A 2025 Post-Apocalyptic Thriller With An 89% Rotten Tomatoes Score Is Taking Over Hulu's Charts

A low box office performance doesn't inherently mean a movie's bad. Sometimes, it's simply a matter of getting the word out. There have been plenty of box office bombs that actually blew up on Netflix and other platforms after their theatrical runs, and it seems as though "40 Acres" has joined that camp. The Canadian film only grossed $776,595 during its brief theatrical window, but people are tuning in now. It's presently the most-watched film on Hulu within the United States. 

The movie sees Hailey Freeman (Danielle Deadwyler) as her household's matriarch in the aftermath of a plague, famine, and civil war that have wiped out much of humanity. She still has some semblance of a home life thanks to the 40 acres in rural Canada her descendants acquired following the American Civil War. Since she has one of the few remaining pieces of farmland, her family is the target of a brutal militia that wants to take it for themselves. Audiences may not have seen "40 Acres" in theaters, but critics liked it, as it amassed an 89% positive rating out of 94 critical reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. General audiences also gave it high praise, with the film bearing a 94% rating by those metrics. 

Fans were outraged over Deadwyler's Oscar snub in 2023, feeling as though her portrayal of Mamie Till in "Till" was deserving of cinema's highest honor. As a post-apocalyptic thriller, "40 Acres" isn't exactly what the Academy Awards go for, but rest assured, Deadwyler delivers another phenomenal performance, powerfully embodying a mother willing to do anything to keep her family safe.

Prior to its release, "40 Acres" was bogged down by controversy. In 2024, reports came to light about production allegedly failing to pay crew members of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) for their part in making the film, despite acquiring an interim agreement to continue filming during the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strikes. Fortunately, the matter was resolved fairly quickly, with reports later stating that all the crew members had been compensated. It was a blip on the radar for a film that was ultimately met with widespread critical acclaim. One consistent aspect of reviews is Danielle Deadwyler's performance.

The film's action and tension are on point, but critics like Rolling Stone's David Fear commended the actress for making the movie even better through her presence alone. "Deadwyler is what makes '40 Acres' feel like there's something special happening here ... Her Hailey has heart and soul. She gives us the postapocalyptic hero we deserve," he wrote. Deadwyler has amassed an impressive resume in recent years. She appeared in 2024's "I Saw the TV Glow," which earned an impressive 9.5/10 in a Looper review. 

What's also astonishing is that "40 Acres" is the first feature-length film from director R.T. Thorne, who previously directed for television. Bob Mondello of NPR praised Thorne's eye for action, noting, "He stokes terror by lighting one action sequence exclusively with gunfire. It is, put bluntly, a striking feature directing debut." Don't let "40 Acres" pass you by, especially now that it's easier to watch than ever on Hulu.