It’s rare to see a Michael Caine film make audiences this angry – but a recent one managed to be branded by some as the veteran actor’s worst role to date.
Despite his legendary career, this particular movie has been savaged for everything from its acting to its pacing, leaving even Caine’s biggest fans disappointed.
With a dismal 9% score on Rotten Tomatoes, Twist (2021) was meant to be a bold reimagining of Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist. Instead, as one viewer raged, “Absolutely abysmal! I watched this expecting a good subversion of Oliver Twist only to get a boring movie with boring choreography and terrible acting.”
“Even from Michael Caine, who tried and failed at doing a Russian accent. If there was a 0‑star rating I would give this movie it.” On paper, the idea was ambitious: a contemporary London heist film with Caine as a reimagined Fagin, supported by an ensemble cast including Lena Headey and Rita Ora. But audiences were far from convinced.
One reviewer called it “the best thing is the duration”, going on to slam its “horrible interpretation” of the Dickensian tale and its failure to create anything resembling compelling characters.
Another viewer was just as scathing: “I don’t think even Michael Caine can save this film; the only good things about it are the soundtrack, some of the set pieces, and the interesting camera movements. With a very simple and unrealistic plot, the film moves very slowly and tediously. The acting isn’t a saving grace either – everyone does a poor job.”
The criticisms are consistent: a thin plot, clunky pacing, and performances that fail to connect. As one disappointed fan noted, “The idea would be right but the interpretation is horrible, and they introduce the topics of the society erasing a natural plot.”
Even the film’s visual style came under fire. “Another thing I didn’t like is the palette of colours of the movie,” one viewer said. “In many moments it feels overwhelming and doesn’t feel real.”
While some praised elements of the soundtrack, camera work and set design, they weren’t enough to save a film many found “tedious” and “unrealistic.”
For Caine – whose career includes classics like The Italian Job, The Dark Knight trilogy and The Cider House Rules – Twist remains a rare misfire. And with critics and audiences united in their disappointment, it’s no surprise this one has become notorious among his most vocal fans.
If you’d like to see it for yourself, Twist is available for streaming with a Sky subscription.
