Samuel L. Jackson as Officer Abel Turner

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Netflix fans told ‘don’t waste your time’ on ‘creepy’ thriller(Image: SONY PICTURES RELEASING)

A new Netflix release has been slammed by viewers despite hitting the number seven spot on the streaming service’s top 10 film chart.

Starring Samuel L Jackson and originally released in 2008, this high-octane thriller received poor reviews despite its radical set-up and stellar cast.

Hollywood star Jackson stars in Lakeview Terrace as unhinged LAPD cop Abel Turner, who snaps when an interracial couple, Lisa and Chris (played by Kerry Washington and Patrick Wilson), move in next door.

Having appointed himself as the watchdog of his neighbourhood, Abel begins antagonising the newlyweds with passive aggression and underhanded remarks about their relationship.

However, the situation spirals out of control when couple Lisa and Chris decide to fight back.

Samuel L. Jackson as Officer Abel Turner

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The Samuel L Jackson thriller has a disappointing 44% on Rotten Tomatoes(Image: SONY PICTURES RELEASING)

While the film’s provocative premise sounds intriguing, Lakeview Terrace didn’t catch fire upon its initial cinema release and it currently stands at a woeful 44 percent on Rotten Tomatoes.

General audiences were even less impressed, awarding it just 39 percent on the review aggregator.

One RT user admitted: “The writing is terrible. I turned it off with a hr to go, it was too phony and stupid i just couldn’t fake interest anymore.”

Someone else slammed the film: “This is a pure example of ‘good actors don’t make a good film’, as everything else is way below mediocre.

“I can only recommend you to NOT watch this movie, it is a complete waste of time.”

Samuel L Jackson, Patrick Wilson and Kerry Washington

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An unhinged cop feuds with his new neighbours(Image: SONY PICTURES RELEASING)

Another viewer criticised the film’s sloppy execution: “The movie is obviously a very deliberate provocation (and one that I would argue is completely legitimate) but the issue is that the movie gets sillier and sillier as it goes along. By the end it just goes completely off the rails which undermines the tension.”

Despite the backlash, the film does have its fair share of defenders who claim it’s well worth a watch to make up your own mind.

One RT user called it “a nail biting thriller that leaves you at the edge of your seat from start to finish! Also having a few laughs in the mix, it’s just brilliant!”

A 10/10 IMDb review described it as “an excellent thriller that makes you want to keep watching” and praised Jackson’s performance.

They continued: “Sam Jackson really makes you believe his character as he does an, as usual, awesome job in his role as a creepy cop. But as you watch the early moments of the movie, you will see that Abel has his own problems to deal with.

Kerry Washington and Patrick Wilson

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Things get intense when Lisa and Chris decide to fight back(Image: SONY PICTURES RELEASING)

“This can be confusing as you really don’t know who to side with in the war but I promise that you will be glad that you watched it.”

And a final fan of the movie called it “a very entertaining and heart pounding movie”. They went on to describe the film as “exhilarating” with an “edgy and intense” conclusion.

The film enthusiast even made the bold claim that Jackson gives his “best performance yet”. So, is this gritty crime drama on your Netflix watchlist this week or will you be giving the thriller a wide berth?

Lakeview Terrace is available to stream on Netflix.