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G-rated movies are generally directed at younger audiences, and with the right advertising, kids can be persuaded into watching just about anything. This can lead to some pretty bad movies that do well at the box office, incentivizing studios to keep the even worse sequels flowing. Unfortunately for accompanying adults, the movie industry is a business, and if producing lackluster films makes money then studios will keep pumping them out until the end of time. (These are the most profitable movies of all time)
Numerous Disney, Pixar, and DreamWorks films have proven that films can be directed at kids but still have themes and stories that captivate audiences of all ages. However, several G-rated movies, like the ones listed below, struggled to impress audiences and critics, despite having renowned actors and large budgets.
To determine the worst G-rated movie ever made, 24/7 Tempo developed an index based on several measures from the Internet Movie Database and Rotten Tomatoes. Only films with G ratings were considered. The index is an equally weighted composite of the movies’ IMDb rating, Rotten Tomatoes audience score, and Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score. Only films with at least 25,000 reviews on IMDb, 5,000 audience reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, and 10 Tomatometer critics reviews were considered. Data was collected mid-March 2022.
Many of the films geared at younger audiences would be disappointing to watch for the first time today as an adult, but they hold considerable nostalgia for those who saw them years ago as children. Pokémon was a massive cultural sensation, but the first three Pokémon movies were dragged by critics. The second Princes Diaries film also made the list, despite being popular upon release.
However, the list of terrible G-rated movies isn’t entirely made up of children’s movies. Though today G-ratings come with the connotation the films are for kids, this has not always been the case, and several older movies here focus on more mature topics. A John Wayne war movie and several sequels to “The Planet of the Apes” are also amongst the worst G-rated films ever made. (Check out if the John Wayne movie is also among the worst movies of the 1960s.)
Click here to see the worst G-rated movies of all time
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25. Cars 2 (2011)
> Genre: Adventure, Animation, Comedy
> Director(s): John Lasseter, Bradford Lewis
> Starring: Owen Wilson, Larry the Cable Guy, Michael Caine, Emily Mortimer
Owen Wilson voices the car Lightning McQueen, in Disney’s sequel to “Cars,” once again set in a world of anthropomorphic talking vehicles. McQueen has gone from a hungry rookie on the racetrack to a perennial champion. He soon learns of a new World Grand Prix and sets off to Tokyo to compete.
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24. We’re Back! A Dinosaur’s Story (1993)
> Genre: Adventure, Animation, Comedy
> Director(s): Phil Nibbelink, Simon Wells, Diсk Zondag, Ralph Zondag
> Starring: John Goodman, Charles Fleischer, Blaze Berdahl, Rhea Perlman
Produced by Steven Spielberg’s animate studio and based on a children’s book of the same name, the film follows anthropomorphic dinosaurs who have been transported to modern times. Alex Sandell of Juicy Cerebellum said, “By the end, you’ll be glad they went extinct.”
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23. The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement (2004)
> Genre: Comedy, Family, Romance
> Director(s): Garry Marshall
> Starring: Anne Hathaway, Callum Blue, Julie Andrews, Hector Elizondo
“The Princess Diaries” returns for a second film, garnering significantly worse reviews than the first. Mia (Anne Hathaway) learns that this time around she must get married in 30 days if she wants to become queen of Genovia. Disney produced the film that bombed critically but was a success at the box office.
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22. Pokémon The First Movie: Mewtwo Strikes Back (1998)
> Genre: Action, Adventure, Animation
> Director(s): Kunihiko Yuyama, Michael Haigney, Kunihiko Yuyama, Michael Haigney
> Starring: Veronica Taylor, Rachael Lillis, Eric Stuart, Rica Matsumoto, Veronica Taylor, Rachael Lillis, Eric Stuart, Rica Matsumoto
The cultural phenomenon of Pokémon jumped from television to the big screen for the first time with massive commercial success. It did well with critics in its native Japan but was criticized for poor English voice acting by critics in the United States.
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21. Peter Pan 2: Return to Never Land (2002)
> Genre: Adventure, Animation, Family
> Director(s): Robin Budd, Donovan Cook
> Starring: Blayne Weaver, Harriet Owen, Corey Burton, Jeff Bennett
Disney decided to produce a sequel to 1953’s “Peter Pan” nearly half a century after the release of the original. It did well commercially but the Rotten Tomatoes critic consensus is: “With its forgettable songs and lackluster story, this new Pan will surely entertain kids, but will feel more like a retread to adults.”
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20. Chicken Little (2005)
> Genre: Adventure, Animation, Comedy
> Director(s): Mark Dindal
> Starring: Zach Braff, Joan Cusack, Garry Marshall, Don Knotts
Another Disney product, “Chicken Little” is based on the Anglo-Saxon fairytale “Henny Penny” and follows an anthropomorphic chicken who is ridiculed by his town for believing the sky is falling. Leigh Paatsch of the Herald Sun (Australia) said, “The sky is falling, and so are the fortunes of this substandard animated comedy with each passing minute.”
