Answering what constitutes the worst movies of all time is subjective. So for authenticity, this list considers Rotten Tomatoes, IMDb ratings, and the opinions of various critics and audiences.
From the 1936 Reefer Madness propaganda to 1987’s Superman IV: The Quest for Peace, there has been an insane amount of bad movies made. However, this worst movie list features an annual countdown of the last five decades of poor production and bad acting.
Image Credit: 20th Century Fox.
Worst Movies of the 2020s
Ready to see what favorite cult classics might appear on the list? Check out the worst movies of the 2020s thus far.
Image Credit: NBC Universal.
1. 365 Days (2022)
Already one of the worst movies of all time, 365 Days is a Polish erotic thriller that has hijacked plotlines from the Fifty Shades of Grey Trilogy and did not improve upon them. The plot involves a Sicilian mafia boss (Michele Morrone) imprisoning and raping a young woman from Warsaw (Anna-Maria Sieklucka) under the premise of her falling in love with him in 365 Days.
Within 15 minutes of the movie, there are graphic and disturbing scenarios of sexual assault. It is close to two hours of romanticized rape played off as soft porn, a hard pass. There is a reason it is at 0% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Honorable Mentions 2022: Morbius, The Bubble, and Redeeming Love.
Image Credit: Netflix.
2. Vanquish (2021)
Ruby Rose (Victoria) plays caretaker to Damon (Morgan Freeman), a disabled and retired cop bound to his wheelchair. Unfortunately, the writers were lazy about character development and instantly dived into the story’s terrible premise.
Damon forces Victoria to collect bags of money for him in a single night by holding her daughter hostage. The movie is so awful that it earned Ruby Rose a Golden Raspberry Award (Razzie) nomination for Worst Actress.
Honorable Mentions 2021: Thunder Force, Old, and Space Jam: A New Legacy.
Image Credit: NBC Universal.
Worst Movies of the 2010s
The 2010s contributed to several cinematic failures, including these ten worst movies of all time.
Image Credit: EFO Films.
3. The Last Days of American Crimes (2020)
Rick Remender and Greg Tocchini’s 2009 graphic novel The Last Days of American Crimes is what inspired the film of the same name. A sci-fi/heist mashup with a weak storyline and excessive violence.
Unfortunately, the timing of the release coincided with the murder of George Floyd. So due to the film’s graphic depictions of violence and police brutality, it sits at 0% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Honorable Mentions 2020: Dolittle, Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga, and Songbird.
Image Credit: Netflix.
4. Cats (2019)
Cats bombed at the box office as one of the worst films of all time. With an estimated budget between $80-100 million, Cats‘ office gross was only $75 million.
It features an all-star cast including Taylor Swift, Idris Elba, Rebel Wilson, Jason Derulo, Judi Dench, James Corden, Ian McKellen, and Francesca Hayward. However, audiences and critics highly criticized the visual effects and editing.
Honorable Mentions 2019: Yesterday, Loqueesha, and Men in Black: International.
Image Credit: Universal Pictures.
5. Slender Man (2018)
An internet-sensationalized creepypasta, Slender Man, is a fictional ghoul who stalks, abducts, and murders children. By his depictions, he is an abnormally tall and eerily thin man whose Hollywood debut fell short, only grossing $52 million worldwide.
Jaz Sinclair’s ghastly performance earned her a nomination for the Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Supporting Actress. Distributed by Screen Gems and Sony Pictures Releasing, Slender Man is a dud.
Honorable Mentions 2018: Robin Hood, 211, and Fifty Shades Freed.
Image Credit: Screen Gems.
6. Just Getting Started (2017)
This box office action-comedy does not deliver laughs despite an ensemble of Morgan Freeman, Rene Russo, Tommy Lee Jones, Elizabeth Ashley, and Glenne Head.
A personal feud between an ex-FBI agent and former mob lawyer gets set aside when the mafia attempts to kill them, and the supporting cast cannot save it. As a result, Just Getting Started only grossed $7 million and had a budget of $22 million, making this a significant box office flop.
Honorable Mentions 2017: The Emoji Movie, Rings, and Baywatch.
Image Credit: Broad Green Pictures.
7. Cabin Fever (2016)
Cabin Fever (2016) is the fourth installment of the series and one of the worst movies of all time. It is comfortable sitting at 0% on Rotten Tomatoes, where the critic’s consensus reads, “No need for a quarantine — enthusiasm for this inert remake is not contagious.” Five friends meet a flesh-eating virus without the success of its 2002 predecessor. The End.
