The 35 Worst Movies Ever Made

“Fifty Shades of Black” is director Michael Tiddes and funnyman Marlon Wayans’ spoof of the erotic romantic drama “Fifty Shades of Grey.” Even though Wayans had success with send-ups of the horror genre, “Fifty Shades of Black” fell flat, with only 7% of critics on Rotten Tomatoes giving the movie a thumbs up. J.R. Jones of the Chicago Reader said, “The movie’s mean-spiritedness becomes even more painful than the dippiness of the source material.”

If entertainment industry execs thought “From Justin to Kelly,” a musical rom-com starring “American Idol” contestants Kelly Clarkson and Justin Guarini, was going to be movie magic, they were mistaken. Only 10% of critics on Rotten Tomatoes liked the film, which the Critics Consensus dismisses as “a notorious stinker.” It has a 2.1 rating out of 10 among IMDb users. Clarkson has since been vocal with the press in declaring her severe dislike of the movie.

Abraham Van Helsing was the fictional vampire hunter in Bram Stoker’s classic horror novela “Dracula.” Stan, his descendant, is a video-store clerk who fights a host of famous movie monsters and assorted fiends. Jeannette Catsoulis of The New York Times called the film a “shockingly bad movie.” It was liked by just 14% of critics on Rotten Tomatoes.

Lindsay Lohan stars as Aubrey Fleming — as well as Dakota Moss — in this 2007 serial killer mystery. The Critics Consensus for Rotten Tomatoes called the movie “a career nadir for all involved.” Only 9% of critics on Rotten Tomatoes liked the movie, which has a rating of 3.6 out of 10 among IMDb users. The movie received eight Razzie Awards, including two for Lohan for each character she played.

“Vampires Suck” is one of four movies on this list from the filmmaking team Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer. It is primarily a spoof of the Twilight franchise. Though many critics believe that Twilight is indeed spoof-worthy, “Vampires Suck” fails to bring the intelligence and humor needed to do the job properly. Philip French of the Observer (UK) found the film to be a “witless, slavish pastiche of the series of romantic dramas based on Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight novels.” The film found favor with only 4% of critics on Rotten Tomatoes.

British film magazine Empire called “Feardotcom” the “most pathetic horror of the decade.” Only 3% of Rotten Tomatoes critics approved of the movie. Audiences must have agreed, as the film grossed less than $19 million worldwide against a reported budget of $40 million. The movie follows an NYPD detective, played by Stephen Dorff, as he works to solve a string of murders in which all of the victims accessed the same website, feardotcom.

The animated movie, starring the voices of T.J. Miller, James Corden, Anna Faris, and Maya Rudolph, is little more than a commercial for an app. Robbie Collin of The Daily Telegraph said the film was “around nine tenths product placement, at least 15 tenths abysmal, and pulsates with molten cynicism on every imaginable level.” His critic colleagues agreed, and “The Emoji Movie” has a 7% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The movie has a 3.3 rating out of 10 among IMDb users.

In “Teen Wolf Too,” Jason Bateman is taking over the lead for Michael J. Fox, who starred in “Teen Wolf.” Bateman plays the original star’s cousin, who takes up boxing, rather than basketball. The movie was condemned by all but 7% of critics, with reviewers describing it as tedious, unfunny, and dreadful. Even so, it grossed almost $8 million and was profitable.

“Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li” is a feature movie adaptation based on the video game Street Fighter franchise. The film stars Kristin Kreuk, who headlined in the television series “Smallville,” as Chun-Li. Critics thought the plot was lacking and the characters miscast (Chris Klein and Michael Clarke Duncan also appear in major roles). Only 5% of critics on Rotten Tomatoes liked the movie. It was a box office disappointment, grossing less than $9 million domestically after costing $50 million to make.

Chevy Chase returned for this lame sequel to the golf-comedy classic. The PG-rated followup was chided as “shoddy, lazy and numbingly stupid” by Dave Kehr from the Chicago Tribune, despite the involvement of otherwise successful writers, including Harold Ramis. “Caddyshack II” flopped at the box office, grossing less than $12 million on an estimated budget of $20 million. It “won” two Razzie Awards, including Worst Supporting Actor for Dan Akroyd.

While superhero movies are currently all the rage, they have not always been hits. One of the biggest duds was the dull 1990 film “Captain America,” which stars Matt Salinger in the lead and Ronny Cox and Ned Beatty in supporting roles. Tim Brayton of Alternate Ending said the movie was “outrageously, excruciatingly dull, dragging out its 97 minutes to a point that time itself more or less ceases to have any meaning.” “Captain America” has a 7% Freshness rating among Rotten Tomatoes critics, and only 16% of audiences were entertained by the movie. The film has a 3.2 rating out of 10 among IMDb users.

“Epic Movie” aims to lampoon blockbuster flicks such as “Pirates of the Caribbean” and “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe.” The raunchy comedy, the product of team Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer (“Scary Movie”), only impressed 2% of critics on Rotten Tomatoes. Jamie Russell of BBC.com was unsparing in his criticism, “The most excruciating, unfunny film you’ll see this year… if not your entire lifetime.” The spoof has a rating of 2.4 out of 10 among IMDb users.

