very different men with contrasting methods, it seems fitting that ‘By Any Means’ has elicited an equally divided response from its viewers.

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