Honorable Mentions 2016: Independence Day: Resurgence, Nina, and Mother’s Day.
Image Credit: Pelican Point Media.
8. The Ridiculous 6 (2015)
The Ridiculous Six is not the first Adam Sandler movie to tank, but it is only one of the forty-one films with a 0% Rotten Tomato rating (as of 2022). Furthermore, it is Adam Sandler’s first (hopefully last) Western.
The storyline includes six men (Sandler, Terry Crews, Jorge Garcia, Taylor Lautner, Rob Schneider, and Luke Wilson) who discover that they share the same bank-robbing father (Nick Nolte) and go on a journey to reunite with him. Unfortunately, it comes complete with outdated stereotypes and racist jokes.
Honorable Mentions 2015: Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2, The Human Centipede III, and Hot Tub Machine 2.
Image Credit: Netflix.
9. Left Behind (2014)
The apocalyptic thriller, Left Behind showcases the perspective of one family living in an evangelical nightmare. An airline pilot (Nicolas Cage) and the rest of the world witness the rapture when millions of people suddenly disappear, including his wife and son.
However, his older daughter (Cassie Thomson) is also left behind, and they set out to determine what is happening. A more disaster-film-oriented take than the film it’s remaking or the best-selling book series both are allegedly based on, the movie sets up the series for a not very anticipated sequel, Left Behind: Rise of the AntiChrist (October 2022).
Honorable Mentions 2014: Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones, Kirk Cameron’s Saving Christmas, and The Legend of Hercules.
Image Credit: Stone Lake Ent.
10. Gotti (2018)
Starring John Travolta as Gotti, alongside Kelly Preston (his real-life wife) as Victoria, Gotti is an American biographical film about the infamous New York City mobster Gotti and his reign of crime.
However, critics regard it as one of the worst movies of all time. Unfortunately, with a $10 million production budget, the movie only grossed $6 million, making it a total bust.
In addition, it holds a place at 0% on Rotten Tomatoes and received universally negative reviews. Travolta has seven movie positions out of the 41 spots on Rotten Tomatoes’ 0% list! Yikes.
Honorable Mentions 2013: Grown Ups 2, Scary Movie 5, and Movie 43.
Image Credit: EFO Films.
11. A Thousand Words (2012)
The comedy-drama film A Thousand Words starring Eddie Murphy was released four years after filming, and it bombed at the box office.
Murphy plays Jack McCall, a self-absorbed literary agent who does not bother to read books and finds himself in a predicament that limits the number of words he can speak or write. The movie’s first half delivers some laughs but quickly fizzles during the second stretch.
Banking on a $40 million production budget, A Thousand Words grossed a dismal $22 million. Despite sitting at a 0% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, audiences share mixed reviews.
Honorable Mentions 2012: Battleship, One for the Money, The Babymakers.
Image Credit: DW Studios L.L.C.
12. Bucky Larson: Born to Be a Star (2011)
Columbia Pictures teams up with Adam Sandler and Happy Madison Productions for an epic failure. Bucky Larson: Born to Be a Star features Nick Swardson, Christina Ricci, Stephen Dorff, and Don Johnson.
The plot involves an obnoxiously loud man child (Swardson) who wants to follow in his porn star parent’s footsteps—hoping to become the biggest adult-film star in the world.
It received 3% on Rotten Tomatoes and earned a Moldy Tomato Award. Furthermore, Metacritic gave it a 9 out of 100, making this the worst-reviewed movie release of 2011.
Honorable Mentions 2011: Jack and Jill, Shark Night 3D, Apollo 18.
Image Credit: Columbia TriStar Marketing Group, Inc.
13. The Last Airbender (2010)
M. Night Shyamalan’s The Last Airbender is one of the worst movies of all time, and it did not have to be. The movie is based on the fantastic Nickelodeon animated television series but is a cinematic disaster.
Nevertheless, it received several accolades, including awards for Worst Picture of the Year, Worst Actress, Worst Supporting Actress, Worst Director, and Worst Eye-Gouging Mis-Use of 3D. The defense rests.
Honorable Mentions 2010: Vampire’s Suck, Stolen, and Furry Vengeance.
Image Credit: Paramount Pictures.
