How many hours of your life have you spent watching absolutely terrible films? I know that I've wasted a few. While there are countless fantastic movies out there to enjoy, not all films are created equal. Some movies can leave you feeling disappointed, frustrated, or just plain regretful that you wasted your time watching them.
1. Holmes and Watson (2018)
Holmes & Watson is a 2018 comedy film directed by Etan Cohen, starring Will Ferrell as Sherlock Holmes and John C. Reilly as Dr. John Watson. The film follows the iconic duo as they attempt to solve a murder plot against Queen Victoria while navigating various misadventures and comical mishaps along the way.
Despite featuring a star-studded cast, the film was widely panned by critics and audiences alike, with many criticizing its humor as unfunny and its plot as poorly executed. “I heard about how bad it was and was like no way with those two could it be that bad,” one critic shared on social media. “It was unwatchable. I don't get how that movie even happened.”
2. Highlander II: The Quickening (1991)
Highlander II: The Quickening is a sci-fi movie following a man regaining his youth and immortal abilities. Then, he must free Earth from an artificial ozone layer, the Shield, under a corrupt corporation's control. It stars Sean Connery, Christopher Lambert, Virginia Madsen, and Michael Ironside.
Despite its star power and promising premise, the film was heavily criticized for its convoluted plot, inconsistent character development, and overall poor execution. It has since gained a reputation as one of the worst sequels ever made.
3. Cats (2019)
Based on the 1981 stage musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Cats is a musical fantasy film. It has an ensemble cast of Taylor Swift, Rebel Wilson, Jason Derulo, Idris Elba, Jennifer Hudson, and Ian McKellen. Cats follows a group of cats called the Jellicles, who gather for a ball to decide which of them will be chosen to ascend to the Heaviside Layer and be reborn into a new life. The film features many memorable musical numbers and intricate dance sequences, with the cats portrayed through the use of motion capture and computer-generated imagery (CGI).
Despite boasting a star-studded cast and being a highly anticipated release, the film was widely panned by critics and audiences alike, with criticisms aimed at the film's visual effects, plot, and overall execution. The film was a commercial failure, failing to recoup its production budget at the box office.
4. Fun in Balloonland (1965)
Fun in Balloonland was made in 1965 as an educational tool to teach children about environmentalism and the importance of recycling. Although the film was not widely known, it has gained a cult following over the years due to its bizarre and surreal imagery, including a scene where the villainous balloons are popped, and their faces melt off.
The film is a mixture of live-action and animation and follows the adventures of a young girl named Peggy and her friends as they enter Balloon Land, a magical world filled with balloons of all shapes and sizes. In Balloon Land, the group meets a wise old balloon who teaches them the importance of recycling and taking care of the environment. They also encounter a group of villainous balloons that are causing trouble and need to be stopped.
5. Manos The Hands of Fate (1966)
Manos: The Hands of Fate is a no-budget horror film following a vacationing family who gets lost on a road trip. After driving forever in the Texas desert, the family becomes trapped at a lodge maintained by a polygynous pagan cult run by “The Master.”
The family soon find themselves trapped in a nightmare as they become pawns in The Master's sinister plan to sacrifice them to his deity, a deity known as “Manos.” The film is widely regarded as one of the worst films ever made due to its poor acting, direction, editing, and overall production value. But, despite its negative reputation, the film has gained a cult following over the years, with fans embracing its unintentional humor and bizarre plot.
6. Nightfall (1988)
“Nightfall” is a neo-noir thriller from 1988 directed by Paul Mayersberg, based on a novel by David Goodis. The film follows James Vanning (David Birney), a man who is mistaken for a criminal and becomes embroiled in a web of deceit and danger. After being held at gunpoint and forced to drive into the desert, Vanning manages to escape and teams up with a young woman named Marie (Sarah Douglas) to uncover the truth behind his predicament. Along the way, they must evade both the police and the true criminals who are after them.
“Holy cow, what a horrible movie,” one critic shared on social media. “I don't know if a slower-paced, more boring movie has ever been made outside of arthouse films.”
