The 25 Worst Movies of All Time, According to Rotten Tomatoes

[Ken Gargett]

i do not care what anyone says, any list of bad movies that does not have that absolute heap of steaming manure as 1, that abysmal nonsense from tarantino - deathcar or deathwish or deathrace or this-is-a-movie-i'm-doing-to-steal-your-money-because-people-think-that-because-i-once-made some-okay-stuff-even-if-i-did-pinch-most-of-it-from-others, is not serious.

 

The 25 Worst Movies of All Time, According to Rotten Tomatoes

BY ELLEN GUTOSKEY

 

DECEMBER 24, 2020

John Travolta in Gotti (2018).

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Though critiquing movies is a highly subjective business, some are just so good that critics can’t help but agree about them—like 12 Angry Men (1957) and Paddington 2 (2017), both of which have 100 percent "fresh" ratings on Rotten Tomatoes. But it’s not only perfect films that foster unity among critics: Really awful ones can have the same effect.

Ballistic: Ecks Vs. Sever, which Roger Ebert called “a chaotic mess,” is a prime example. The 2002 action film, starring Antonio Banderas and Lucy Liu, placed first on Rotten Tomatoes’ list of the worst movies of all time. A film had to have at least 20 reviews to qualify for the list at all, and those with the same score were then ranked by number of reviews. In other words, not only does Ballistic: Ecks Vs. Sever have a score of 0 percent, but more reviewers were compelled to vouch for how bad it was than they were for any other 0-percenter on the list—and there are quite a few of them.

Of the top 25 worst films, all have 0 percent scores except the Nick Swardson-starring Bucky Larson: Born to Be a Star (2011), which came in 11th place with 3 percent. This suggests that a few kind critics have submitted positive reviews since Rotten Tomatoes published the list, or else there’s an additional variable in the ranking algorithm.

If there’s one clear takeaway, it’s that acclaimed Hollywood A-listers aren’t always enough to keep a flop afloat. In fact, most of the films on the list feature one or more venerable actors, including Eddie Murphy (2012’s A Thousand Words ranked third), Michael Caine (1987’s Jaws: The Revenge took ninth place), and Diane Keaton (1993’s Look Who’s Talking Now landed in the 24th spot). John Travolta starred in an impressive three: Look Who’s Talking Now, Staying Alive (1983), and Gotti (2018).

While there aren’t any movies in the top 25 that predate the early 1980s, it’s not because undeniable stinkers didn’t exist before then—according to Rotten Tomatoes, it’s simply because movie reviews have been on the rise in the last few decades. Read on to find out how many of the worst movies you’ve suffered through, and see Rotten Tomatoes’ full list of 100 here.

1. Ballistic: Ecks Vs. Sever (2002) // 0 percent

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2. One Missed Call (2008) // 0 percent

3. A Thousand Words (2012) // 0 percent

4. Gotti (2018) // 0 percent

5. Pinocchio (2002) // 0 percent

6. Superbabies: Baby Geniuses 2 (2004) // 0 percent

7. National Lampoon’s Gold Diggers (2004) // 0 percent

8. The Last Days of American Crime (2020) // 0 percent

9. Jaws: The Revenge (1987) // 0 percent

10. The Ridiculous 6 (2015) // 0 percent

11. Bucky Larson: Born to Be a Star (2011) // 3 percent

12. Dark Crimes (2018) // 0 percent

13. London Fields (2018) // 0 percent

14. Stratton (2018) // 0 percent

15. The Nutcracker in 3D (2010) // 0 percent

16. Return to the Blue Lagoon (1991) // 0 percent

17. Problem Child (1990) // 0 percent

18. Wagons East! (1994) // 0 percent

19. 3 Strikes (2000) // 0 percent

20. Shadow Conspiracy (1997) // 0 percent

21. Cabin Fever (2016) // 0 percent

22. Redline (2007) // 0 percent

23. Mac and Me (1988) // 0 percent

24. Look Who’s Talking Now (1993) // 0 percent

25. Staying Alive (1983) // 0 percent

[MrBirdman]

Ebert’s review of Jaws: The Revenge is priceless. 

[Habana Mike]

Wow, I've only started to watch just a couple of these.

Will be avoiding the rest unless I'm feeling quite masochistic on movie night.

[MrBirdman]

Much more entertaining to just find funny reviews of them. 

[MoeFOH]

Where is Howard The Duck and Leonard Part 6?

Also, re Death Proof, I totally agree... however, I also do not. Lol. For me, it is the worst of his by a good margin. That said, one must keep in mind that it is meant to be a B-grade or C-grade take-off. And in that respect, the first part of it doesn't fare too badly. The second half, however, is utter garbage. 

[Ken Gargett]

6 minutes ago, MoeFOH said:

Where is Howard The Duck and Leonard Part 6?

Also, re Death Proof, I totally agree... however, I also do not. Lol. For me, it is the worst of his by a good margin. That said, one must keep in mind that it is meant to be a B-grade or C-grade take-off. And in that respect, the first part of it doesn't fare too badly. The second half, however, is utter garbage. 

i have no idea which part i saw. assume the first? that was it for me. as far as i am concerned, that stamped him as a fraud, a charlatan, a thief and a hack. i will not watch anything from him ever again.

fool me once...

[Cazador]

Batman & Robin.

Just wow.

[Skypilot]

Master and Commander with Russell Crowe. Absolute snooze fest. 

[Fuzz]

1 hour ago, MoeFOH said:

Where is Howard The Duck and Leonard Part 6?

