Steven Soderbergh’sBlack Baghas broken over a dozen Rotten Tomatoes records thanks to its rave reviews. The highly anticipated spy thriller starring Michael Fassbender and Cate Blanchett proved to be worth the wait. As Soderbergh’s second movie of 2025,Black Bagdelivered the type of adult genre fare many were looking for. With writer David Koepp’s smart script, Soderbergh’s sharp direction, a handful of terrific performances, and the big reveals inBlack Bag’s ending, there’s a lot to like about the movie.
It is no wonder thatBlack Bag’s reviewsare among the best for any 2025 movie to date.After Soderbergh’s horror thrillerPresencegot an 88% on Rotten Tomatoes with critics, his spy film was even better received. As of this writing,Black Baghas a 97% score on Rotten Tomatoes from criticsafter the aggregator tabulated 165 reviews. That score will surely keep it among the best-reviewed movies of 2025, as films earning scores between 98%-100% are rare.Still, it’s staggering to note the various Rotten Tomatoes recordsBlack Baghas broken.
Black Bag Is The Highest-Rated Movie Steven Soderbergh Has Directed
He Has A New Career High For Feature Films
Steven Soderbergh has been making movies for decades now, butBlack Bagis officially his highest score on Rotten Tomatoes among his narrative feature films.He was an executive producer on the 2001 documentaryTributeand the 2022 documentaryIs That Black Enough For You?!?, which both have 100% ratings from critics.But in terms of movies that Soderbergh directed,Black Baghas beatenSex, Lies, and Videotapeto be his best-reviewed film.
97%
Sex, Lies, and Videotape(1989)
96%
94%
93%
92%
King of the Hill(1993)
91%
88%
87%
85%
83%
80%
79%
78%
72%
70%
68%
67%
66%
65%
63%
59%
55%
48%
41%
39%
34%
Eros(2004)
Black Bagtaking Steven Soderbergh’s all-time Rotten Tomatoes record is a massive deal.Sex, Lies, and Videotapewas his directorial debut, and the movie retained his best score on Rotten Tomatoes for nearly 36 years. Although he’s made bigger box office hits and even a Best Picture winner withTraffic,Black Bagnow holds the record for the best reviews of Soderbergh’s prestigious career. That’s no small accomplishment. It further illustrates how this is one ofSteven Soderbergh’s best movies.
Black Bag Is The Best Rotten Tomatoes Score For Michael Fassbender, Cate Blanchett, & More Cast & Crew Members
14 Other Black Bag Members Broke Records
Black Bagisn’t just a record release for Soderbergh. Basically everyone involved in the film has a new career-high Rotten Tomatoes score with critics thanks to the film. This includes everyone from Michael Fassbender and Cate Blanchett to people in the art department or involved in casting. The most significant exception is Naomi Harris, who still hasMoonlightas her highest-rated movie on Rotten Tomatoes with a score of 98%. Otherwise, these are the movies and RT scoresBlack Baghas now beaten to set additional records for the cast and crew.
Casting
The Florida Project(96%)
Cate Blanchett has been involved in a few documentaries with higher Rotten Tomatoes scores, so this record strictly concerns her on-screen narrative roles. Furthermore,Black Bag’s Rotten Tomatoes scoreis an easy record for Marisa Abela’s movie roles, but it also beatIndustry's 90% score to be the highest of her career overall. It’s also worth noting that other than beating Soderbergh’s 36-year record, Ellen Mirojnick had the oldest movie that previously had her highest RT score, with 1994’sSpeed. Most of the records will still hold even ifBlack Bag’s score dips a point or two over time.
It Even Predates His Time As James Bond
Image via Focus Features
The 15 recordsBlack Bagclaimed were all great, and the movie even tied one for Pierce Brosnan. The 97% score Soderbergh’s movie received is the same as Brosnan’s record high on Rotten Tomatoes. This putsBlack Bagin a tie withThe Long Good Friday. The latter is a 1982 crime drama starring Bob Hoskins and Helen Mirren, which was Brosnan’s first movie role. He’s only credited as “1st Irishman” for the film. Despite the small role he had in it,The Long Good Fridayremained unchallenged as Brosnan’s highest score on Rotten Tomatoesfor 43 years.
If the score ticks up to 98%, then there will be a 16th record it can claim.
That makesBlack Bag’s acclaim somewhat of a rarity for Pierce Brosnan. It’s only the second movie the accomplished actor has ever been in that has a score above 90% on Rotten Tomatoes. He was in the James Bond documentaryEverything or Nothing: The Untold Story of 007, which has a 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes. But similar to Blanchett and Soderbergh,Black Baghas tied the actor’s record for narrative feature film roles. If the score ticks up to 98%, then there will be a 16th record it can claim.
