Critics Say These Are The 40 Worst Movies Ever Made, Ranked In Order (Movies With Razzies)
The Golden Raspberry—or as we now know it, The Razzies—started out as a simple joke at a 1981 Oscar watching party. Hollywood publicist John Wilson invited his friends over and rather than talking about the best movies of the year, they decided on the worst.
The inside joke between a group of friends has now turned into the yearly discussion on the worst of the worst in film. Read on to see what films have had the honor (or dishonor) of winning the Razzie for Worst Picture. You can bet your bottom dollar that at least one Adam Sandler movie is on this list.
1989: Star Trek V: The Final Frontier
This Star Trek film was so bad that the producer claimed it "nearly killed the franchise. Star Trek V: The Final Frontier was written and directed by Captain Kirk a.k.a. William Shatner and from the start his costars hated it. Leonard Nimoy objected to the idea that Spock and Leonard McCoy would betray Kirk.
Die-hard fans hated the concept and the film tanked. Luckily, the next film installment fixed everything and brought life back into the franchise.
2011: Jack And Jill
Adam Sandler has made some pretty bad movies in his time as an actor, but Jack and Jill has been considered "one of the worst films ever made." The movie featured Sandler playing both the male and female version of twins, and you can imagine the rest.
Somehow they got Al Pachino to play a major role but even that couldn't save the film. It was nominated for twelve Razzies in 2011 and won ten of them.
2003: Gigli
Jennifer Lopez is the undisputed queen of romantic comedies and she wasted away her talent starring alongside her then-boyfriend Ben Affleck. Long story short, Gigli is like a mix of a mob story and a romantic comedy, which is why they managed to get Justin Bartha and Al Pachino is the same cast.
Gigli is largely considered one of the worst films of all time yet legendary film critic Roger Ebert was one of the few who didn't pan it.
1981: Mommie Dearest
People who've seen Mommie Dearest can't quite decide which is worse: the terrible real-life story it is based on, or the overly-dramatic performance used to tell that story. Faye Dunaway gave her all in her portrayal as famous-actress-turned-terrible-mother Joan Crawford.
Mommie Dearest won five Razzies, including Worst Actress for Dunaway. For her part, she later expressed regret for taking the part and said that it took an emotional toll on her. She blames the film for ruining her career.
1992: Shining Through
It was the overall implausibility that was Shining Through's undoing. The film starred Melanie Griffith and Michael Douglas as enemies and allies at the height of WWII, but historically, it never made sense.
The biggest criticism is that the film, based on a novel, didn't do any justice to the book. In fact, it basically cut out the first 3/4 of the novel which is why much of the plot doesn't make sense.
2009: Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen
Despite being one of the biggest box office hits of 2009 and being the top-selling film of the year in the United States, the Razzies deemed Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen the worst picture. Why? Well, it was just one big action-packed advertisement where nothing really happened.
The first Transformers film had been action and promotion-packed too but they had a respectable plot. The sequel just seemed to be a "special effects extravaganza."
1984: Bolero
Bolero starred Bo Derek as Ayre "Mac" McGillvary who explores her adult needs as a young woman coming up in society. The romantic drama was written and directed by Derek's husband, John.
Only a handful of people were interested in seeing this film, which which critics panned. Not only did this film win six out of nine Razzie nominations, including Worst Actress and Worst Director, Rotten Tomatoes also gives the film a rating of 0%.
2008: The Love Guru
The Love Guru was not only a critical flop but a financial one too. Despite being written, produced by, and starring Mike Meyers, it was completely panned. It only made $40.8 million worldwide against its $63 million budget, and only received a 13% Rotten Tomatoes rating.
Ebert admitted that Meyers is usually pretty good at making funny films but that The Love Guru "could have been written on toilet walls."
1988: Cocktail
The 1988 Worst Picture centers upon a business student who has to take up bartending to make ends meet and...that's about it. Critics said the plot was boring and "fabricated" and the film only got a 5% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Most critics panned the film mostly because it "squandered the talents" of the star, Tom Cruise. Four years later, even Cruise admitted that Cocktail "was not a crowning jewel" in his career.
1980: Xanadu
This final film didn't technically win Worst Picture, but it did inspire John J. B. Wilson to start the Golden Raspberry Awards. During a double feature of Xanadu and Can't Stop the Music, Wilson was so perturbed by these films that he created an entire event to dishonor them.
Xanadu has a cult audience, but the film is ultimately no loved by critics. The movie stars Olivia Newton-John alongside Gene Kelly in his final film role.
2006: Basic Instinct 2
They managed to bring back Sharon Stone for this sequel but it wasn't enough to make the film successful. The original director refused to come back for the film after reading the script, so that should have been a red flag right away.
Basic Instinct 2 just didn't live up to the original film. Rotten Tomatoes said that the sequel had a plot "so ludicrous and predictable." This is a lesson why we should stop rebooting film franchises just for the sake of making money.