Worst Movies of the 2000s
The worst movies of the 2000s include several remakes or sequels that should never have seen the theatre’s big screen.
Image Credit: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc.
14. All About Steve (2009)
It is terrible when Sandra Bullock cannot save this 20th Century Fox bust. All About Steve co-stars Thomas Haden Church, Ken Jeong, and Bradley Cooper as Steve.
The reviews are so awful that this could be Sandra Bullock‘s worst film, which is a tragedy considering the disaster that is Miss Congeniality 2. Nevertheless, All About Steve ultimately won two Razzies for Worst Actress and Worst Screen Couple.
Honorable Mentions 2009: Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, Dragonball Evolution, and I Love You, Beth Cooper.
Image Credit: 20th Century Fox.
15. Disaster Movie (2008)
The film Disaster Movie is one of the worst movies ever. It is an American parody comedy that is stupid and not funny at all. It includes B-list star Carmen Electra (Scary Movie Franchise) and Matt Lanter (Star Wars Mandalorian).
In addition, this is Kim Kardashian’s big film debut, and it blew. This pop culture disaster was so terrible that it was nominated for six Razzies and could not even bring one of them home.
Honorable Mentions 2008: Beer for My Horses, One Missed Call, and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.
Image Credit: Lions Gate Home Entertainment.
16. Kickin’ It Old Skool (2007)
Kickin’ it Old Skool is a mess. It follows a young breakdancer who injures himself and slips into a coma in 1986. Then, waking up 20 years later, he solicits the help of his parents and girlfriend to resurrect his breakdancing team.
Jamie Kennedy stars in it (along with a pre-Noovie Maria Menounos) and incidentally produced the dud. It grossed $4.5 million, which is only a fifth of the production budget.
Honorable Mentions 2007: Norbit, Good Luck Chuck, and Daddy Day Camp.
Image Credit: Jizzy Entertainment.
17. Basic Instinct 2: Risk Addiction (2006)
Catherine Tramell (Sharon Stone) finds herself in trouble again. Only this time, she is in London. The Greater London’s Metropolitan Police Service appoints psychiatrist Dr. Michael Glass (Nick Curran) to evaluate her.
Naturally, he falls victim to her seductive mind games and psychological warfare. Unfortunately, unlike its 1992 predecessor, Basic Instinct 2 was not well received by audiences or critics and was a box office failure.
Honorable Mentions 2006: Lady in the Water, Larry the Cable Guy: Health Inspector, and The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause.
Image Credit: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc.
18. Son of the Mask (2005)
The Mask without Jim Carrey is the first insult to this monstrosity of a sequel called Son of the Mask. The film stars Jamie Kennedy as an aspiring animator from Fringe City whose kid is born with the powers of the Mask.
It is a sequel to The Mask (1994) and is an adaptation of the hilarious comic from Dark Horse. Unfortunately, with only grossing $59.9 million against its $80-100 million budget, this movie is another Jamie Kennedy flop.
Honorable Mentions 2005: Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo, The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl 3-D, and BloodRayne.
Image Credit: New Line Cinema.
19. Catwoman (2004)
Catwoman is one of the worst movies of all time, no contest. Halle Berry disappoints with a mediocre take on D.C.s savage kitty-kitty. The plot centers on Patience Phillips (Berry), a designer who identifies a conspiracy involving a dangerous product in the cosmetics company she works with that will cause health destruction.
After her conspirators find and murder her, Egyptian cats revive her, and she becomes a crime-fighting superheroine. Becoming Catwoman came with cat-like abilities and a sexy prowling black leotard, but the audience did not meow.
Unfortunately, not even Benjamin Bratt (love interest) could save this snowballing disaster. As a result, the Catwoman box office only grossed $82 million of the $100 million budget.
Additionally, the movie received seven nominations for Razzies and took four home; Worst Director, Worst Screenplay, Worst Picture, and Worst Actress.
Honorable Mentions 2004: Superbabies: Baby Geniuses 2, The Whole 10 Yards, and Seed of Chucky.
Image Credit: Warner Bros.
20. From Justin to Kelly (2003)
American Idol winner Kelly Clarkson and Idol finalist Justin Guarini star in a romantic musical comedy that is seriously lacking. A waitress from Texas (Clarkson) and a college student (Guarini) from Pennsylvania get together on Spring Break and fall in love over their affinity for singing.
