In the realm of consumer decision-making, online reviews serve as a crucial determinant, with particular emphasis on negative reviews due to their substantial impact on consumer behavior. Within the marketing domain, as scholarly investigations pertaining to negative reviews continue to proliferate, researchers have discerned that negative reviews not only exert an adverse effect but also engender a counterintuitive effect, such as fostering consumers’ willingness to make purchases. However, a comprehensive review and synthesis of literature on the counterintuitive effect of negative reviews, encompassing conceptual connotation, boundary conditions, and impact mechanisms, is notably absent. This paper initiates by elucidating the conceptual connotation, source, and research perspectives of the counterintuitive effect of negative reviews, and summarizes the boundary conditions of the counterintuitive effect from three aspects: individual characteristics, product characteristics, and review characteristics. Secondly, the impact mechanisms of the counterintuitive effect are summarized from the perspectives of both consumers and businesses. Finally, the study identifies future research directions for the counterintuitive effect of negative reviews, specifically highlighting three aspects: review emotional tendencies, review forms, and review scenes. This paper contributes to a deeper understanding of the counterintuitive effect of negative reviews and provides valuable insights for businesses in managing online reviews.