Are post-apocalyptic movies better than superhero films? Are remakes better than book adaptations? We decided to settle these questions once and for all — using science. We've compared the average Rotten Tomatoes scores for nine types of science fiction films.


Methodology: We compiled a list of movies in each category, for the past decade, and then looked up their scores on Rotten Tomatoes, the movie review aggregator site.

Results: On average, the genre that has the absolute best Rotten Tomatoes score is zombie movies, and the category of movie with the highest score is "reboots." Reboots are better than remakes, apparently. Zombie movies are better than superhero movies — but they're both better than post-apocalyptic movies. Here are the average scores for each category:

Reboots: 63.22

Zombie movies: 60.71

Superhero movies: 56.15

Paranoid thrillers: 53.78

Book/graphic novel adaptations: 52.71

Post-apocalyptic movies: 51.13

Remakes: 46.16

Spaceships and aliens: 44.71

Vampires: 38.36


If anybody out there has a degree in statistics, it would be interesting to crunch these numbers further — like which type of movie has the biggest variation in quality? It seems like some genres have more drek than others — like there are a ton of superhero movies below 20 percent, but no zombie movies below that threshold.

Note: Of course, Rotten Tomatoes scores are subjective, and only represent the opinions of individual movie critics. And what do the critics know anyway? Also, this is only for movies over the past decade.

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So here are our detailed findings, including individual scores for each movie:


Superhero movies:

The Incredibles 97

The Dark knight 94

Spider-Man 2 94

Iron Man 93

Spider-Man 90

X2 88

Hellboy II 87

Batman Begins 85

Hellboy 81

X-Men 81

Superman Returns 76

Sky High 73

Unbreakable 68

The Incredible Hulk 66

Watchmen 64

Spider-Man 3 63

Mystery Men 63

Hulk 61

Blade II 58

X-Men: The Last Stand 56

Daredevil 44

Hancock 40

My Super Ex-Girlfriend 40

X-men Origins: Wolverine 37

Fantastic 4: Rise of The Silver Surfer 37

Ghost Rider 26

Fantastic Four 26

Blade Trinity 26

League of Extraordinary Gentlemen 16

Superhero Movie! 15

The Spirit 14

Elektra 10

Catwoman 10

Average: 56.15


Zombie movies:

Hell's Ground 100

Zombie Girl: The Movie 100

REC 91

Shaun Of The Dead 91

Zombieland 89

28 Days Later 88

Slither 85

They Came Back 83

Flight of the Living Dead: Outbreak on a Plane 80

Zombie Honeymoon 80

Survival Of The Dead 80

Mulberry Street 78

The Children 77

Dawn Of The Dead 76

Land of the Dead 75

Planet Terror 74

28 Weeks Later 72

I Sell The Dead 72

Fido 69

I Am Legend 68

Versus 67

Dead Snow 66

Diary of the Dead 60

Quarantine 60

Scream Queen 60

The Roost 56

The Signal 54

Automaton Transfusion 50

Flesh For The Beast 50

Doghouse 43

Colin 42

Beyond Re-Animator 42

Zombie Strippers 40

Otto; Or, Up With Dead People 35

Resident Evil 34

Undead 30

Tsui Hark's Vampire Hunters 29

Resident Evil: Extinction 23

Resident Evil: Apocalypse 21

Day of the Dead 20

Night Of The Living Dorks 20

Shadow; Dead Riot 20

Average: 60.71


Post-Apocalyptic:

WALL-E 96

Children of Men 92

The Road 76

The Matrix Reloaded 73

I Am Legend 68

Carriers 64

Time of the Wolf 63

On The Beach 60

9 57

The Signal 54

City of Ember 51

Doomsday 48

The Book of Eli 45

Reign of Fire 40

The Matrix Revolutions 37

Equilibrium 36

Repo! The Genetic Opera 34

Terminator Salvation 31

Resident Evil: Extinction 23

Mutant Chronicles 16

Aeon Flux 10

Average: 51.13


Paranoid Thrillers:

Memento 93

Minority Report 92

Freeze Frame 83

Manchurian Candidate 81

The Machinist 75

V for Vendetta 74

Sunshine 74

Paranoia 1.0 67

A Scanner Darkly 67

Solaris 65

Deja Vu 56

Cypher 56

Deterrence 45

The Jacket 44

Vanilla Sky 40

The Island 40

Southland Tales 36

X-Files: I want To Believe 32

Paycheck 27

Hollow Man 27

AntiTrust 25

Push 23

Impostor 15

Average: 53.78


Franchise Reboots:

Casino Royale 94

Star Trek 94

Batman Begins 85

Superman Returns 76

The Incredible Hulk 66

Sum of All Fears 59

Planet of the Apes 44

Halloween 26

Friday the 13th 25

Average: 63.22


Remakes:

