Madea, the street-smart and sometimes unhinged matriarch of the Simmons family, is back in action and fans are weighing in on the return of the beloved character.
On July 11, Tyler Perry released his latest Madea movie, “Madea’s Destination Wedding,” on Netflix after a three-year hiatus. The film follows Madea (Perry) and the rest of the Simmons family as they make their way to the Bahamas to celebrate Brian’s daughter’s wedding.
Throughout the nearly two-hour film, Madea, along with Madea’s brother Joe (Perry) and other family members get into squabbles, drama and the usual shenanigans that are often synonymous whenever Madea’s involved.
Fans got a glimpse of what to expect last month when Netflix dropped the official trailer for “Madea’s Destination Wedding” on YouTube. In the comments section, fans appeared to be “excited” over the forthcoming release, with one fan saying, “Madea is always hilarious to watch.”
Another said they found watching Madea therapeutic, writing, “Madea has helped me through A LOT and ironic enough is why I am no longer hot headed or quick to make decisions. Tyler is amazing and I hope he continues to do these so many generations can partake in his wisdom.”
Meanwhile, another fan added, “Can’t wait to see this!! & I hope Tyler Perry makes more MADEA MOVIES,“ before adding three heart emjois.
Perry’s latest Madea film comes three years after “A Madea Homecoming,” which released in February 2022 on Netflix. That film came as a surprise to many fans since Perry had announced in 2019 that he would officially retire his Madea character after “A Madea Family Funeral.”
“It’s been a great run, but I think it’s time. It’s time,” he said on TODAY in February 2019.
Now, after the release of “Madea’s Destination Wedding,” Perry’s 13th Madea film, fans of the filmmaker are once again reacting to the filmmaker’s latest go-round of his over-the-top character.
One fan said they “couldn’t get enough” of the Perry’s comedy.
“Watched it twice this morning, couldn’t get enough…. I (laughing emojis) Madea still even wiser,” the fan wrote, adding a fire, hand clap and thumbs up emoji.
Another fan shared her reaction in real time, writing, “Hubby and I are watching it now! Hilarious.”
A third fan was a bit more critical, writing it was “good,” while noting they’ve “seen better” from Perry. “I would definitely rate this at 6.5 or 7/10…,” the person wrote on X.
Still, other fans weren’t as impressed, with one saying it’s wasn’t quite worth the watch.
“What a boring movie wasted my 1 hour 44 minutes. I give this a -1 rating,” a commenter on X wrote.
Another fan had similar sentiments, writing on X, “This movie was horrible, the worst Madea movie in awhile. Please sir, hire some writers and new hair/makeup people! That took 2 hours off my life for no good reason.”
The person also gave some advice to Perry, referencing Ryan Coogler’s blockbuster horror film starring Michael B. Jordan.
“Sinners set a new standard. Get there!” the person added.
While reactions online varied, Perry took to social media to share his takeaway from the film’s release. In a July 11 Instagram post, Perry shared that his new film had hit No. 1 in the U.S. on Netflix.
“I can’t thank you enough and I don’t take this or you for granted,” he captioned his post. “This is movie number 30 and y’all still riding with me! Thankful.”
A few hours later, Perry followed up his celebratory post with another one, noting that his previous film, “A Madea’s Homecoming,” was also now back in the Top 10 on the streamer.
“Wait!! What y’all doing! Sending Madea Homecoming to the Top 10!! WOW!,” he wrote, captioning an Instagram post.
Perry has also seen much success at the box office when his Madea films hit theaters. According to Box Office Mojo, his 2009 comedy “Madea Goes to Jail” was his highest-grossing Madea movie to date. That flick earned over $90 million, with “Madea’s Witness Protection” coming in second at $65 million and “Madea’s Family Reunion” in third at $63 million.
Tyler Perry’s “Madea’s Destination Wedding” is now available to stream on Netflix.