“Kazaam” is the first of two films starring pro basketball Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal to make our list. In it, the 7-foot-1-inches athlete plays a genie who is released from his captivity in a boom box by a troubled kid. The Critics Consensus on Rotten Tomatoes said Shaq’s charismatic presence was “stifled by rote filmmaking and an unimaginative story.” Just 5% of critics on Rotten Tomatoes and just 20% of audiences liked the film.

Critics found this PG-13 horror flick about the internet-borne Slender Man legend dull and lacking in scares. Only 8% of critics and 17% of audiences on Rotten Tomatoes liked it. Users on IMDb rated it an especially low 3.2 out of 10. Even so, the film with its mostly young female cast was a hit, grossing more than $30 million domestically on a $10 million budget.

“The Open House,” a Netflix effort written and directed by Matt Angel and Suzanne Coote, is about a mother and her son who, following a tragedy, move to a relative’s vacant vacation home where they encounter supernatural forces. Critics panned the film for trafficking in the “the worst horror cliches,” according to Matt Donato of Dread Central. “The Open House” has a 15% Freshness score among critics, and audiences liked it even less, with an 8% approval score.

Entertainment aimed at children is often shielded from the most devastating of reviews. “The Oogieloves in the Big Balloon Adventure” — which offers little more than what Rotten Tomatoes’ Critics Consensus describes as “several brightly colored examples of the worst stereotypes of modern children’s entertainment” — is an exception. The movie that boasts acting talent from the likes of Jaime Pressly, Cloris Leachman, and Christopher Lloyd received positive reviews from only 30% of critics on Rotten Tomatoes and IMDb users rated it 2.1 out of 10. Writing for the San Francisco Chronicle, critic Amy Biancolli noted that “the whole thing runs about an hour too long” — a serious problem for a movie with an 86-minute runtime.

Pro basketball star Shaquille O’Neal left the hardwood for another turn in the movies, this time as a weapons designer who dons a metal suit and becomes known as the superhero Steel. The poorly executed movie is riddled with cliches — though some critics praised Shaq’s performance. “Steel” has a 12% Freshness score among Rotten Tomatoes critics and holds a 2.8 rating out of 10 among IMDb users.

The fourth movie based on the religious fantasy novel “Left Behind” — which imagines the effects of the biblical Rapture — earned a 1% Rotten Tomatoes Freshness rating and inspired critic Bilge Ebiri of New York Magazine and Vulture to denounce it as “biblical in its silliness.” Audiences on Rotten Tomatoes awarded the movie a 38% approval score. The film title might apply to Nicholas Cage’s once-storied career.

“Santa Claus Conquers the Martians” is the very definition of a B-movie, and answers the question of what happens when Martians kidnap Santa Claus so that there’s someone to deliver presents to the Martian children. While this bizarre premise may show promise, critics found the film incompetent and cold. Critics Consensus on Rotten Tomatoes summarized their opinion thusly, “Ho, ho, oh no.”

This video game adaptation by German filmmaker Uwe Boll, who has four films on this list, was a box office bomb, grossing $2.4 million on a reported $25 million budget despite a cast that included Ben Kingsley and Michelle Rodriguez. Actor Michael Madsen, who also starred in the vampire-themed movie, called it “an abomination” and “a horrifying and preposterous movie.” Only 4% of critics on Rotten Tomatoes gave the movie a positive rating, and it has a 2.9 rating out of 10 among IMDb users.

“Meet the Spartans” is yet another spoof from Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer, the filmmaking team behind “Epic Movie” (2007) and “Date Movie” (2006), among other send-ups. Goofing on flicks such as “300” (2006), the comedy with eye candy Kevin Sorbo and Carmen Electra is described by Rotten Tomatoes as a “tired, unfunny, offensive waste of time.” Just 2% of critics on Rotten Tomatoes gave the film a positive score, and the movie has an IMDb user rating of 2.8 out of 10.

“Baby Geniuses” tells the story of a woman — played by Kathleen Turner — who attempts to decode a special language used by all babies, whom she believes are born with Universal Knowledge. Liam Lacey of the Globe and Mail said, “The movie is about as endearing as unanesthetized gum surgery.” Despite a cast boasting the talents of Christopher Lloyd, Kim Cattrall, Ruby Dee, and Dom DeLuise, the movie only received a 2% Freshness score from critics on Rotten Tomatoes. It holds a 2.6 rating out of 10 among IMDb users.

“Bucky Larson: Born to Be a Star” — about a Midwestern man who goes to Hollywood to follow in his parents’ footsteps and become an adult film star — was unleashed by Adam Sandler’s Happy Madison Productions the same year as his similarly bad comedy “Jack and Jill” (No. 43 on this list). Not a single critic gave the movie a positive review among those reported on Rotten Tomatoes, with Time Out’s Matt Singer calling it “dire, soul-crushing stuff.”