2017: The Emoji Movie
We all had to live through The Emoji Movie so this really isn't that unexpected. Despite the fact the movie had an all-star voice cast including James Corden, Maya Rudolph, Christina Aguilera, and Patrick Stewart, it was still absolute trash.
The film cost $50 million to make and pulled in a respectable $217.8 million. Still, the box office success wasn't enough and critics called it "unfunny and a waste of time." Say it louder for the people in the back!
1982: Inchon
Inchon was meant to be an epic war film surrounding the Korean War, but upon its theatrical release, it was swiftly withdrawn from theaters. Directed by Terence Young, the film had a $41 million budget, but made less than $2 million in 1982. The film was funded by Unification Church founder Sun Myung Moon.
Critics panned the film for its terrible script and lackluster performances by its stars, which included Laurence Olivier and Jacqueline Bisset.
2002: Swept Away
Swept Away beat out Star Wars Episode II: Attack of The Clones to have the honor of being the Worst Picture of 2002, and that's not an easy feat. The film was directed by Guy Ritchie and starred his then-wife Madonna.
It was meant to be a remake of the classic 1974 Italian film of the same name but failed in every possible way. Most of the criticism was surrounding Madonna's terrible acting skills.
1986: Under The Cherry Moon
In 1986, Howard the Duck actually tied with Under the Cherry Moon for Worst Picture at the Golden Raspberry Awards. This musical drama starred Prince in what was also his directorial debut. Suffice to say, everyone thought he should stick with music.
Under the Cherry Moon won five Razzies in 1986. In addition to Worst Picture, it also won Worst Actor, Worst Director, Worst Supporting Actor, and Worst Original Song.
2004: Catwoman
Catwoman's box office and critical failure prove that it doesn't matter how much tight-fitting leather you put on Halle Berry. If you don't have a good plot, the film will flop. The tough part about Catwoman's flop is that it largely was credited to the script and director. In fact, many critics said that Berry was the "lone bright spot."
Despite being Worst Picture of 2004, you were sure that every teenage boy had a poster of Berry as Catwoman on their bedroom wall.
1999: Wild, Wild West
Poor Will Smith. He turned down the lead role in The Matrix to make Wild, Wild West and it was probably the biggest regret of his life. The Civil War-era action film was supposed to be comedic and action-packed but couldn't seem to find a way to balance the two.
It has a score of only 17% on Rotten Tomatoes and was said to be "all concept and no content."
2016: Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice
There was so much hype around this film. It was the second movie released in the DC Extended Universe and was supposed to follow up to the equally lackluster Man of Steel. The high expectations failed when critics said the film was fun "and it isn't thinking." Batman v Superman was just too action-packed and didn't focus on a storyline.
The one good thing that did come from it though was the world got their first glimpse of Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman.
1998: Spice World
Did anyone really have high expectations for Spice World? It was obviously one of those films made just to sell to preteens and was never meant to be particularly good. For serious movie critics, it was a disgrace to film. To kids obsessed with the Spice Girls, it was a fun, cheesy film that included all the best songs.
Plus, who could forget getting to see the claymation Spice Bus hop the London Bridge?
1993: Indecent Proposal
The film is about a young couple who has their marriage tested after a stranger offers a million dollars to spend the night with the wife. Thanks to the all-star cast of Demi Moore and Woody Harrelson, Indecent Proposal was a huge box office success but critics just couldn't get behind it.
Critics generally gave Indecent Proposal a thumbs down but most of the criticism came from feminists who said it wasn't okay for Demi's character to be bid on.
2012: The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2
This is the only film in the Twilight saga to receive a Worst Picture Razzie, so they clearly saved the worst for last. By all means, Breaking Dawn - Part 2 wasn't as bad critically as the previous films. It received a 48% rotten while Breaking Dawn - Part 1 only received 24%.
We're not sure why the Razzies decided to pick on this Twilight over any other Twilight, but maybe they just felt it had to get on the list and this was their last chance.
1990: Ghosts Can't Do It
If you're thinking "does that title mean what I think it means" then yes, it does. The 1990 Worst Picture is about an unhappy couple with a 30 year age difference that can't make love.
The man commits suicide because he's too old to have sex. He then becomes a ghost that tries to take over the body of someone younger so he can come back to life and be able to "do it" again.
1996: Striptease
Striptease could have been one of those classic films that combine racy scenes with drama, but it couldn't find the right balance. Demi Moore plays a stripper involved in a custody dispute and then somehow ends up part of a corrupt political scene.
Critics said that the nudity wasn't even appealing (ouch), there wasn't enough drama to focus on, and the plot wasn't even that entertaining. They did say it was one of Burt Reynolds' best roles in years at least.
