Adam Sandler's Controversial Ridiculous Six Breaks Netflix Records

Despite the controversy and poor reviews surrounding it, Adam Sandler's new western The Ridiculous Six has become a big hit for Netflix. Chief content officer Ted Sarandos said this week at CES 2016 that Sandler's comedy tallied more views during its first 30 days than any other movie in Netflix's history.

This includes both Netflix original movies and the platform's licensed films.

"The Ridiculous Six, by way of example, in the first 30 days on Netflix it's been the most-watched movie in the history of Netflix," Sarandos said, as reported by The Verge. "It's also enjoyed a spot at No. 1 in every territory we operate in, and in many of them it's still No. 1."

The movie was caught up in controversy before its release, as a number of Native American actors walked off the set due to scenes in the film they say disrespected Native American practices.

When The Ridiculous Six finally did arrive in December exclusively through Netflix, critics bashed it. The film carries a lowly 18 score on GameSpot sister site Metacritic.

As The Verge explains, there are a number of reasons why The Ridiculous Six performed well and broke records for Netflix. It's clear that Sandler, love him or hate him, appeals to a wide audience, while Netflix also heavily promoted the film. It's also notable that Netflix's original programming is more widely available than Netflix's licensed content, which varies by region.

Have you seen The Ridiculous Six? What do you think of it? Let us know in the comments below!