Buzz
Movies demand significant effort and investment to produce, so studios aim to create nothing but hit films. However, the harsh reality is that far more films fail than succeed, and over the years, audiences have been subjected to countless disastrous movies.
Occasionally, a film is so poorly made that it becomes entertaining to watch. A prime example of this is Ed Wood’s infamous Plan 9 From Outer Space, which holds a 67% rating on Rotten Tomatoes despite being undeniably awful. The audience rating, a more realistic 46%, is much easier to comprehend. As you’ll notice with other films on this list, critics seem to be completely out of touch with regular movie-goers, often missing the mark.
This compilation highlights those films that are so terribly made, they are simply unwatchable, presented in no specific order.
10. Comedy—Jack And Jill (2011)
Adam Sandler's films are often hit or miss. Some of his earlier works are excellent, while his recent Netflix films have mostly been met with indifference from audiences. Despite this, he still manages to elicit a few laughs even in his lowest-rated films, but 2011's Jack and Jill is a real challenge to find any humor in. The movie was so poorly received that it was nominated for 12 Razzies and became the first film in history to win Worst Picture, Worst Actor, and Worst Actress (all for Sandler).
If you haven’t watched the film, do yourself a favor and avoid it! The plot revolves around two annoying twins at a Thanksgiving gathering, with some of the most atrocious acting ever put on screen—despite the inexplicable appearance of Al Pacino. Strangely, it performed decently at the box office, yet the critical response was so harsh, it’s shocking that the film holds a 3% rating on Rotten Tomatoes (with a 36% rating from non-critics).
9. Drama—Glitter (2001)
Glitter follows Billie Frank, an orphan who rises to fame and becomes a superstar, with the story exploring her difficult childhood and path to stardom. Mariah Carey took on the role of Billie, and while she showcased her impressive singing voice, it became clear that being a talented singer doesn't necessarily translate into good acting. This project started as a passion project for Carey, who began working on the film and soundtrack back in 1997. However, delays led to the project being completed at the worst possible time.
The soundtrack was released on September 11th, 2001, which unfortunately led to it being overlooked, and the movie came out just ten days later. While the tragic events of that day certainly didn't help the film gain attention, the few who did watch it were unimpressed. Carey’s acting drew heavy criticism, and she later admitted she regretted being part of the project. With a production cost of around $22 million, the film only managed to bring in a disappointing $5.3 million at the box office.
8. Science Fiction—Battlefield Earth (2000)
In 1982, L. Ron Hubbard released his book, Battlefield Earth: A Saga of the Year 3000, a title that found a dedicated following among those involved with Scientology. While the book is undeniably long, it doesn't deserve the title of the worst sci-fi book ever penned. Nevertheless, adapting it into a major film proved to be a monumental challenge, especially if you tried to explain this to John Travolta during the '80s and '90s. Travolta worked tirelessly to bring this vision to life, yet the connection to Scientology and ongoing script problems kept it mired in development purgatory.
However, 1998 marked a turning point when Franchise Pictures finally gave Travolta the green light, pouring $73 million into his passion project. The outcome was disastrous, to put it mildly—an affront to both science fiction and cinema as a whole. Travolta’s exaggerated and ham-fisted performance was hard to excuse, especially considering his seasoned career. There was little to redeem the film, which some argue stands as one of the worst movies ever created. Battlefield Earth went on to win nine Golden Raspberry Awards and led to the bankruptcy of its production company following fraud charges over its budget.
7. Romance—Gigli (2003)
There was a time when Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez were Hollywood's golden couple, dubbed 'Bennifer' by the media. Their romance was so public and intense that it even led them to star together in a film to showcase their relationship. Predictably, the result was a cinematic disaster. Gigli tells the bizarre tale of a hitman tasked with kidnapping the younger brother of a federal prosecutor. Things spiral into a tedious mess as a beautiful gangster is assigned to assist him, only to complicate things further in an uninteresting way.
Gigli is widely considered one of the worst films ever made, with critics giving it a scathing 6% rating and general audiences rating it a bit higher at 13%. This poor reception was reflected in its box office performance, making it one of the most expensive flops in film history. With a production cost of $75.6 million, the film’s failure doesn’t quite make sense, considering it wasn’t an action-packed blockbuster. In the end, it earned just $7.2 million worldwide. Directed by Martin Brest, known for his work on Midnight Run and Scent of a Woman, Gigli became his final project as a director, which isn’t surprising given its disastrous result.
6. Horror—Troll 2 (1990)
The horror genre is an intriguing one when it comes to identifying the worst, as many horror films are made on low budgets and often fail to impress. However, some of the greatest horror films, like The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, were created with minimal funds yet became masterpieces. Finding the absolute worst is a challenge, but the studios made it easy by producing the cinematic disaster known as Troll 2, which is considered a celluloid catastrophe.
