Emily Flores
You know that feeling when a movie starts off weird and then never gets better? No cool twist, no solid scene, just a slow, painful ride to nowhere. They drag through every scene with flat energy and nothing that feels fun or gripping. It’s not one bad choice, but a full lineup of missed chances. If you’ve ever sat through something that felt like a long, confused shrug, this list will feel painfully familiar.
Ballistic: Ecks Vs. Sever (2002)
This action movie paired Antonio Banderas’s FBI agent with Lucy Liu’s rogue operative for what should have been an explosive partnership. The plot centered on deadly microscopic robots that could swim through a person’s bloodstream to cause fatal strokes. Sadly, despite that high-tech premise, the entire film felt incredibly slow and struggled to deliver any actual thrills.
One Missed Call (2008)
Hollywood’s attempt to remake a popular Japanese horror film just fell flat on its face. It’s a spooky idea that promised a scary ride, yet the execution came off as dull and deeply unoriginal to most viewers. The whole concept revolved around people receiving prophetic voicemails that actually recorded the exact moment of their death.
Left Behind (2014)
Nicolas Cage took the lead in the apocalyptic story based on a best-selling Christian book series. The movie focused on the chaotic aftermath of the “Rapture,” where millions of people suddenly vanish from earth. Though it had a massive built-in audience for the source material, the film struggled to create any sense of real-world drama or suspense.
Gotti (2018)
“Gotti” had all the ingredients for a gripping mobster story—a legendary boss, a big-name actor, and a real-life rise-and-fall arc. But instead of pulling viewers into the gritty world of the Gambino family, it felt like a loud, scattered tribute with no real tension or depth. Scenes jumped around, and John Travolta’s performance couldn’t save the mess.
Superbabies: Baby Geniuses 2 (2004)
This utterly bizarre sequel focused on a group of super-powered little babies who must protect the world’s children. Their main enemy was an evil media mogul trying to use satellites to stop children from ever laughing again. The special effects and general plot were so incredibly cheap and silly that it was painful to watch.
The Last Days Of American Crime (2020)
The story unfolded in a not-so-distant future, where authorities aimed to control human behavior through a government signal. A crew of desperate criminals rushes to pull off one final, massive heist before that signal goes live. The movie’s two-and-a-half-hour runtime felt like a slow crawl to a predictable ending.
The Master Of Disguise (2002)
Dana Carvey played an Italian waiter named Pistachio Disguisey who suddenly discovers he can morph into different people. He uses his newfound family ability to help save his kidnapped parents from a major crime lord. It relied heavily on constant costume changes and silly, low-effort humor that quickly grew exhausting.
London Fields (2018)
This movie, starring Amber Heard, tells the story of a psychic woman who knows exactly who will murder her. Samson Young, a failed writer suffering from a terminal illness, becomes obsessed with her story and tries to use it as inspiration for his final novel. This mystery thriller felt impossible to follow, completely ruining the central conceit of the book it was based on.
The Last Airbender (2010)
Director M. Night Shyamalan brought the beloved animated fantasy series about elemental masters to the big screen. The plot followed a young boy who must master all four elements—water, earth, fire, and air—to save the world from the Fire Nation. The movie totally mishandled the characters and complex mythology, feeling totally uninspired.
Dark Crimes (2016)
The whole movie felt heavy and confusing, never finding a satisfying tone, even with Jim Carrey’s serious performance. Carrey took a dark, dramatic turn as a troubled detective in Poland investigating a gruesome murder case. The story centered on a murderer whose methods mirrored a plot from the novel “Amok,” but the film never managed to turn that chilling premise into real impact.