Despite storming the charts and claiming the top spot of most-watched films worldwide over the weekend, viewers have been left divided by the mysterious thriller.

“Keira Knightley is fantastic in The Woman in Cabin 10 – unfortunately, not much else is,” said one viewer. “The book didn’t translate well to a 90-minute film. Perhaps a limited series would’ve been better to build out the supporting characters, but props to Keira for her effort.”

A second person added: “A solid premise and a gorgeous cast, but this adaptation felt like it missed the mark. They smoothed out the book’s best parts – the main character’s genuine unreliability and the claustrophobic dread – in favour of a more generic thriller. It looks great, but the plot got too loose and a little ridiculous by the end.”

However, some viewers hailed the film “amazing” and “gripping”, saying it: “Kept us interested from beginning to end.”

“Just finished watching The Woman in Cabin 10 – what a thriller!!! Hooked from start to finish,” said one person, while another added: “I have no idea why the reviews are largely negative. I read the book AND enjoyed the movie adaptation. It’s highly entertaining and Keira Knightley is fun to watch. Check it out and decide for yourself.”

While viewers were left divided, it seems critics were aligned, as the film has currently achieved a disappointing 27% score on Rotten Tomatoes.

In its two-star review, The Guardian wrote: “It sounds fun on the face of it, and the sheer silliness of the situation almost keeps it afloat, but the cardboard quality of the drama gets soggy.” Meanwhile, The Independent called it an “Agatha Christie for people with limited attention spans,” while The Telegraph penned: “While it doesn’t totally capsize, this thing tries to play Cluedo on a boat with too many cards missing.”

The synopsis reads: “While on a luxury yacht for a travel assignment, a journalist witnesses a passenger tossed overboard late one night, only to be told that she must have dreamed it, as all passengers are accounted for. Despite not being believed by anyone onboard, she continues to look for answers, putting her own life in danger.”

Despite its mixed reception, the film boasts a star-studded cast, led by Keira Knightley (Black Doves, Pride and Prejudice). She’s joined by Guy Pearce (The Brutalist, The Hurt Locker), Hannah Waddingham (Ted Lasso, The Fall Guy), David Ajala (Star Trek: Discovery, The Dark Knight), Gitte Witt (Cadaver, The Sleepwalker), Art Malik (The Little Mermaid, Disclaimer), Daniel Ings (The Gentlemen, Lovesick) and David Morrissey (The Walking Dead, Sherwood).

Rounding out the ensemble are Paul Kaye (The Stranger, Game of Thrones), Christopher Rygh (Vikings: Valhalla, The Head Hunter), Kaya Scodelario (The Gentlemen, Skins), Lisa Loven Kongsli (Force Majeure), Gugu Mbatha-Raw (Surface, Misbehaviour), John Macmillan (House of the Dragon, The Burning Girls), Pippa Bennett-Warner (Gangs of London, Chloe) and Ayọ̀ Owóyẹmi-Peters.