It is honored by the first Worst Musical from the Golden Raspberry Awards. The movie, From Justin to Kelly, is another 20th Century Fox production mishap of talent better left on the Idol stage.
Honorable Mentions 2003: Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd, Gigli, and Boat Trip.
Image Credit: Twentieth Century Fox.
21. Pinocchio (2002)
The 2002 film Pinocchio deservingly sits at 0% on the Tomatometer at Rotten Tomatoes. The critic’s consensus is that “Roberto Benigni misfires wildly with this adaptation of Pinocchio, and the result is an unfunny, poorly-made, creepy vanity project.”
Honorable Mentions 2002: Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever, The Master of Disguise, and Rollerball.
Image Credit: Miramax Films.
22. Glitter (2001)
Columbia Pictures Tristar productions should have left Glitter in the box. It’s dreadful. Billie Frank (Mariah Carey) plays an aspiring singer who is a club dancer with friends Louise (Da Brat) and Roxanne (Tia Texada). Timothy Walker (Terrence Howard) gives them a contract as backup singers and dancers to a headliner.
Billie meets Julian “Dice” Black (Max Beesley) and falls in love with him as he helps advance her solo career. But unfortunately, Glitter grossed a depressing $5.3 million, proving that all that glitters is not gold.
Honorable Mentions 2001: Freddy Got Fingered, Corky Romano, and Soul Survivors.
Image Credit: 20th Century Fox.
23. Battlefield Earth (2000)
Battlefield Earth is a science fiction film based on the scifi book series written by Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard. At least Travolta made 3% on Rotten Tomatoes for this outer space mishap. Unfortunately, the character development was lacking and writhed with bad acting.
In addition, its script, special effects, and musical score received harsh criticism. It took home eight Razzies; ten years later, it won Worst Film of the Decade. It is a vast Warner Bros. misstep.
Honorable Mentions 2000: The In Crowd, Bless the Child, and 3 Strikes.
Image Credit: Warner Bros.
Worst Movies of the 90s
The nineties produced several of the worst movies of all time, including these ten box office bombs disliked by critics.
Image Credit: Metro Goldwyn Mayer.
24. Baby Geniuses (1999)
Tristar Pictures missed the mark with one of the worst movies of all time, Baby Geniuses, which lacks actual plot and is two hours of babies who act like bad standup comedians telling marginal jokes with minimal laughs.
The special effects were nothing special and gave creepy baby vibes. Unfortunately, it amassed a mere $36 million, making it a cinematic flop. Its sequel, Superbabies: Baby Geniuses 2, also bombed at the box office and received terrible criticism.
Honorable Mentions 1999: The Mod Squad, The Omega Code, and Pokemon: The First Movie.
Image Credit: Triumph.
25. The Avengers (1998)
Another Warner Bros. mishap, The Avengers, is a spy-based action movie that adapts a British TV series of the same name (a cult 1960s show). Starring Ralph Fiennes and Uma Thurman as secret agents who battle mad scientist Sir August de Wynter (Sean Connery), determined to control the weather.
Jim Broadbent, and the original John Steed, Patrick Macnee, were also cast. Unfortunately, the box office gross was only $55 million against its $60 million budget.
Honorable Mentions 1998: Blue Brothers 2000, Spice World, and Meet the Deedles.
Image Credit: Warner Bros.
26. Batman and Robin (1997)
The Batman and Robin film is the tragic fourth installment of the nineties Batman franchise. It casts George Clooney as Batman, Chris O’Donnell as Robin, and Arnold Schwarzenegger as Dr. Freeze, alongside Uma Thurman, Alicia Silverstone, Michael Gough, Pat Hingle, and Elle Macpherson.
Despite the all-star ensemble, Batman and Robin is the lowest-grossing live-action Batman movie ever. In addition, it is so terrible that Warner Bros. canceled further films with director Joel Schumacher. So his planned third movie, Batman Unchained, was never created.
Honorable Mentions 1997: Speed 2: Cruise Control, Mortal Kombat: Annihilation, and Home Alone 3.
Image Credit: Warner Bros.
27. Bio-Dome (1996)
Pauly Shore and Stephen Baldwin completely bombed in Bio-Dome. The film centers around two dim-wits who mistake a closed ecological system (Bio-Dome) for a shopping mall when searching for a bathroom.
