24 Cinema Flops: The Worst Movies of All Time

Movies, like any form of art, are subjective, but there are some motion pictures that everyone can agree are terrible. The worst movies of all time are often Hollywood blockbusters with big stars and huge budgets that fail to live up to the hype.

Throughout history, movie critics have been giving their thoughts on films, from major releases to independent movies. And while critics are just giving their opinion, many hold weight and can make or break a film. Bad reviews and negative test screenings can sink a movie before it’s even been released.

When discussing the worst movies of all time, there are hundreds that can be included. From well-known bombs like Battlestar Galactica and The Human Centipede III (Final Sequence) to lesser-known but still reviled flicks such as Troll 2 and Raise the Titanic, there are more bad movies out there than you have probably seen. There’s even a bad movie award show known as the Razzies that has been going on for almost 45 years.

To make sure you don’t end up watching any of these bad movies, we have curated a list of the worst movies of all time you need to stay away from.

1. Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever (2002)

There are 34 films rated 0% on the movie review site Rotten Tomatoes, and one of those is Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever. An action film with a ludicrous plot starring Antonio Banderas and Lucy Liu, it only takes ten minutes of viewing to see why this film is so hated.

As Micheal Compton of the Bowling Green Daily News said in his review; “If you must see Ecks vs. Sever, just go bang your head against the wall for an hour and a half. It would be the same effect.” Enough said.

2. The Wicker Man (2006)

“No! No, the bees!” These lines, uttered by Nicolas Cage during a pivotal scene in The Wicker Man, have become part of movie folklore. And not in a good way.

A remake of the classic 1973 horror, the 2006 version is more of a comedy, with Cage in fine form as a policeman on the hunt for his ex-fiances missing daughter. The movie spawned some hilarious memes and plenty of internet gags and remains one of Cage’s worst performances.

3. The Adventures of Pluto and Nash (2002)

Eddie Murphy torpedoed his film career when he starred in The Adventures of Pluto and Nash. The plot concerns a nightclub in space and the mafia, or something like that, and is a complete mess from the get-go. Nothing makes sense, the special effects are terrible, and the acting is horrid, especially Murphy, who seemed to forget how to act.

4. Battlefield Earth (2000)

Movies based on religion fall into two categories: the award-winning The Passion of the Christ or the laugh-out-loud Battlefield Earth. Based on the teachings of Ron L. Hubbard, the dude behind Scientology, this movie was in production for many years and bombed big time when finally released in the year 2000.

Starring John Travolta, Barry Pepper, and Forest Whitaker, it’s a nonsensical story involving aliens, human slaves, and a rebellion that does neither its stars nor Scientology a favor.

5. Striptease (1996)

Demi Moore got paid a whopping $12.5 million to get naked in Striptease. She should have got double that after the final product got released in cinemas. Savaged by the critics, Striptease is about Moore’s former FBI secretary who turns to stripping to earn enough money to provide for her daughter.

There’s a subplot about a slimy congressman (Burt Reynolds) and Moore’s dodgy ex-husband (Robert Patrick), but none of that really matters. There’s nothing sexy about the movie either, although the soundtrack is the film’s saving grace.

6. Gigli (2003)

One of the most expensive box office failures in history, not even the presence of real-life lovers Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck could save this monstrosity. Written and directed by Martin Brest – who directed the classics Beverly Hills Cop, Midnight Run, and Scent of a Woman – there aren’t too many redeeming features about Gigli.

It’s hard to believe a director like Brest could churn out such rubbish, but much of the failure has been directed at stars Lopez and Affleck, who lack any on-screen chemistry despite being a couple. Gigli won the award for the Worst Comedy of the Raspberry Awards First 25 Years and Brest has not made a feature film since.

7. Baby Geniuses (1999)

Where do you start with this plonker? It has a 2% rating on the movie site Rotten Tomatoes and a 2.5/10 rating on IMDB. The movie is about genius babies and uses CGI to make it look like the babies are talking.

It’s bad, very bad, and is best summed up by this review from Liam Lacey that states; “The movie is about as endearing as unanesthetized gum surgery.”

8. The Room (2003)

Some say The Room is terrible while others think of it as more of a good bad movie. Whatever camp you fall in, there is no denying it’s an interesting watch. Written, produced, directed, and starring Tommy Wiseau, The Room is Wiseau’s attempt at making an award-winning independent film.

