Are film critics losing sync with audiences?

Younger people goes a lot more to the movies, so the average critic will probably be notably older than then average movie audience member.

Critics tend to be negative towards remakes because "this is unnecessary, the original was better". But most in the audience haven't seen the original so it doesn't matter to them.

Critics tend to hate formulaic and derivative movies, but for the audience it is not that bad, they haven't seen the formula enough time to get bored by it. Fans loved The Force Awakens because it was exactly the same formula as the original Star Wars. Critics were less enthusiastic.

Critics tend to value originality more than the average audience. Hollywood have always been formulaic and rehashed old ideas, but they have still been able to make great movies. But the current movies relies on franchises to a larger extent, and the franchises put hard constraints on the amount of originality and character development which can be allowed.

Mulan - Critics: 73 - Audience: 47

The Last Jedi - Critics: 91 - Audience: 42

Captain Marvel - Critics: 79 - Audience: 45

It's clear that audiences - and you can read this as "people who like movies and are willing to leave a review" - and critics are miles apart. This prompts the common retort: "so what?" I continue to argue that the purpose of movie critics, for many decades, has been to tell the broad audience if they will like the movie. That's it. It has not been to, for example, critically deconstruct the abstract themes of power dynamics in inequitable social system. This kind of analysis appeals to a small minority of viewers. It has its place, but it should not be the majority of critics using this kind of lens, which it is.

This leads us to today, where critic reviews are functionally useless for the broad audience. Said movie minority are of course very happy with the entire critic industry catering to their needs, and they argue vociferously to keep it this way, using all kinds of condescending arguments about our lack of culture and refinement. Sometimes I just want to see cool explosions and fight scenes, and there's nothing wrong with that.

(I also try to avoid reviews before watching)

The fundamental problem is that someone who would become a critic usually has some bias for "interesting", relative to the consumer.