So they find themselves sealed inside for a year with five Scientists whom they irritate with immature antics and potty humor. It grossed $13 million against its $8.5 million budget. Also, it received a record low score of 1 out of 100 on Metacritic.
Honorable Mentions 1996: Big Bully, Mr. Wrong, and Ed.
Image Credit: Metro Goldwyn Mayer.
28. Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers (1995)
Halloween 6: The Curse of Michael Myers is one of the worst in the franchise. Six years after the events of Halloween 5, Michael Myers returns to Haddonfield in pursuit of killing his last surviving relatives.
Unfortunately, the movie abandoned suspense and intense urgency for a ridiculous plotline involving a villainess Thorn Cult following and less meticulous kills boasting hard-core gore.
It is Donald Pleasence’s (Dr. Sam Loomis) final film appearance. Unfortunately, he died before the film’s release. No doubt, he is a missed veteran of the Halloween franchise.
Honorable Mentions 1995: Vampire in Brooklyn, Showgirls, and Jury Duty.
Image Credit: Miramax.
29. Getting Even With Dad (1994)
Timmy (Macauley Culkin) has lived with his aunt ever since the passing of his mother because Ray (Ted Danson), his father, is a petty thief. However, as Ray plans his final heist, aunty dumps Timmy with him because she needs a break.
In a Home Alone fashion, Timmy outsmarts Ray and his partners, swiping the loot and then blackmailing Ray into taking care of him for the week. Unfortunately, it has a 3% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and is one of the worst movies of all time.
Honorable Mentions 1994: The Next Karate Kid, Major League II, and Car 54, Where Are You?
Image Credit: Metro Goldwyn Mayer.
30. Boxing Helena (1993)
One of the most disturbing movies, Boxing Helena, has a sinister and twisted plot. Nick Cavanaugh (Julian Sands) cannot cope with not having Helena (Sherilyn Fenn). So, he kidnaps her after she is injured in a hit-and-run accident outside his home and proceeds to cut her limbs off to hold her forever captive.
Nonetheless, do not worry; it is all a dream and a tragically bad movie. The film was a total disaster grossing only $1,796,389 at the box office and receiving terrible reviews.
Honorable Mentions 1993: Look Who’s Talking Now, Indecent Proposal, and Super Mario Bros.
Image Credit: Mainline Pictures.
31. Pet Sematary II (1992)
Pet Sematary Two is so bad that Stephen King, author of the novel that shares this sequel’s name, had his name removed from the project before its Paramount Pictures release. They revive the evil ground, and the dead are buried and resurrected.
Veteran actors Edward Furlong and Clancy Brown couldn’t save the film. It grossed a mere $17.1 million worldwide. Despite its poor reviews and box office failure, it has assembled a cultish following. So it is one of the best bad movies with mixed reviews.
Honorable Mentions 1992: Stop, Or My Mom Will Shoot, Year of the Comet, and Cool World.
Image Credit: Paramount Pictures.
32. Cool As Ice (1991)
The Universal Pictures catastrophe Cool as Ice features a motorcycle-riding rapper (Vanilla Ice) who falls in love with a small city girl (Kristin Minter) whose family is in the Witness Protection Program.
The Washington Post describes it best; “The film itself is a cross between an after-school special and MTV video, melding threadbare plot with colorful visuals and delivering a message, which is; basically, Vanilla Ice is cool, you know?” Fortunately, the world learned that he was not.
Honorable Mentions 1991: Hudson Hawk, Return to the Blue Lagoon, and Drop Dead Fred.
Image Credit: Alive Films.
33. Problem Child (1990)
Universal Pictures is responsible for the critically proclaimed mishap that is Problem Child. It is another of Rotten Tomatoes’ lowest-rated films at 0% approval (only 41 on the list). However, despite receiving terrible reviews, it was a success at the box office and set the stage for two more of these awful movies. Problem Child grossed $72.2 million globally against its production budget of $10 million.
Honorable Mentions 1990: The NeverEnding Story II: The Next Chapter, Look Who’s Talking Too, and Ghosts Can’t Do It.
Image Credit: Universal.
Worst Movies of the 80s
The eighties produced several notable films but are a generation that also delivered notoriously bad movies, including these ten Hollywood mishaps.
Image Credit: Universal.