Troll 2 was marketed as a sequel to the 1986 film Troll, but the two movies had no connection whatsoever. Initially titled Goblins, Troll 2 was intended as a comedy. The producers, doubting the film’s success, chose not to invest in expensive reshoots. Instead, they decided to change the title and claim it as a sequel, even though it wasn’t one. Behind the scenes, the crew spoke only Italian, while the cast spoke English, leading to a nonsensical and incoherent final product that can only be described as utter chaos.
5. Action—Batman & Robin (1997)
In 1989, when Tim Burton and Michael Keaton teamed up for Batman, there were worries the film might flop — but it didn’t. The sequel was also well-received, prompting Warner Bros. to keep making more. However, the direction shifted in Batman Forever with new faces at the helm. When the fourth film rolled around, it became Batman & Robin, a movie that has often been labeled as the worst action film ever and arguably the worst comic book adaptation, which is quite the feat considering the number of terrible comic book films out there.
George Clooney was cast as Bruce Wayne/Batman, and while he effortlessly embodied the role of a billionaire playboy, his portrayal of Batman left much to be desired. The film was riddled with over-the-top villains and dialogue that was little more than a series of cheesy puns and one-liners. The most ridiculous detail, though, was the addition of nipples to Batman’s costume — a strange decision that no one has been able to justify.
4. Adventure—Catwoman (2004)
In 2004, Halle Berry took on the role of Catwoman in the film of the same name, though she wasn’t initially the first choice. After Batman Returns, there were plans for Michelle Pfeiffer to reprise her role as Selina Kyle in a spinoff, but those plans never came to fruition. The film went through years of troubled development, but finally released in 2004 — to disastrous results. The Catwoman in the film bore little resemblance to the character fans knew, completely altering her persona beyond recognition.
The filmmakers reworked Catwoman’s name, backstory, and even her place within the DC Universe, making her a Catwoman in title only. Despite her best efforts, Halle Berry, a talented actress, couldn’t save the film from its fate. She even earned a Razzie nomination for Worst Actress, which she graciously accepted in person. When she accepted the award, she humorously remarked, “Thank you for putting me in a piece of s***, god-awful movie!”
3. Animation—Titanic: The Legend Goes On (2000)
When it comes to animated films, there are plenty that could easily claim the title of worst. Mars Needs Moms often comes up in discussions, mainly because it was ridiculously expensive to produce and ultimately bombed. But then there’s Titanic: The Legend Goes On, a 2000 animated movie that didn’t just fail because of its poor animation and writing. It also completely crossed the line by attempting to turn a real historical disaster into a so-called ‘legend.’
The phrase 'rapping dog' should have been the worst thing about this film, but sadly, it’s just the beginning. The movie is essentially a knockoff of James Cameron’s Titanic, only with much worse animation and a jumbled plot. The film’s production was plagued with problems, resulting in a constantly shifting animation style, making each scene look drastically different from the last. A parade of strange characters only adds to the chaos, making the story incoherent and nonsensical. To make matters worse, the movie was marketed to children, even though its tone and content were wildly inappropriate for them. Simply put, it’s a movie that should never have existed.
2. Musical—From Justin To Kelly (2003)
American Idol became one of the most successful music competitions in history, maintaining its popularity for years with a few tweaks here and there. In its first season, Kelly Clarkson emerged as the winner, and along with her victory, she was awarded a record deal. But there was another 'prize' for her and runner-up Justin Guarini: a movie about them. At first, this seemed like a smart move to expand the show’s success into film, but what resulted was a film that was nothing short of bizarre and unsettling.
From Justin To Kelly featured Kelly Clarkson and Justin Guarini during a Spring Break adventure in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The two meet, fall in love, face various complications, and sing on the beach in between. Essentially, it was a modern-day version of Beach Blanket Bingo, just released in 2003 rather than 1965. The music was uninspired, the supposed romance felt entirely forced, and it became clear quickly that two people with no acting experience were simply placed in front of a camera with little to no direction or preparation.
1. Fantasy—Highlander II: The Quickening (1991)
The first Highlander movie didn’t make much of an impact upon release but quickly became a beloved cult classic. The film focused on a group of Immortals who couldn’t die unless decapitated. While they were seemingly invincible, their immortality didn’t help them against human opponents unless they were decapitated. The first film wrapped up its storyline neatly, leaving no real need for a sequel… but alas, Hollywood didn’t listen.
Highlander II completely diverged from its predecessor. It kept Sean Connery and Christopher Lambert, despite Connery’s character being killed off in the first film. The plot was nonsensical, the origin of the Immortals was reworked, and the newly added sci-fi angle came across as laughably absurd. Essentially, the sequel undermined the very elements that made the original so special, leading it to be widely reviled by fans. Even the director hated what he had created, going so far as to release two different cuts in an attempt to salvage the movie.
