Movies are fantastic ways to disconnect from reality. But what about those movies that are so bad one would rather face a gruesome reality?
There are films so cringe-worthy that they make you question the sanity of the people who green-lit them in the first place. Today, we’re diving into cinematic infamy to explore awful movies that people love to hate.
1. The Hottie & the Nottie (2008)
Oh, this age-old story of a man’s quest to win the heart of a gorgeous woman by helping her friend find love. The movie takes that tired premise and turns it into an excruciating experience that you can’t wait to get over.
If you’re not patient enough, you might just stop halfway. It’s like watching a train wreck in slow motion, but you can’t seem to look away. On rotten tomatoes, the movie got an approval rating of 6% based on reviews from 67 critics.
2. Superbabies: Baby Geniuses 2 (2004)
The title alone should have been a warning sign. While the idea of infant geniuses fighting evil might sound intriguing, this movie is the epitome of a cash grab gone wrong.
This sequel to the 1999 film, Baby Geniuses, was, in fact, not received well by the target audience and critics, with a rare approval rating of 0% on rotten tomatoes. The poor children in this film deserve a medal for making it through the production.
3. Wagons East! (1994)
Wagons East! deserves a special mention in this list, at least, for having messed with the high expectations fans had of it before its release.
This Western comedy starring the late John Candy is a prime example of a talented actor being unable to save a poorly written and unfunny script. It’s a forgettable film that even die-hard fans of slapstick humor struggle to enjoy. One critic said the movie was “a sad way to end John Candy’s career.”
4. Alone in the Dark (2005)
You will hope for a decent movie when you have talented actors like Christian Slater and Tara Reid. Still, unfortunately, some of these movies have a way of letting us down repeatedly, and Alone in the Dark is no exception.
This supposed horror movie is another prime example of how even the best talent can’t save a script that seems to have been written by a bored high school student during math class.
5. Battlefield Earth (2000)
Based on a novel by L. Ron Hubbard, Battlefield Earth promised an epic science fiction adventure. Instead, audiences were subjected to John Travolta in dreadlocks, an incomprehensible plot, and more slow-motion shots than any sane person should have to endure.
The movie completely ruined the experience they expected after reading the novel. Sad thing the movie got the label “stunningly misguided, aggressively bad sci-fi folly.”
6. Disaster Movie (2008)
The movie’s title accurately predicted what it would become upon release — Disaster Movie was a major disaster in cinema. As we may all know, parody films can only be two things: a hit or miss, and Disaster Movie chose the latter.
With its reliance on lowbrow humor, tired pop culture references, and an absence of any natural comedic talent, this film is an absolute wreck.
7. House of the Dead (2003)
Video game adaptations often struggle to capture the essence of the source material, and having this knowledge, maybe we wouldn’t blame House of the Dead so much for towing the same path.
It’s a nonsensical mess of lousy acting, awkward dialogue, and CGI zombies that would make even the most forgiving horror fan cringe. Many people had high hopes for this movie after the other video game adaptations had failed them.
8. Meet the Spartans (2008)
The success of 300 inspired a wave of parody films, and Meet the Spartans is the worst of the bunch. Instead of clever satire, audiences were treated to a barrage of tired jokes, toilet humor, and cheap gags. It’s a film that leaves you questioning your life choices. The storyline follows the inspection of three babies by a Spartan Elder.
9. One Missed Call (2008)
This movie’s problem starts with the title. Except that the film seems to have missed the call more than once across different aspects, with jump scares that fail to deliver, a convoluted plot, and characters you’ll quickly forget.
As if one terrible horror movie remake wasn’t enough, One Missed Call decided to join the party. This film serves as a textbook example of how not to make a horror movie. Follow it for future reference.
10. Left Behind (2014)
This movie was left behind when other films in its category were doing well with the box office reception and gathering positive critical acclaim. Apocalyptic thriller movies have a special place in cinema but Left Behind missed the mark entirely.
Despite starring Nicolas Cage, this film does not explore its thought-provoking source material. Instead, it becomes a confusing mess of awkward dialogue and lackluster performances that leave audiences in outrage.
11. Gotti (2018)
A biographical crime drama about the infamous mobster John Gotti sounds like a recipe for success. Unfortunately, Gotti manages to turn an intriguing subject into a dull and disjointed film.
Even the star power of John Travolta — who had to do the movie with his wife, Kelly Preston — couldn’t save this movie from its poor execution.
12. Dark Crimes (2016)
Inspired by true events, Dark Crimes had the potential to be a gripping thriller. No lie, this movie’s theatrical release poster and captivating synopsis had me intrigued. But I, like a thousand other cinephiles, was disappointed.
It falls flat with a convoluted plot, stilted dialogue, and a general lack of suspense. The film had an approval rating of 0% on rotten tomatoes.
Boloere Seibidor, fondly called B.S. is a Nigerian-based writer and poet. Her favorite topics to cover include music, especially Hip-Hop, film, lifestyle, and fashion. She’s been published by Feral Journal, Fantasy Magazine, The Temz Review, and most notably, Wealth of Geeks. She enjoys romantic dinners, movie nights, and touring new sites. When she’s not writing, she’s delving back in time to the underground world of Hip-Hop, watching TikTok, or visiting the cinema.