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19. The Green Berets (1968)
> Genre: Drama, War
> Director(s): Ray Kellogg, Mervyn LeRoy
> Starring: John Wayne, David Janssen, Jim Hutton, Aldo Ray
Released at the height of the Vietnam war, the film starring John Wayne is starkly anti-communist and pro-South Vietnam. Wayne was extremely concerned about anti-war sentiment in the U.S. and set out to make a pro-military film. Roger Ebert thought the film was so bad that “It is offensive not only to those who oppose American policy but even to those who support it.”
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18. 101 Dalmatians (1996)
> Genre: Adventure,Comedy,Crime
> Director(s): Stephen Herek
> Starring: Glenn Close, Jeff Daniels, Joely Richardson, Joan Plowright
A live-action adaptation of Disney’s 1961 animated film “101 Dalmatians” found far less critical praise than the original. Unlike the animated film, none of the animals in the live-action edition could speak. Scott Weinberg of eFilmCritic.com said it was a “Rather pointless literalization of a great cartoon that didn’t need it.”
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17. Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970)
> Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
> Director(s): Ted Post
> Starring: James Franciscus, Kim Hunter, Maurice Evans, Linda Harrison
The original “Planet of the Apes” was a landmark in cinema and storytelling. The first sequel (one of four) missed that mark. The Rotten Tomatoes critics consensus is that the film “delivers more action than its predecessor — unfortunately, at the expense of the social subtext that elevates the franchise’s best entries.”
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16. Justin Bieber: Never Say Never (2011)
> Genre: Documentary, Music
> Director(s): Jon M. Chu
> Starring: Justin Bieber, Boyz II Men, Miley Cyrus, Sean Kingston
The 3-D concert film follows singer Justin Bieber on his biggest tour at the time and includes interviews with friends and family about his background. The film did well at the box office but not so much with critics. Michael Dequina of TheMovieReport.com said it was “Something strictly for those stricken with Bieber Fever.”
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15. Pokémon the Movie 2000 (1999)
> Genre: Action, Adventure, Animation
> Director(s): Michael Haigney, Kunihiko Yuyama
> Starring: Veronica Taylor, Rica Matsumoto,Ikue Ōtani, Unshō Ishizuka
The second film in the Pokémon franchise was also criticized for poor English voice acting but still found success at the box office. However, it’s hard to imagine a Pokémon film released at the height of the franchise’s grip on pop culture failing to sell tickets. John Monaghan at The Detroit Free Press said, “Just another plastic accessory in the wildly popular world of Pokémon.”
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14. Pokémon 3 the Movie: Spell of the Unown (2000)
> Genre: Action, Adventure, Animation
> Director(s): Kunihiko Yuyama
> Starring: Veronica Taylor, Eric Stuart, Rica Matsumoto, Rachael Lillis
The third movie in the franchise received similar criticism to the first two – poor voice acting, and not enough appeal to those who weren’t already caught up in Pokémon mania. One critic, Tom Grealis of RTÉ (Ireland), even said, “Childless couples everywhere should rejoice.”
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13. The Pagemaster (1994)
> Genre: Adventure, Animation, Comedy
> Director(s): Pixote Hunt, Joe Johnston
> Starring: Macaulay Culkin, Christopher Lloyd, Kanin Howell, Alexis Kirschner
“The Pagemaster” combines animation and live action for a literary-themed adventure. A boy (Macauley Culkin) finds himself trapped in a magical library and must battle through classic works of fiction to escape. Critic Christy Lemire at ChristyLemire.com described it as “the kind of movie first-grade teachers would have popped into the VCR in the 1990s to kill time on a rainy afternoon.”
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12. Herbie Fully Loaded (2005)
> Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Family
> Director(s): Angela Robinson
> Starring: Lindsay Lohan, Michael Keaton, Cheryl Hines, Breckin Meyer
Lindsay Lohan stars in the sixth and final installment of the “The Love Bug” series about Herbie, a Volkswagen Beetle with a mind of its own. The original 1968 film is considered a classic by many, but Rachel Wagner of Rachel’s Reviews (YouTube) called the 2005 sequel a “Forgettable Disney reboot.”
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11. Battle for the Planet of the Apes (1973)
> Genre: Action, Sci-Fi
> Director(s): J. Lee Thompson
> Starring: Roddy McDowall, Claude Akins, Natalie Trundy, Severn Darden
The fifth installment in the original “Planet of the Apes” series did very poorly with critics. Despite this, the 2014 and 2017 “Planet of the Apes” reboot films are based on a similar premise to “Battle for the Planet of the Apes.” Roger Ebert said, “Battle looks like the last gasp of a dying series, a movie made simply to wring the dollars out of any remaining ape fans.”
