Guy Ritchie's Indiana Jones Wannabe Fountain of Youth Swashbuckles Past Critics to Become Streaming Gold

File this one under 'big hits nobody saw coming.' Guy Ritchie, a guy you probably associate more with British gangsters and rapid-fire banter than ancient relic quests, decided to try his hand at the classic action-adventure playbook. The result? 'Fountain of Youth,' which skipped movie theaters entirely and dropped straight onto Apple TV last May.

If you missed the memo, Ritchie didn't exactly play it subtle—the plot is pure Indiana Jones/National Treasure territory: disgraced archaeologist, estranged sibling, global chase, lost artifact, you get the idea. No shortage of familiar faces here either; John Krasinski and Natalie Portman lead the pack, with Eiza González, Domhnall Gleeson, and Stanley Tucci rounding out a cast that honestly feels a bit overqualified for this kind of thing.

Here's the Cast:

• John Krasinski
• Natalie Portman
• Eiza González
• Domhnall Gleeson
• Stanley Tucci

With a budget north of $180 million and all that talent, you'd assume this would be unmissable, right? Well, apparently not. The critics and audiences joined forces for a rare bit of agreement: this one got roasted. It’s currently sitting at a 35% with critics and not much better (38%) with regular viewers over on Popcornmeter. The main complaint? It borrows so shamelessly from every 'hunt-the-ancient-thing' blockbuster that it barely feels like a real movie.

MovieWeb's own Mark Keizer twisted the knife with this little gem:

'For those wondering what would result should A.I. become sentient, see Apple TV+'s aggressively lavish and numbingly generic Fountain of Youth. This action-adventure movie doesn't apologize for being an amalgam of National Treasure, The Mummy, The Da Vinci Code and especially the Indiana Jones series. In fact, the legendary archeologist lionized by its two main characters is named Harrison.'

Pretty blunt, right? If you think that's clever, wait until you hear this: the character actually is named Harrison. Subtlety has left the building.

But Here's the Twist: Streaming Gold

Despite critics tearing it apart, 'Fountain of Youth' has become a massive hit on Apple TV. The movie topped streaming charts in 98 countries, racked up more than 765 million minutes watched in its first week, and—this is no typo—has stayed in the Apple TV top 10 for over 270 days straight. Apparently the appetite for globe-trotting, artifact-chasing, quippy action beats just never dies.

Sequel? Don’t Bet Against It

None of this is lost on Guy Ritchie. Now that 'Fountain of Youth' is crushing it on streaming, he's not ruling out another go-round with this crew. As he put it:

'It was one of those films that you don't really want to end. People had such a lovely time doing it that they'd love to go back for another bite. So, we'll have to see how we do. We'd all love to go back.'

Translation: If people keep clicking play, don’t be surprised if you're watching 'Fountain of Youth 2' in another year or two. Not bad for a movie that critics called numbingly generic—turns out audiences just wanted a fun romp, even if it's one they've seen before (several times).