7. The Last Airbender (2010)
M. Night Shyamalan‘s The Last Airbender is an action-adventure fantasy based on the first season of the Nickelodeon animated series Avatar: The Last Airbender. It stars Noah Ringer, Dev Patel, Jackson Rathbone, and Nicola Peltz.
The story is set in a world where certain people can manipulate the elements of water, earth, fire, and air, and follows a young boy named Aang (Noah Ringer), the last surviving Airbender, and the Avatar, who is tasked with restoring balance to the world by defeating the evil Fire Nation. Aang is joined on his journey by two siblings, Katara (Nicola Peltz) and Sokka (Jackson Rathbone), as well as the rogue prince of the Fire Nation, Zuko (Dev Patel), who is seeking redemption. The film was criticized for its poor writing, pacing, and character development, as well as its miscasting of non-white characters with white actors. Despite its negative reception, the film was a financial success, grossing over $300 million at the box office.
8. Dragon Ball: Evolution (2009)
Directed by James Wong, Dragon Ball Evolution follows the teenage martial artist Goku (Justin Chatwin) as he sets out on a quest to find the seven Dragon Balls powerful artifacts that can grant wishes. Along the way, he teams up with a group of warriors, including his love interest Chi Chi (Jamie Chung) and his mentor Master Roshi (Chow Yun-fat), to battle the evil Lord Piccolo (James Marsters), who seeks to use the Dragon Balls for his own nefarious purposes.
The film was released in 2009 to negative reviews from critics and fans alike, who criticized its poor script, weak acting, and departure from the source material. Despite the controversy, the film has developed a small cult following among fans of so-bad-it's-good cinema.
9. Catwoman (2004)
Catwoman is a disaster of a superhero film based on DC Comics Catwoman, an associate of the superhero Batman. It follows Patience Philips (Halle Berry) discovering her employer is hiding a dark secret and her transformation into Catwoman. As she struggles to come to terms with her new powers and identity, she sets out to seek revenge against those who wronged her.
The film received overwhelmingly negative reviews from critics and audiences alike, with particular criticism directed toward the script, direction, and special effects. Berry even won a Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actress for her role in the film.
10. 365 Days (2020)
365 Days is a Polish erotic thriller following a young Warsaw woman (Anna-Maria Sieklucka) in a lackluster relationship and falling for a dominant Sicilian man (Michele Morrone). Unfortunately, he imprisons her and gives her a period of 365 days for which to fall in love with him.
Over the course of the year, Laura and Massimo develop a complicated and tumultuous relationship filled with danger and passion. The film was controversial for its explicit sexual content and was criticized for romanticizing kidnapping and Stockholm syndrome. Despite negative reviews from critics, the film was a commercial success on Netflix and led to a sequel, 365 Days: This Time I'll Love You.
11. The Cat in the Hat
This 2003 live-action comedy film was directed by Bo Welch and is based on the children's book of the same name by Dr. Seuss. The film follows two young siblings, Sally (Dakota Fanning) and Conrad (Spencer Breslin), who are left home alone for the day and encounter a mischievous cat (played by Mike Myers) who appears to be able to talk. The cat causes chaos in the house, much to the children's dismay, and they must figure out a way to stop him before their mother comes home.
The film was panned by critics and audiences alike for its crude humor, inconsistent tone, and departure from the source material. Despite its negative reception, the film was a box office success, grossing over $134 million worldwide.
12. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Set in 1957, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull follows Jones as he is recruited by a young man named Mutt Williams (Shia LaBeouf) to find the fabled Crystal Skull of Akator, which is said to possess mystical powers. Along the way, they encounter old enemies and allies, including Jones' former flame Marion Ravenwood (Karen Allen), and must contend with the Soviet Union, who are also after the skull.
The film received mixed reviews from critics and audiences, with criticism directed towards its implausible plot and overreliance on CGI effects. Despite its mixed reception, the film was a commercial success, grossing over $790 million worldwide.
Source: Reddit.
