The new documentary about Melania Trump, released by Amazon MGM Studios, is receiving a lot of negative attention. Directed by Brett Ratner (known for Red Dragon), the film Melania focuses on the three weeks before Donald Trump’s second presidential inauguration in January 2025, following Joe Biden’s term. However, less than a week after its release, Amazon intervened when the manager of The Lake Theater & Café in Portland, Jordan Perry, created a humorous marquee criticizing the film.
Two playful messages displayed on the front of a building asked, “Does Melania wear Prada?” and declared, “To defeat your enemy, you must know them. Melania starts Friday.” Amazon employees noticed these messages, leading to a phone call from the company and the cancellation of the movie’s showing at the theater. Lake Theater & Café then announced this on Instagram.
I received a call saying Amazon was unhappy with how we were promoting the film Melania, and they told us it would be removed on Sunday. Before that, we were flooded with emails, voicemails, and online reviews (Google and Yelp eventually took those reviews down) questioning our decision to showcase the film, or criticizing our negative portrayal of Melania. While we always pay attention to public feedback, the decision to end the promotion wasn’t due to public outcry – it came from a corporate executive at Amazon. Sorry, Amazon, but please don’t cancel my Prime account!
Perry announced his decision to involve Melania in the business through the company website. He mentioned that the platform resembled a bustling desert market and that several previous projects – including 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, Send Help, The Secret Agent, and The Testament of Ann Lee – hadn’t performed well financially. However, it seemed his main reason for doing so was simply to create some amusement.
Why not display this strange, unnecessary item from the current First Lady? It’s odd that it even exists, and frankly, showing it here – at our independent, sometimes rebellious, local cinema – would be hilariously ironic.
‘Melania’ is a Rotten Tomato Indeed
Amazon
Even though it has a surprisingly high 99% audience score on Popcornmeter, the film Melania is receiving very negative reviews. Currently, it has a 5% rating on the Tomatometer, based on 39 critic reviews. Many critics describe it as a poorly made and unnecessary remake of Jonathan Glazer’s The Zone of Interest, essentially a collection of harmless, unused footage from a reality show.
Subscribe to our newsletter for sharp film coverage
Craving clear context on cultural spectacles like the Melania documentary? Subscribe to our newsletter for concise coverage and informed analysis of entertainment controversies, media maneuvers, and the film-industry angles that shape public conversation.
Rotten Tomatoes scores can be unpredictable, particularly when a movie first comes out, and even the highest rating for the documentary Melania wasn’t very good (only 11%). Despite this, the First Lady has been quick to highlight any positive results on social media, continuing a pattern of celebrating even small victories. Mrs. Trump focused on the fact that Melania earned more money in its opening weekend than any other documentary released in theaters for the past ten years. She seems to be successfully ignoring criticism, something her husband hasn’t managed to do.
Found an error? Send it info@movieweb.com so it can be corrected.
Read More
- Robots That React: Teaching Machines to Hear and Act
- Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) February 2026 Hilda’s “Guardian Battalion” Starlight Pass Details
- UFL soft launch first impression: The competition eFootball and FC Mobile needed
- Olivia Wilde teases new romance with Ellie Goulding’s ex-husband Caspar Jopling at Sundance Film Festival
- 1st Poster Revealed Noah Centineo’s John Rambo Prequel Movie
- Here’s the First Glimpse at the KPop Demon Hunters Toys from Mattel and Hasbro
- The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim Lead Designer Doesn’t Think a Morrowind Remaster Would Hold Up Today
- eFootball 2026 Epic Italian League Guardians (Thuram, Pirlo, Ferri) pack review
- Katie Price’s husband Lee Andrews explains why he filters his pictures after images of what he really looks like baffled fans – as his ex continues to mock his matching proposals
- Arknights: Endfield Weapons Tier List
2026-02-05 14:05