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10. Valiant (2005)
> Genre: Adventure, Animation, Comedy
> Director(s): Gary Chapman
> Starring: Ewan McGregor, Ricky Gervais, Tim Curry, Jim Broadbent
“Valiant” tells the animated story of a group of anthropomorphic carrier pigeons serving in World War II. Despite considerable voice acting talent from the likes of Ewan McGregor, Ricky Gervais, and Tim Curry, Thomas Delapa of Boulder Weekly said the film is “Not the finest hour-and-a-half of British animation.”
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9. Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience (2009)
> Genre: Documentary, Music
> Director(s): Bruce Hendricks
> Starring: Nick Jonas, Joe Jonas, Kevin Jonas, John Taylor
The 3D concert film follows Kevin, Joe, and Nick Jonas on their Burnin’ Up Tour in 2008. It gave a behind-the-scenes look at the lives of the pop stars but did not impress critics. However, the Rotten Tomatoes critic and audience scores differ dramatically. While 79% of audience reviews were favorable, critic Christopher Null of Filmcritic.com simply said, “canned and created by committee.”
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8. 102 Dalmatians (2000)
> Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Family
> Director(s): Kevin Lima
> Starring: Glenn Close, Gérard Depardieu, Ioan Gruffudd, Alice Evans
The sequel to the 1996 live-action remake, “102” continues the story of a whole bunch of dalmatians trying to avoid capture by the evil Cruella de Vil. Tom Keogh from Film.com called it a “typical sequel from hell.”
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7. Space Chimps (2008)
> Genre: Adventure, Animation, Comedy
> Director(s): Kirk DeMicco
> Starring: Andy Samberg, Stanley Tucci, Jeff Daniels, Cheryl Hines
“Space Chimps” follows three anthropomorphic chimpanzees who are launched into space, eventually landing on an alien inhabited planet. The talent of Andy Samberg, Cheryl Hines, and Jeff Daniels wasn’t enough to carry the stumbling plot. David Cornelius of DVDTalk.com simply said, “Nothing here works. At all.”
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6. Tom and Jerry: The Great Escape (1992)
> Genre: Adventure, Animation, Comedy
> Director(s): Phil Roman
> Starring: Richard Kind, Dana Hill, Anndi McAfee, Tony Jay
Beloved cartoon characters Tom and Jerry made their feature-film debut in 1992 to dismal reviews. The film notably gave Tom and Jerry voices for the first time and made them friends, which did not go over well. Geoff Andrew at Time Out called it, “A severely dull animated feature.”
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5. The Wild (2006)
> Genre: Adventure, Animation, Comedy
> Director(s): Steve ‘Spaz’ Williams
> Starring: Kiefer Sutherland, Jim Belushi, Eddie Izzard, Janeane Garofalo
Disney released “The Wild” in 2006 to criticism that it was eerily similar to DreamWorks’ 2005 film “Madagascar.” It follows a group of anthropomorphic animals who escape New York’s Central Park Zoo and accidentally end up shipwrecked in Africa. The Rotten Tomatoes critic consensus is that “there’s nothing wild about The Wild.”
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4. Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked (2011)
> Genre: Adventure, Animation, Comedy
> Director(s): Mike Mitchell
> Starring: Justin Long, Matthew Gray Gubler, Jesse McCartney, Jason Lee
The trio of singing chipmunks finds themselves stuck on an island deep in the Pacific Ocean after a disastrous attempt at parasailing. Critic John Hanlon at Big Hollywood said, “Set out the rodent traps for this lazy exercise in children’s entertainment.”
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3. The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause (2006)
> Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Family
> Director(s): Michael Lembeck
> Starring: Tim Allen, Martin Short, Elizabeth Mitchell, Eric Lloyd
Tim Allen returns for a third film as Santa Clause, and this time he must reverse a spell cast by the dastardly Jack Frost. Bill Chambers of Film Freak Central said, “You look at a movie like this and wonder how some screenwriters can have the temerity to go on strike.”
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2. College Road Trip (2008)
> Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Drama
> Director(s): Roger Kumble
> Starring: Raven-Symoné, Martin Lawrence, Kym Whitley, Adam LeFevre
Melanie Porter (Raven-Symoné) heads out with family and friends on a theoretically comedic ride across the country to visit Georgetown University. Matthew Pejkovic at Matt’s Movie Reviews called it “A gag inducing over the top mess of a family film.”
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1. The Jungle Book 2 (2003)
> Genre: Adventure, Animation, Comedy
> Director(s): Steve Trenbirth
> Starring: John Goodman, Haley Joel Osment, Tony Jay, Mae Whitman
The sequel to Disney’s “The Jungle Book” came nearly 40 years after the original and was criticized for having a very similar plot to the first film. “This inferior rehash of The Jungle Book should have gone straight to video,” according to the Rotten Tomatoes critics consensus.
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