Described as “the Citizen Kane of bad movies,” The Room centers on the relationship of three friends and features several subplots that go nowhere, providing plenty of laughs thanks to Wiseau’s terrible acting. Although seen as a joke by many, Wiseau still believes he has made a tremendous movie. If you must watch The Room, follow it with The Disaster Artist, which is based on Greg Sestero’s book about the making of the movie.

9. The Ridiculous 6 (2015)

When it comes to Adam Sandler, there are plenty of movies he’s been in that could make this list. For us, the worst movie he has appeared in is The Ridiculous 6.

A Western comedy about six strangers who discover they share the same father, this movie was dunked on by critics and also came under fire for its treatment of Native American actors, actresses, and crew members, with many walking off the set of the film.

10. Batman and Robin (1997)

The death kneel for Batman movies in the 90s, Batman and Robin is an over-the-top superhero movie by Joel Schumacher. Cheesy, campy, and featuring a Batsuit with nipples, there isn’t much to like about Schumacher’s take on the famous DC comic book hero.

Geroge Clooney is like cardboard while Arnold Schwarzenegger as the villain Mr. Freeze just doesn’t work. It would be eight years until another Batman movie was put into production.

11. Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005)

Depending on your age will most likely impact your view on the worst Star Wars movie, but it’s hard to go past the conclusion to the sequel trilogy. Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith shows Anakin Skywalker’s final transformation into Darth Vader but is plagued by poor acting (especially from Hayden Christensen), bad plotting, and some dodgy CGI.

12. House of the Dead (2003)

Somehow Uwe Boll keeps getting funding to make movies. The screenwriter, director, and producer hasn’t had one hit but keeps attracting big stars for his bland movies. Nearly half his movies have been nominated for Raspberry Awards and he’s delivered some absolute stinkers, including Alone in the Dark, BloodRayne, Postal, and Rampage: President Down. But his worst is still House of the Dead.

An adaptation of the video game of the same name, it was universally panned by movie critics and failed at the box office. It has a 2.1/10 on the Internet Movie Database and is hands down one of the worst horror movies ever made.

13. Super Mario Bros. (1993)

The first official video game adaptation is also one of the worst. Bob Hoskins and John Leguizamo play plumber brothers Mario and Luigi who find themselves on a quest to rescue Princess Daisy (Samantha Mathis) from the ruthless King Koopa (Dennis Hopper). While it sounds like the video game, the movie has none of the fun associated with the classic Nintendo game.

Although visually fantastic, the storyline is all over the place, and the acting hit and miss. Roger Ebert gave it two thumbs down and wasn’t alone, with most critics and fans unhappy with the adaptation.

14. Spice World (1997)

Even though it’s a terrible movie, Spice World was a huge hit, making over $100 million at the box office. It’s meant to be like a modern version of The Beatles’ A Hard Day’s Night but is actually a series of badly acted scenes illustrating that most pop singers aren’t good actors.

Stinkers Bad Movie Awards selected Spice World as the Worst Picture of 1997, while it also won a Razzie Award for Worst Actress, with all five Spice Girls winning. Despite all the negativity, it was re-released in 2017 in select cinemas around the world to celebrate the movie’s 20th anniversary, drawing huge crowds and proving taste is subjective. 

15. The Bad Batch (2016)

This dystopian movie features a cast of heavyweights (Jason Momoa, Suki Waterhouse, Jim Carrey, Keanu Reeves, Giovanni Ribisi, and Diego Luna) slumming it in a barely watchable movie featuring bizarre characters, absurd plots, and long sections that drag on and go nowhere.

Another poor movie with stunning visuals, The Bad Batch quickly found itself on Netflix and lost in the shuffle. When people talk about the worst movie of 2016, this one is always in the conversation.

16. Showgirls (1995)

Another movie centered around erotic dancers, Showgirls had a big budget ($40-$45 million), a young and exciting cast (Elizabeth Berkley, Kyle MacLachlan, and Gina Gershon), and Basic Instinct and Total Recall director Paul Verhoeven. The only thing missing was a good script. 

It should have been a smash hit but was ridiculed by moviegoers and movie reviewers, especially Berkley’s over-the-top performance as new stripper Nomi Malone. It won seven Golden Raspberry Awards, including Worst Screenplay, Worst Picture, and Worst Actress for Berkley’s performance. 

These days it’s seen as so bad it’s good, but watching Showgirls is quite a slog, even with the amount of nudity and sex.

