Movies that are too divisive to be vindicated by history.

A beloved rite of passage in film history is for a movie to become what I call a "vindicated classic." A film that initially received mixed reviews or underperformed before receiving a positive reappraisal: Citizen Kane (1941), Blade Runner (1982), The Thing (1982), etc. But what about films that haven't had the same luck? Films that were polarizing then and now to where they haven't found a consistent fanbase?

In his review of the critically panned film Stay, Chris Stuckmann mentioned that two factors helping divisive or underperforming films back then were the home video market and the absence of sites that publicly cemented critics' views (i.e., Rotten Tomatoes, Metacritic). Films thought of as vindicated classics typically range from the silent era through the 2000s, shortly before home video was followed by streaming and the social media boom. Those factors have made it so a film's reputation is usually ingrained quickly and remains the same or only fluctuates slightly; this makes it harder for divisive films to escape reputational limbo.

One example I can think of is Dragged Across Concrete (2019). While I'm not a fan, I noticed how its temporary viewership on Netflix led to new reviews, yet it hasn't received a major reappraisal, and it, understandably, remains controversial.

Some polarizing films like David Lynch's Dune, Alien 3, Cloud Atlas, and Mother! have many genuine fans, but they still haven't received a reappraisal significant enough to become classics. Others like Only God Forgives, the Star Wars prequel trilogy, The Last Jedi, Spider-Man 3, Prometheus, The Dark Knight Rises, and No Time to Die are so heavily contested that even a lot of viewers who enjoy them will acknowledge they're not necessarily great.

A few recently vindicated classics that come to mind are Batman Returns, Jennifer's Body, and Interstellar. Despite initially flopping, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World received positive reviews, and its fandom has increased over the years. Things have looked up for Babylon since 2022, as it has gained passionate defenders. But these films seem to be exceptions rather than the rule.

I'd like to hear people's thoughts and other examples that could fit this topic.