Also, re Death Proof, I totally agree... however, I also do not. Lol. For me, it is the worst of his by a good margin. That said, one must keep in mind that it is meant to be a B-grade or C-grade take-off. And in that respect, the first part of it doesn't fare too badly. The second half, however, is utter garbage. 

What about Battlefield Earth, Showgirls, Son of the Mask, Freddy Got Fingered, Gigli, Catwoman, Norbit, most Mike Myers films? Gawd, there's so many more.

[MrBirdman]

3 minutes ago, Skypilot said:

Master and Commander with Russell Crowe. Absolute snooze fest. 

Just finished watching that haha! I liked it a lot but I absolutely love historical drama. 

[MoeFOH]

1 minute ago, Fuzz said:

What about Battlefield Earth, Showgirls, Son of the Mask, Freddy Got Fingered, Gigli, Catwoman, Norbit, most Mike Myers films? Gawd, there's so many more.

Yes. One might say this is the worst worst 25 list ever. 

[MoeFOH]

9 minutes ago, Skypilot said:

Master and Commander with Russell Crowe. Absolute snooze fest. 

Oh, what! Strongly disagree here. Great film. Crowey, Peter Weir. Careful with the Aussie stuff. ?

[JohnS]

7 minutes ago, Fuzz said:

What about Battlefield Earth, Showgirls, Son of the Mask, Freddy Got Fingered, Gigli, Catwoman, Norbit, most Mike Myers films? Gawd, there's so many more.

They're all in the IMDb Bottom 100...

https://www.imdb.com/chart/bottom?pf_rd_m=A2FGELUUNOQJNL&pf_rd_p=4da9d9a5-d299-43f2-9c53-f0efa18182cd&pf_rd_r=EM1HNYW9PMQREPZGT2KC&pf_rd_s=right-4&pf_rd_t=15506&pf_rd_i=top&ref_=chttp_ql_8

[Bijan]

3 minutes ago, JohnS said:

They're all in the IMDb Bottom 100...

Not all. But a fair number.

To me IMDb is a better representation of how good a movie is. Critics looks for specific things, sometimes they pan a genre as a whole (comedy).

[TheGipper]

54 minutes ago, Skypilot said:

Master and Commander with Russell Crowe. Absolute snooze fest. 

Them's fightin' words!

I loved it, but I can see how people don't like it.  It's definitely got a different feel and pacing than typical Hollywood "action" movies.  Maybe that's why some us liked this movie so much.

[Skypilot]

1 hour ago, MrBirdman said:

Just finished watching that haha! I liked it a lot but I absolutely love historical drama. 

 

1 hour ago, MoeFOH said:

Oh, what! Strongly disagree here. Great film. Crowey, Peter Weir. Careful with the Aussie stuff. ?

 

47 minutes ago, TheGipper said:

Them's fightin' words!

I loved it, but I can see how people don't like it.  It's definitely got a different feel and pacing than typical Hollywood "action" movies.  Maybe that's why some us liked this movie so much.

???? maybe I will try again. My late thirties self may appreciate it much more than my early twenties self. Saw it in the theatre with a good friend and we still talk about how much we didn’t enjoy it. Ha but my attention span may be better now than then. 

[RedLantern]

I'd like to see a list of movie "guilty pleasures" with movies that reached some threshold of popularity despite being terrible.

[Chibearsv]

Something's wrong with the list if it's missing Nicholas Cage movies.  With the possible exception of Raising Arizona, he makes every movie worse because he's in it.  

[Fuzz]

1 hour ago, Chibearsv said:

Something's wrong with the list if it's missing Nicholas Cage movies.  With the possible exception of Raising Arizona, he makes every movie worse because he's in it.  

[Chibearsv]

12 hours ago, Fuzz said:

What about Battlefield Earth, Showgirls, Son of the Mask, Freddy Got Fingered, Gigli, Catwoman, Norbit, most Mike Myers films? Gawd, there's so many more.

There are plenty of bad movies that I'll admit I've enjoyed precisely for how campy bad they are or because some part or parts of the movie crack me up (see "Dark Star" as an example).  Your list above includes some I don't mind so much. ?  Even though I haven't seen most of the movies on Ken's posted list, those I've seen were truly uncomfortably bad.  Jaws: The Revenge takes the prize for me as the most horrible movie I've ever seen.

[Bords]

Mostly agree although Cage is doing almost a self parody thing lately. His accent literally changed mid-movie in Bad Lieutenant. I did really enjoy Color out of Space but I’m a Lovecraft fan.


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[El Hoze]

The 1996 version of the Island of Dr. Moreau should make every list like this. For a film that has two pretty legendary actors (Marlon Brando, Val Kilmer) and coming from a book by a legendary author it is spectacularly terrible. I watch it every few years when I have a couch potato day just to marvel in its terribleness. I’ve never seen the original version, will need to check that out. 

[Chibearsv]

16 hours ago, Cazador said:

Batman & Robin.

Just wow.

How dare you besmirch a movie that has both Uma and Arnold!!! 

[Hammer Smokin']

Gotti at #4 is strange. 

While the moving wasn't earth shattering, it was pretty entertaining. I didn't dislike it...and certainly wouldn't have guessed it to be in the top 25 worst movies. 

To the first poster in the thread, I think you are referring to the 2020 film Capone. 

It was dark, sure. 

But I thought it was really well done. 

[La_Tigre]

Moments like this have us wanting to keep prying open that Deathproof door (errrr...windshield...?) to see more epic rants from @Ken Gargett but that would honestly be us just trolling...??