34. Going Overboard (1989)
Tristar Pictures took a chance on Adam Sandler in his debut movie release, Going Overboard. However, it did not make a splash. Believed that comedian Dickie Diamond (Scott LaRose) had fallen overboard and drowned, Shecky Moskowitz (Sandler) sees it as his chance to shine as an actively struggling comedian.
The film was initially released in 1989 but was re-released in 1996 once Sandler had achieved mainstream fame. Nonetheless, it tanked.
Honorable Mentions 1989: Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan, Communion, and Harlem Nights.
Image Credit: LA Dreams Productions.
35. Mac and Me (1988)
Orion Pictures, Mac and Me center on a Mysterious Alien Creature (MAC) that escapes from agents from NASA. Mac befriends a wheelchair-using kid Eric Cruise (Jade Category). Eric and MAC try to find MAC’s family, and a lot more E.T.-like trouble ensues.
The film flopped at the box office and received two out of the four nominations for Razzies, including Worst Director and Worst New Star (Ronald McDonald, playing himself). However, despite being a bad movie, it has unearthed a cult following.
Honorable Mentions 1988: Caddyshack II, Cocktail, and The New Adventures of Pippi Longstocking.
Image Credit: Mac and Me Joint Venture.
36. Jaws the Revenge (1987)
What was Universal Pictures thinking? Jaws: The Revenge is the fourth, most atrocious, and lowest-grossing ($51.9 million) film of the Jaws franchise.
The movie centers on the widow Ellen Brody (Lorraine Gary) and her obsession with a great white shark seeking revenge on her family after it kills her son and follows her to the Bahamas. The film introduced the infamous 80s tagline, “This time, it’s personal.”
Honorable Mentions 1987: The Garbage Pail Kids Movie, Who’s That Girl, and Teen Wolf Too.
Courtesy of Universal Pictures.
37. Howard the Duck (1986)
Howard the Duck lives on Duckworld, a planet similar to Earth but inhabited by anthropomorphic ducks. After accidentally being launched into outer space, Howard ends up in Ohio, where he saves Beverly Switzler (Lea Thompson) from hoodlums.
So she takes him back to her apartment, and the film worsens from there. Perhaps one of the few bright spots is that the movie’s failure would lead to Pixar. Despite unanimous criticism at the time, it has since accumulated a cult following despite being one of the worst movies ever made. Which might be the main reason James Gunn brought Howard into the MCU in his Guardians of the Galaxy films.
Honorable Mentions 1986: Shanghai Surprise, Flying, and Crawlspace.
Image Credit: Universal.
38. Revolution (1985)
Al Pacino in Revolution is terrible. The film is a British historical drama co-starring Donald Sutherland and Nastassja Kinski. Pacino plays a New York fur trapper, involuntarily drafted to the rebel forces of the American Revolutionary War. It is so bad that Al Pacino took a four-year break from acting before bouncing back with the thriving Sea of Love.
Honorable Mentions 1985: Porky’s Revenge, Godzilla 1985, and The Slugger’s Wife.
Image Credit: Warner Bros.
39. Meatballs Part II (1984)
Sony Pictures got it wrong with this horror; Meatballs Part II is a treacherous sequel to its successful predecessor, Meatballs. It has an absurd storyline involving a group of kids attempting to save Camp Sasquatch from financial ruin.
Critic Lawrence Van Gelder of The New York Times described it as “Trailing bits of Rocky and E.T.. and using a plot device from the 1983 film Screwballs, which aspired to be Porky’s. Meatballs Part II shares with 1979’s Meatballs not much more than a summer camp setting.”
Honorable Mentions 1984: Bolero, Where the Boys Are, and Cannonball Run II.
Image Credit: Space Productions.
40. Staying Alive (1983)
Staying Alive is the sequel to the highly-acclaimed film Saturday Night Fever. John Travolta reprises his role as Anthony “Tony” Manero, a former Brooklyn disco king. The plot follows as he aspires to become a professional dancer on Broadway.
Despite being a terrible film, it experienced box office success. However, it is the oldest movie to sit at a 0% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The only good part of the movie is the Bee Gees classic track of the same name.
Honorable Mentions 1983: Two of a Kind, The Lonely Lady, and Stroker Ace.
Image Credit: Paramount Pictures.
41. Grease 2 (1982)
Everything about the film Grease 2 is terrible. It stars Maxwell Caulfield and Michelle Pfeiffer, and it is horrendous. Everything about it is dreadful, including the lousy acting and uninspired music.