King Kong 83

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory 82

Manchurian Candidate 81

Dawn of the Dead 76

War of the Worlds 74

I Am Legend 68

Solaris 65

Quarantine 60

Planet of the Apes 44

Death Race 42

Vanilla Sky 40

Time Machine 28

The Stepford Wives 27

Halloween 26

Amityville Horror 24

The Day The Earth Stood Still 20

The Invasion 19

The Wicker Man 15

Rollerball 3

Average: 46.16


Book/graphic novel adaptations:

Ringu 97

Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers 96

Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King 94

Pontypool 93

Children of Men 92

Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring 92

Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban 89

Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire 88

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince 83

Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets 82

1408 78

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone 78

Harry Potter And The Order Of the Phoenix 77

Stardust 76

The Prestige 75

War of the Worlds 74

V For Vendetta 74

The Mist 73

Dark Water (Japanese) 71

The Ring 71

Midnight Meat Train 70

A Scanner Darkly 67

Solaris 65

Watchmen 64

Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy 61

Journey to the Center of the Earth 61

Night Watch 58

I, Robot 58

From Hell 58

The Mothman Prophecies 52

Twilight 50

Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief 50

Dark Water (English) 46

The Ruins 46

Secret Window 46

The Box 44

Planet of the Apes 44

K-Pax 41

Circque du Freak: The Vampires Assistant 37

Dreamcatcher 30

Riding the Bullet 29

Next 29

Surrogates 29

Twilight: New Moon 28

The Time Machine 28

The Stepford Wives 27

The Amityville Horror 24

The Ring 2 21

League of Extraordinary Gentlemen 16

Mutant Chronicles 16

Jumper 15

Excorcist: The Beginning 11

Timeline 11

Blood and Chocolate 11

Babylon A.D. 7

Battlefield Earth 2

House 0

Average: 52.71


Vampire movies:

Let The Right One In 97

Dracula: Pages From A Virgin's Diary 86

Thirst 82

Shadow Of The Vampire 81

Loved Ones 80

Jesus Christ Vampire Hunter 78

Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust 71

Grace 68

Daybreakers 67

Day Watch 62

Blade 2 58

Dracula III: Legacy 57

The Roost 56

Blood: The Last Vampire 53

Twilight 50

30 Days of Night 48

Trouble Every Day 44

Marebito 41

Circque du Freak: The Vampires Assistant 37

From Dusk Till Dawn 2: The Hangman's Daughter 33

Rise: Blood Hunter 33

Underworld: Rise of the Lycans 32

Underworld 30

Lesbian Vampire Killers 29

Tsui Hark's Vampire Hunters 29

Twilight: New Moon 28

Blade: Trinity 26

Van Helsing 23

Blood: The Last Vampire 20

The Queen Of The Damned 17

Dracula 2000 15

Underworld: Evolution 15

The Forsaken 8

Ultraviolet 8

Lost Souls 7

Bloodrayne 4

Dracula II: Ascension 0

Eulogy For A Vampire 0

Legion Of The Dead 0

Lost Boys: The Tribe 0

Transylmania 0

Average: 38.36


Spaceships And Aliens:

Wall-E 96

Star Trek 94

District 9 90

Moon 89

Slither 85

Avatar 82

Serenity 81

Star Wars Episode III 80

Space Cowboys 79

Zathura 76

Superman Returns 76

Kol... Mil Gaya 75

Sunshine 74

War Of The Worlds 74

Monsters Vs. Aliens 72

Cowboy Bebop: The Movie 69

Treasure Planet 69

Star Wars Episode II 66

Spider-Man 3 63

Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy 61

The American Astronaut 61

Transformers 57

Pitch Black 55

Titan A.E. 51

Godzilla Final Wars 50

CJ7 49

Battle For Terra 47

Tamala 2010 46

Planet Of The Apes 44

What Planet Are You From? 42

Men In Black II 38

Space Chimps 37

Fantastic 4: Rise of The Silver Surfer 37

Star Trek: Nemesis 37

Returner 35

Alien Trespass 34

Knowing 33

Pandorum 30

Chronicles Of Riddick 30

Aliens In The Attic 29

Fantastic 4 26

Mission To Mars 24

Planet 51 23

Alien Vs. Predatorv 22

Jason X 21

Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen 20

Day The Earth Stood Still 20

Meet Dave 19

Dude Where's My Car? 19

The Invasion 19

Star Wars: The Clone Wars 19

Doom 19

Thunderbirds 19

John Carpenter's Ghosts Of Mars 19

The Fourth Kind 18

Fly Me To The Moon 17

Dragonball: Evolution 13

Aliens Vs. Predator: Requiem 12

Red Planet 12

Supernova 10

The Adventures Of Pluto Nash 6

Battlefield Earth 2

Space Buddies N/A

Average: 44.71


Additional reporting by Mary Ratliff and Josh C. Snyder.