15 Terrible Movies That Should Never Have Been Made

You have all settled in with popcorn, eager for a night of cinematic bliss, only to be met with a two-hour ordeal that leaves you questioning your sanity. Terrible acting, poor effects, weak storytelling, and meandering half-baked plotlines can ruin a movie. And you don’t want to experience that ever again, right? These pages take you into the cinematic abyss to show you 15 movies that should have been left on the drawing board. You’ve probably seen some of them, and if you haven’t, you may want to take notes.

Battlefield Earth (2000)

The root of the movie is the novel by L. Ron Hubbard, founder of Scientology. This sci-fi epic is frequently lambasted for its convoluted plot and bizarre direction. It features John Travolta as the alien villain Terl, who oversees Earth’s remaining human population in the year 3000. Critics pointed out the film’s excessive use of Dutch angles and that the plot and characters were not excellently thought out. It was called ‘shapeless and senseless,’ won Worst Movie and Worst Actor at the Raspberry Awards, and bombed at the box office.

The Room (2003)

Directed, written, produced by, and starring Tommy Wiseau, The Room has gained a cult following for its incompetence in nearly every aspect of filmmaking. The film tells the story of a man named Johnny, whose life unravels after he discovers his fiancée’s infidelity. The movie is riddled with nonsensical plot points and awkward cast introductions. It has become a favorite among fans of bad cinema, who celebrate its unintentional hilarity.

Gigli (2003)

This romantic comedy, starring Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez, was meant to capitalize on their real-life relationship. Instead, it became infamous for its cringe-worthy script and lack of chemistry between the leads. The plot revolves around a low-level mobster (Affleck) and a lesbian assassin (Lopez) who are tasked with kidnapping a mentally challenged young man. Gigli was bashed so hard, and that may be why the director never directed a movie again. This film was a box office disaster, grossing less than 10% of its budget.

Catwoman (2004)

Halle Berry’s star power did not stop Catwoman from being a critical failure. It reimagined the DC Comics character in a way that bore little resemblance to her comic book origins. Berry’s character, Patience Phillips, acquires cat-like abilities after being resurrected by an Egyptian Mau cat. The film seemed to pay more attention to special effects than the plot and acting. Berry herself acknowledged the film’s bad quality in her acceptance speech for the Razzie Award for Worst Actress.

The Love Guru (2008)

Mike Myers’ efforts in the romantic comedic “The Love Guru” did not do well for his career, as both audience and critics widely panned it. Myers starred as Guru Pitka, a self-help expert hired to reunite a hockey player with his estranged wife. Critics found the film’s jokes juvenile and flat. The film, which won three Razzies, lacked the charm and wit of Myers’ earlier work, Austin Powers.

Movie 43 (2013)

An anthology comedy featuring an ensemble cast including Hugh Jackman, Kate Winslet, and Halle Berry, Movie 43 was poorly received and panned for its crude, offensive humor and disjointed structure. Critics and audiences alike were baffled by the film’s poor use of star power and tasteless jokes.

Batman & Robin (1997)

The fourth installment in the Batman series is notorious for its silly tone and has been accused of having indifferent acting. George Clooney acts as Batman, and Chris O’Donnell as Robin. They face off against villains Mr. Freeze (Arnold Schwarzenegger) and Poison Ivy (Uma Thurman). Even though it did great at the box office, the film was called the worst in its series.

Son of the Mask (2005)

It was a sequel to the successful Jim Carrey film The Mask and was derided for bad special effects. Jamie Kennedy stars as an aspiring cartoonist who inherits the magical mask, leading to chaotic events when his infant son dons it. While being bashed for its weak storyline, the film won Worst Movie of the Year at the Golden Schmoes Awards.

Howard the Duck (1986)

Based on Howard the Duck from Marvel Comics, the film follows a humanoid duck who is transported to Earth and must stop an alien invasion. The film was both a critical and a commercial failure. It won its fair share of “Worst” from Razzies and Stinkers and is today Lucasfilm’s lowest-rated production. It’s been said the story has mediocre performances and no focal point.

The Happening (2008)

M. Night Shyamalan’s directed “The Happening” is a thriller about a mysterious phenomenon causing mass suicides. In the movie, Mark Wahlberg plays a high school science teacher trying to survive the apocalypse. The film was criticized as promising but descending into disappointment. Many think it didn’t add anything new to its niche and also failed to deliver the expected suspense.

Jack and Jill (2011)

Adam Sandler stars in this comedy, playing both Jack and his obnoxious twin sister, Jill. While it performed well at the box office, it didn’t do it for viewers and critics. However, Al Pacino was excluded from a lot of criticism. Crude jokes, unlovable product placement, and passionless acting made their way into the movie. It was so bad it swept the Razzies!

Transformers: Age of Extinction (2014)

This was the fourth entry in the “Transformers” franchise. It was criticized for becoming less interesting as it got longer. Some think it was the worst Transformers movie at the time of its release. Even though it performed well at the box office, the movie generally got unfavorable reviews. The Razzies had two awards for it—Worst Director and Worst Supporting Actor.

Fifty Shades of Grey (2015)

Adapted from the bestselling erotic novel by E.L. James, “Fifty Shades of Grey” was commercially successful. Criticisms focused on its acting, pacing, and screenplay. Its dialogues were also attacked. There was a lack of chemistry between leads Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan, who some critics believed were underused.

Kirk Cameron’s Saving Christmas (2014)

This holiday film stars and is produced by Kirk Cameron and was intended to counter the secularization of Christmas. It made it to several of the worst movie lists by prominent sites and people. When Cameron asked fans to give it favorable reviews on RottenTomatoes, it earned even more condemnation.

Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987)

This installment in the Superman movie series was least favored among fans of the series at release. Fans and critics agree that the cast seemed to have given up on the plot. Besides being sluggish, its poor special effects were not invisible. It bagged two nominations at the Razzies and lost to Wall Street and Jaws: The Revenge.