With a budget of $11 million, Grease 2 grossed a little over $15 million, making this a failure at the box office. Unlike its successful predecessor’s $132 million gross.
Honorable Mentions 1982: Inchon, The House Where Evil Dwells, and Oasis of the Zombies.
Image Credit: Paramount Pictures.
42. Piranha II: The Spawning (1981)
Piranha II: The Spawning is an independent horror film and James Cameron’s directorial debut. It is difficult to conceive that the man who produced incredible films, including Titanic, The Terminator, and Avatar, is responsible for this tripe. Although rumor has it, Cameron was fired from the film and the producers took over as directors.
Internationally it was released as Piranha II: Flying Killers, but the name change is not saving this cinematic failure.
Honorable Mentions 1981: Tarzan, the Ape Man, Jinxed, and Parasite.
Image Credit: Chako Film Company.
43. It’s My Turn (1980)
Sony Pictures is to blame for this failed romantic comedy-drama. It’s My Turn stars Jill Clayburgh, Michael Douglas, and Charles Grodin. It follows Kate (Clayburgh) as she travels to New York for a job interview.
She has an affair with Ben Lewin (Douglas) and eventually leaves her boyfriend (Grodin). The film received a nomination for a Razzie Award for Worst Screenplay.
Honorable Mentions 1980: Can’t Stop the Music, The Blue Lagoon, and Xanadu.
Image Credit: Rastar Films.
Honorable Mentions
The golden age of film produced an overwhelming number of bad movies. So here are some classic cinematic busts that deserve their title of worst movies of all time.
Image Credit: RKO Radio Pictures.
44. Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977)
The Exorcist II: The Heretic is one of the most garbage films ever made and is a sequel to its predecessor, The Exorcist, which is often acknowledged as one of the best horror movies ever. It received widespread criticism and grossed $33 million at the box office. Also, it was the last film to feature veteran actor Paul Henreid.
Image Credit: Warner Bros.
45. I Spit on Your Grave (1978)
The film I Spit on Your Grave had a difficult time finding a distributor at first due to the graphic and lengthy depictions of gang rape and excessive violence. Despite being staunchly rejected by critics, the film has a 32% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, a tragic commentary on society.
Critic Roger Ebert stated, “It is a movie so sick, reprehensible, and shameful that I can hardly believe it is playing in respectable theaters, such as Plitt’s United Artists. But it is. Attending it was one of the most depressing experiences of my life.”
Image Credit: Barquel Creations.
46. Manos: The Hands of Fate (1966)
Manos: The Hands of Fate is a no-budget horror film about a polygynous pagan cult led by a man known as The Master. A family vacationing gets stranded in Texas and tries to escape the cult, but the cult has other horrific plans. As a result, it’s giving off Texas Chainsaw vibes.
Image Credit: Sun City Films.
47. Santa Claus Conquers the Martians (1964)
Santa Clause Conquers the Martians is the worst Christmas movie ever. The film features John Call as Santa Claus. It also features an eleven-year-old Pia Zadora as Girmar, who plays one of the Martian children.
Is there a need to say anything more? It is consistently in the bottom 100 lists, including the internet movie database.
Image Credit: Jalor Productions.
48. The Conqueror (1956)
The Conqueror starred John Wayne as the Mongol conqueror Genghis Khan. He co-stars with Susan Hayward, Agnes Moorehead, and Pedro Armendáriz in this lousy film.
Despite being a critical flop and receiving a spot in the 1978 book The Fifty Worst Films of All Time, it did well at the box office. Additionally, Wayne was the winner of a Golden Turkey Award posthumously for his performance.
Image Credit: RKO Radio Pictures.
49. Glen or Glenda (1953)
Glen or Glenda is a docudrama starring Ed Wood, his then-girlfriend Dolores Fuller, and Bela Lugosi. It is a film about transgender people that was way before its time. The movie bombed and received criticism from both audiences and critics.
Image Credit: Screen Classics.
50. The Babe Ruth Story (1948)
The Babe Ruth Story is a biographical film of the famed New York Yankees slugger. It stars Claire Trevor as his wife (Claire Merritt Hodgson). William Bendix (New York Yankee batboy in the 1920s) was the ballplayer. Unfortunately, the film was not a home run and is widely known as one of the worst movies of all time.
Image Credit: Roy Del Ruth Productions.
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