WILD Critic Meltdown After Melania Film Dominates

The new Melania Trump documentary is driving critics absolutely wild with a stunning 99% audience approval rating while left-leaning reviewers scramble to dismiss what everyday Americans are calling an unprecedented historical chronicle.

Story Snapshot

Melania documentary achieves 99% audience score versus 11% critic rating, exposing the massive disconnect between Hollywood elites and regular Americans
Amazon MGM Studios invested $75 million in the project, releasing it to over 7,000 theaters worldwide in an unprecedented documentary rollout
Film provides exclusive behind-the-scenes access to the 20 days before President Trump’s 2025 inauguration, with Melania serving as executive producer
Critics compare the documentary to propaganda while audiences applaud in theaters, praising the historical significance and elegant portrayal

Record-Breaking Audience Support Despite Media Criticism

The Melania documentary premiered January 30, 2026, in over 2,000 U.S. theaters and 5,000 venues worldwide, creating an immediate cultural flashpoint. Audience members awarded the film a 99% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on over 250 verified ratings, with many viewers reportedly applauding during screenings. Meanwhile, film critics assigned a dismal 11% rating, with only 18 reviews counted. This dramatic 88-point gap reveals exactly what conservatives have known for years: the mainstream media establishment remains completely disconnected from the values and interests of ordinary Americans who want authentic stories told without leftist filters.

Unprecedented Access and Production Control

Melania Trump served as executive producer through her company Muse Films, maintaining editorial oversight over the entire 104-minute production directed by Brett Ratner. The documentary captures the critical 20-day period from December 2024 to January 20, 2025, showcasing never-before-seen footage of inauguration planning, White House transition meetings, and intimate family moments. Amazon MGM Studios paid $40 million for licensing rights and committed an additional $35 million for marketing, demonstrating corporate confidence in the project’s appeal. This level of investment for a documentary is virtually unheard of, and Melania’s creative control ensured the story would be told from her perspective rather than filtered through hostile media outlets.

Critics Resort to Predictable Propaganda Claims

Left-leaning critics immediately deployed their standard playbook, with reviewers comparing the film to propaganda and calling it everything from “pure graft” to evidence of “institutional decline.” Donald Clarke of the Irish Times dismissed it as “Triumph of the Dull,” while Sonny Bunch of The Bulwark labeled it propaganda. These overwrought reactions expose the critics’ real frustration: they’ve lost their monopoly on shaping public narratives. Conservatives recognize this documentary for what it actually represents—a First Lady taking control of her own story after years of unfair media portrayals. The elegance, behind-the-scenes access, and historical documentation resonate with viewers who appreciate traditional values and want authentic insight into the Trump family’s return to the White House.

Opening Weekend Performance and Future Distribution

Early tracking projected a soft $5 million domestic opening despite the massive 7,000-theater global rollout, creating uncertainty about the film’s commercial trajectory. However, the extraordinary audience enthusiasm suggests potential for strong word-of-mouth performance that could defy Hollywood’s expectations. Amazon confirmed the documentary will stream on Prime Video later in 2026, accompanied by a three-part companion docuseries that will provide additional content. Theater chains are monitoring turnout closely as this unprecedented documentary model tests whether high-budget, politically-themed films can succeed commercially. The Trump-supporting audience clearly wants this content, and the disconnect between modest box office projections and passionate audience reception demonstrates that traditional Hollywood metrics may not capture the full picture.

Prepare for the Leftist Tantrums: the New 'Melania' Documentary Is Hitting Amazing Numbershttps://t.co/wNa7m9walh

— RedState (@RedState) January 31, 2026

The Melania documentary represents a watershed moment for conservatives tired of one-sided media narratives. By securing creative control and partnering with a major studio for wide distribution, Melania Trump demonstrated how public figures can bypass hostile media gatekeepers and speak directly to Americans. The critic-audience divide confirms what many have suspected: the entertainment establishment’s values are completely out of step with the broader public. As streaming becomes available later this year, even more Americans will access this historical record, further exposing the bankruptcy of mainstream media criticism and proving that authentic, values-driven content can triumph over elite disapproval.