‘Matchbox: The Movie’ Skids Into Rotten Territory as Critics Pan John Cena’s Toy Car Adventure

Hollywood’s appetite for toy-based blockbusters has never been bigger. Mattel has been eager to turn its famous brands into movie franchises, and its iconic miniature cars were next in line for the big-budget treatment.

The result is a globe-trotting action comedy led by John Cena and directed by Sam Hargrave, known for ‘Extraction’. Produced with Skydance, Mattel Films and Apple, the film follows a group of childhood friends, including Cena’s CIA agent Sean, whose long-awaited reunion spirals into chaos, and its trailer drew more than 4 million views within 24 hours of debuting at San Diego Comic-Con.

Now that ‘Matchbox: The Movie’ has arrived on Apple TV, critics have delivered a harsh verdict. As of October 9, the PG-13 film sits at just 23% on Rotten Tomatoes from 22 reviews, firmly in rotten territory.

The review embargo lifted on Thursday, and the film debuted at just 20% from its first 10 reviews. Since then, the score has bounced between the low and high 20s as more critics weighed in. That number puts it below every film in the ‘Fast & Furious’ franchise. The lowest-rated entry in that series, 2009’s ‘Fast & Furious’, holds 29%.

The most common complaint is that the film barely uses its own brand. Several reviewers noted that the miniature cars play little role, with the plot instead feeling like a generic action movie.

Blu-ray.com’s Brian Orndorf criticized the writing for making it clear the production had no real plans to use Matchbox toys in the story. The New York Times’ Brandon Yu suggested the adaptation may have been doomed from the start, since the brand lacks a distinct identity.

First trailer for ‘MATCHBOX: THE MOVIE’, based on the Mattel toy cars. Releasing October 9 on Apple TV. https://t.co/ogoFCKLsBS

— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) July 25, 2026

Screen Rant gave it 5 out of 10, praising the fun premise but arguing the aggressive approach to its toy IP ultimately sinks it. Collider also scored it 5 out of 10, dismissing it as a dull knockoff of ‘Fast & Furious’.

Other critics took issue with the film’s uneven tone. The AV Club’s Simon Abrams gave it a D-, arguing the film fails to work as either a parody of action movies or a heartfelt story about friendship.

Variety’s Guy Lodge offered a slightly warmer take, acknowledging moments of charm. Still, he felt the film never feels truly made for adults, despite its scale and flash. One review went further, viewing the film as a grim preview of what multiplexes might look like if studio franchise fare dominates by default.

The film isn’t without defenders. Some critics highlighted the cast and individual action sequences, with Hargrave bringing his stunt-driven style to the chases. Audience reactions on Rotten Tomatoes have also been friendlier.

Several viewers praised Cena’s charm, describing his films as fun even if they aren’t groundbreaking, though the Popcornmeter has yet to post a score. Cena leads an ensemble that includes Jessica Biel, Sam Richardson, Teyonah Parris, Arturo Castro, Corey Stoll, Danai Gurira and Randeep Hooda. However, some reviewers felt the cast could not overcome the script’s weaknesses.

The rough reception continues a pattern for Cena, who frequently appears in projects that divide critics. His recent comedy ‘Little Brother’ also landed in rotten territory with 36%. ‘Matchbox: The Movie’ runs 2 hours and 6 minutes and is now available to stream on Apple TV.

With the review score in place, its fate will likely depend on whether audiences embrace it as a light weekend watch. For Mattel, the reception is a setback in its push to expand its toy brands into cinema. Whether viewers give it a second chance remains to be seen.

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