“Gigli” stars Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez — at the time one of Hollywood’s power couples — as two mobsters tasked with kidnapping and watching the brother of a district attorney. Despite their offscreen romance, the two were criticized for lacking chemistry in the movie, which has a 6% Freshness score among Rotten Tomatoes critics and an IMDb user rating of 2.5 out of 10. Tim Robey of The Daily Telegraph said “Gigli” is “every bit as atrocious as you may have heard. Nay, worse.” The movie, whose cast includes Oscar winners Christopher Walken and Al Pacino, grossed just over $6 million at the domestic box office on a reported budget of $54 million.

“Jaws: The Revenge” was the third sequel to Steven Spielberg’s terrifying and critically acclaimed “Jaws,” which has a Rotten Tomatoes Freshness rating of 98%. “Jaws: The Revenge” — in which the widow of the police chief believes her family is being targeted for revenge by another killer shark — received no love at all from Rotten Tomatoes critics. Critics Consensus found the film to be “Illogical, tension-free, and filled with cut-rate special effects.” Only 15% of audience users of Rotten Tomatoes liked the movie.

At the time of its release, film critic Richard Roeper wrote that his experience of watching this follow-up to the 1994 Jim Carrey hit “The Mask” was the closest he’s “ever come to walking out halfway through the film” and that he wished he had. The majority of critics felt similarly, with only 6% of the 105 reviewers rating it on Rotten Tomatoes giving the movie a positive review. The movie was a major flop at the box office as well, grossing less than $60 million worldwide against a reported budget of $100 million.

The Human Centipede series hit its lowest point with its third and final entry, “The Human Centipede III (Final Sequence).” The movie centers around a prison warden who, inspired by the earlier Human Centipede films, sets out to connect 500 humans. On Rotten Tomatoes, the horror flick impressed 17% of critics and a mere 11% of audience members — meaning it bombed also among viewers who would check out such a film in the first place. The movie reportedly made just over $16,000 at the domestic box office.

This box office bomb — it grossed $21.5 million at the domestic box office on a production budget of $73 million — is based on part of a novel by L. Ron Hubbard, founder of the Church of Scientology. The movie stars John Travolta, who is a prominent member of the church. Jay Boyar of the Orlando Sentinel called the sci-fi flick “a third-string Planet of the Apes meets Star Trek […] with a Swiss-cheese plot.” On Rotten Tomatoes, only 3% of critics and 12% of viewers liked the movie.

The cringe-inducing title — and the fact that the film stars Paris Hilton — should be warning enough. Time Out called this “an execrable Z-grade eugenics parable,” while critic Richard Roeper said the film was “excruciatingly, painfully, horribly, terribly awful.” The film has a 6% Freshness rating among Rotten Tomatoes critics, and 31% of audiences liked the gross-out, sexist comedy.

“Disaster Movie” is yet another crude parody movie from the filmmaking team of Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer. If nothing else, the movie’s title can be regarded as truth in advertising. In addition to being panned by critics and audiences alike — it received positive reviews from 1% of critics and 21% of viewers on Rotten Tomatoes — the movie garnered six Razzie nominations for its incompetence, including Worst Supporting Actress for Kim Kardashian West who made her feature film debut in this widely hated lemon.

The presence of Christian Slater and Stephen Dorff can’t save this adaptation of a once-popular Atari video game, helmed by German director Uwe Boll. According to the Rotten Tomatoes Critical Consensus, this movie “may not work as a thriller, but it’s good for some head-slapping, incredulous laughter.” Critics were nearly unanimous in panning this film, with just 1% of 123 critics giving the film a positive review. It has a 2.4 rating out of 10 among more than 41,000 IMDb users.

One of four Uwe Boll-directed movies on our list, “House of the Dead” is another video game adaptation. One positive aspect of the film for viewers, according to Rotten Tomatoes’ Critics Consensus, is that it’s “loaded with unintentional laughs.” In addition to minuscule Rotten Tomatoes scores among critics (3%) and audiences (10%), the film has a rating of 2.0 out of 10 among IMDb users.

“Superbabies: Baby Geniuses 2,” starring Jon Voight, Scott Baio, and Vanessa Angel, was a critical failure. No critics on Rotten Tomatoes awarded it a Freshness score, and the movie received a 1.9 rating out of 10 among users on IMDb. The film was a box office bomb, grossing worldwide less than half of its reported budget of $20 million.

Filmmaker James Nguyen’s movie about mutated birds who begin attacking humans as the result of global warming is one of the lowest-rated feature films on IMDb with a rating of 1.8 out of 10. Loaded with atrocious CGI and incompetently done sound, numerous critics have actually defended “Birdemic” from a “so bad it’s good” perspective, leading it to having an 18% critic approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. And while much of the movie’s acting talent was highly inexperienced, it also features a minor role by Tippi Hedren (remembered by her role in Alfred Hitchkock’s “The Birds”).

This 1960s horror flick about a family that stumbles upon a devil-worshiping, human hand-sacrificing cult is nearly hated by all, aside from a smattering of die-hard bad movie fans. The lone film by writer-director and Texas fertilizer salesman Harold P. Warren has zero positive reviews from critics on Rotten Tomatoes. Audiences on the site gave it a rating of 20%, while IMDb users rated it 1.9 out of 10. Distributor Synapse Films released a Blu-ray edition of the film in 2015 for the morbidly curious.