Ms Marvel being review-bombed on IMDb, rating plummets to 6.6/10

The reason behind the review-bombing of Ms Marvel wasn't immediately clear, but it may have something to do with the show being a giant step forward in terms of representation.

Ms Marvel is streaming on Disney+ Hotstar in India.

The newest Marvel Studios show, Ms Marvel, is being review-bombed on the Amazon-owned entertainment database website IMDb. The reason behind the review-bombing of Ms Marvel wasn’t immediately clear, but it may have something to do with the show being a giant step forward in terms of representation in a genre still dominated by white males.

Starring Iman Vellani, Ms Marvel is the first MCU show (or movie, for that matter) to feature a Muslim superhero and a South Asian character in the lead role. It is also the first genuine exploration of South Asian culture in the MCU. At the time of writing, 1,694 people (or 22.9 per cent of the reviewers) have given the show a rating of 1 out of 10.

In comparison, 2,900 people (or 39 per cent) have given Ms Marvel a rating of 10 out of 10. It is always a bad sign, and a sign of review-bombing, when most of the reviewers have given a movie or show either the best or the worst rating. It indicates a hostility from a certain section of the fanbase.

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A cursory analysis of the show’s ratings suggests most of the low ratings have come from those above the age of 30. Average ratings of those below 18 years of age and those from 18 years to 29 years of age are 7.7 and 7.2, respectively. But reviewers who are 30-44 have given the show only 6.3 average rating. Those above the age of 45 have given even lower average rating: 5.9.

This isn’t the first time that an MCU property has been review-bombed. As the franchise welcomes more POC characters, and prioritises representation for religious, ethnic, sexual and other minorities, a section of fans has found reason to complain.

Chloe Zhao’s Eternals also received negative response from many fans for similar reasons. More recently, Moon Knight was a target of review-bombing, particularly from Turkish or Turkish-origin audiences, when it acknowledged the Armenian Genocide.

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