17. Troll 2 (1990)

Although marketed as a sequel to the 1986 horror movie Troll, the Italian-American production, Trolls 2, has nothing to do with that movie. This independent horror is about a man who must protect his family from goblins while on vacation. If it sounds a little out there, it is, with Troll 2 comprising a cast of amateurs with little talent and a director, Claudio Fragasso, with little clue.

If you somehow manage to sit through this abomination, reward yourself by watching Best Worst Movie, a 2009 documentary directed by Michael Stephenson, a child actor who starred in Troll 2.

18. Howard the Duck (1986)

Someone thought it would be a good idea to turn the comic book Howard the Duck into a movie. Big mistake. Looking like a football mascot, Howard is an anthropomorphic duck who finds himself on Earth trying to survive his new surroundings while also falling in love with a human.

It’s a very strange movie that was a critical and commercial failure that went on to win four Razzie Awards. It’s certainly not the worst film George Lucas has had a hand in (the Star Wars prequels anyone?) but is certainly one of the weirdest movies from the 80s.

19. A Low Down Dirty Shame (1994)

The Waynes brothers have written some comedy classics, including the Scary Movie franchise and White Chicks, but A Low Down Dirty Shame isn’t one of them. Written, directed, and starring Keenen Ivory Wayans, this action comedy about Wayans private detective includes a love triangle, kidnappings, drug lords, and stolen money.

It sounds promising but is a failure on all levels. A Low Down Dirty Shame is one of the Waynes brother’s worst releases, probably because it was all Keenen without input from his brothers. The jokes fall flat, the action is substandard, and Waynes doesn’t have the charisma of his brothers.

20. Sharknado (2013)

Movies like this must be tax write-offs. Sharknado involves a tornado that picks up a shiver of sharks and starts killing people in Los Angeles. It’s the dumbest idea for a movie ever but somehow has spawned a franchise that includes five sequels starring a who’s who of B-grade actors, including Ian Ziering, Tara Reid, David Hasselhoff, and Dolph Lundgren.

21. Catwoman (2004)

Superhero movies appear several times on this list, with Catwoman being one of the worst. Just a few years after winning an Academy Award for Best Actress in Monster’s Ball, Halle Berry lowered herself to this trash from Jean-Christophe “Pitof” Comar, who is now retired and safely no longer making movies.

Developed by Warner Bros, many comic book fans had high hopes for Catwoman but were left severely disappointed when it finally hit cinemas. All the big movie critics hated it, from Roger Ebert and David Stratton to Joe Morgenstern at the Wall Street Journal and Keith Phipps at AV Club, and fans didn’t think much of the movie either. An absolute shitshow.

22. Birdemic: Shock and Terror (2010)

Similar to Sharknado, Birdemic: Shock and Terror is another woeful independent movie. It’s a romance about two people who connect when a flock of birds attacks a small town. Written, directed, and executive produced by James Nguyen, this movie is really hard to watch.

Shot on a budget of just $10,000, it looks like it was filmed on a budget of $1,000, but has been called a “good bad movie” by several publications. Despite being a bomb, a sequel, Birdemic 2: The Resurrection, was released in 2013, and a third movie is scheduled for release soon. 

23. Maximum Overdrive (1986)

Watch Maximum Overdrive high as a kite and you might enjoy it. Watch it stone-cold sober and you’ll understand why Stephen King never directed another movie. Filmed during the height of his cocaine addiction, Maximum Overdrive is based on one of King’s short stories and concerns a comet hitting the Earth and turning all mechanical creations into machine killers.

You get Emilio Estevez fighting off sentient vehicles and kitchen appliances in an absolutely bonkers flick with a campy tone that really misses the mark. While most hate it, a few retrospective reviews have heaped praise on Maximum Overdrive, so much so that it has become a cult hit.

24. Jaws: The Revenge (1987)

If there was ever a sequel that didn’t need to exist it would be Jaws: The Revenge. The franchise finally “jumped the shark,” with this movie about a killer shark who is hunting Ellen Brody, the widow of Chief Brody from the original Jaws. Arriving in the Bahamas, she is convinced the shark is after her and must team up with Michael Caine and Mario Van Peebles to take the man-eater down.

Jaws: The Revenge has none of the tension or horror of the first two movies and will have you reaching for the off button before your halfway through. Not even Caine can save this one, with the actor once saying the movie paid for his mom’s house. Says it all really.