Summary

• Megan Leavey, a hidden gem, is now a global hit on Netflix, with an uplifting story praised by critics and audiences alike.
• The star-studded cast of Megan Leavey includes Emmy winners Bradley Whitford and Edie Falco, bringing depth to the film.
• Megan Leavey may have started a trend of uplifting adventure movies featuring a canine companion, resonating with audiences.

An under-the-radar war movie, Megan Leavey, makes its way onto Netflix's Global Top 10 chart. Based on the true story of Megan Leavy, the 2017 film follows a young female Marine and her close connection with a combat dog named Rex that saves many lives during their deployment in Iraq. Kate Mara, who starred as Sue Storm/the Invisible Woman in 2015's failed Fantastic Four film, plays the titular role of Megan Leavy alongside a supporting cast that includes Ramón Rodríguez, Tom Felton, Bradley Whitford, Common, and Edie Falco.

Now, seven years after flying under the radar, the film is charting as a global hit on Netflix. For the week of April 8-14, Megan Leavey ranked fifth on Netflix's Global Top 10 with 9.7 million hours viewed and 5 million individual views. It ranked between M. Night Shyamalan's Glass in fourth place, which received 5.1 million views in its second week in the Top 10, and The Bricklayer in sixth place with 4.6 million views.

Megan Leavey Is A Hidden Gem (That Started An Under-The-Radar Trend)

Because Megan Leavy was an under-the-radar war movie upon its initial release in 2017, millions of Netflix subscribers are just now discovering the hidden gem for the first time on the streaming service. The film has been praised by critics and audiences alike for honoring its real-life subjects, both Megan Leavy and Rex, with genuinely uplifting drama that compensates for any shortcomings in its storytelling. On Rotten Tomatoes, Megan Leavy has impressive 86% and 82% scores from critics and audiences, respectively.

For a smaller-budget movie, Megan Leavy also has a surprisingly star-studded cast. Bradley Whitford (The West Wing, The Handmaid's Tale) and Edie Falco (The Sopranos, Nurse Jackie) are both multi-time Emmy winners for multiple TV shows. Kate Mara also has an Emmy nomination for her performance in House of Cards, while Tom Felton is highly recognizable for his role as Draco Malfoy in Harry Potter. However, for whatever reason, Megan Leavy received little attention upon its initial release in 2017 and only grossed $14.5 million at the box office.

Though it may have flown under the radar, the film's effects are still being seen today. Megan Leavey can be credited with starting the recent trend of uplifting adventure films featuring canine companions. After Megan Leavey in 2017, its successors include Harrison Ford's Call of the Wild from 2020, Channing Tatum's Dog from 2022, and Mark Wahlberg's Arthur the King from 2023. While some of these films have also flown under the radar or even flopped, it's difficult to doubt the appeal of an uplifting bond between human and hound.

Megan Leavey is streaming on Netflix.

Source: Netflix