2014: Saving Christmas
The Golden Raspberries have been known to get a little political every once in a while, but their choice to give this faith-based film the Razzie award was backed by others. Saving Christmas is about a man, Kirk Cameron, putting the "Christ" back in "Christmas."
Thanks to its low budget production and relative cheesiness, Rotten Tomatoes gave it a staggering 0% fresh rating and it became the lowest-rated film on IMDb. Cameron blamed atheists for making the film flop, but it could have been the final breakdancing sequence.
2007: I Know Who Killed Me
The most impressive part about this winner (or loser) is that it beat out other terrible films like Bratz, Daddy Day Camp, and I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry. The film revolves around a student played by Lindsay Lohan who is abducted and tortured then assumes a different identity.
Not only did I Know Who Killed Me get the Worst Picture Razzie, but Lohan ended up winning both Worst Actress and Worst Screen Couple.
1986: Howard The Duck
Howard the Duck premiered in 1986 to very little reception. It only made half of its $30 million budget at the box office and has been nominated for seven Golden Raspberry Awards, including Worst Picture.
Fans of the original Marvel comic book from which Howard comes from have given the film a cult following, despite the fact that it's considered one of the worst films ever made. But in 1986, this wasn't the only "Worst Picture" out there...
2000: Battlefield Earth
It's hard to think of a film more deserving of the Worst Picture award that John Travolta's weird Scientology-inspired flick. Battlefield Earth was based on the 1982 novel by L. Ron Hubbard a.k.a. the founder of Scientology. The movie not only won Worst PIcture in 2000, but it won the Razzie for Worst Picture of the Decade.
Battlefield Earth is actually only the first half of the book, but thanks to the terrible reviews, Travolta never got to make the sequel.
1985: Rambo: First Blood Part II
When Rambo: First Blood Part II premiered in 1985, it made over $300 million in the box office. This movie was the sequel to the second installment in the Rambo series and is one of the most popular, but it is also one of the worst.
Critics weren't too impressed by the action film, which ended up winning give Razzies that year. It's no wonder that this Rambo film is often parodied and ripped-off.
1997: The Postman
The Postman was unfortunately way ahead of its time. The movie starred Kevin Costner as a nomad trying to survive in the post-apocalyptic United States. The film was branded as a "neo-Western" in the "near-future year of 2013."
The film made an embarrassingly low figure of $17 million worldwide compared to its $80 million budget. Even critics didn't know what to do with it and called the film "goofy and pretentious."
2010: The Last Airbender
The Last Airbender was doomed from the beginning. It's difficult for any movie to please die-hard graphic novel fans. It didn't help that before the film was even released there was controversy over hiring white actors to play East Asian and Inuit-influenced characters.
Then when the film was actually released, it ended up with a 6% Rotten Tomatoes rating and was universally panned by critics. Roger Ebert even called watching it "an agonizing experience in every category I can think of."
1983: The Lonely Lady
1983's The Lonely Lady was adapted from the 1976 novel by Harold Robbins. Pia Zadora stars as Jerilee Randall, a screenwriter who deals with toxic men to make her way in Hollywood.
This film was a failure all around. Roger Ebert said, "If The Lonely Lady had even a shred of style and humor, it could qualify as the worst movie of the year. Unfortunately, it's not that good." Ouch!
2015: Fantastic Four
When will Marvel learn that there will never be a Fantastic Four movie that actually works? They tried the same thing back in 1994 and 2005 and it didn't work either time. The 2004 version was so bad that Chris Evans a.k.a. Captain America, just doesn't talk about it.
Marvel tried to go younger and fresher with the 2015 version and it was still a flop. It holds a disastrous 9% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
1995: Showgirls
Two years in a row and two stripping-based films received the Worst Picture Razzie. The film was about a "street-smart drifter" who climbs her way up to Las Vegas hierarchy to become a showgirl.
Showgirls did great when it came to home video release, mostly because it had an R-rated cut for teenage boys to watch. When it came to the box office and critical response, it was a complete flop.
1980: Can't Stop The Music
Can't Stop the Music was loosely based on the formation of the Village People, but many say that the film bears very little resemblance to their actual story. Regardless, Can't Stop the Music premiered in 1980 as a musical comedy film that ended up becoming a big joke.
The film actually starred the Village People and had an appearance by the athlete known then as Bruce Jenner. It's too bad none of those people could act, because that ultimately led to the movie's downfall.
1991: Hudson Hawk
Action comedy films rarely work, and Hudson Hawk became the perfect example of why slapstick cartoon-style comedy doesn't work with Bruce Willis. The plot features everything from theories to historic mysteries, and is all combined with cartoon-style sound effects.
The biggest problem for Hudson Hawk was that people came to theaters expecting an action movie one year after the release of Die Hard 2, but they ended up with a weird slapstick comedy.
2005: Dirty Love
This is another one of those films you don't need to know anything about to know it's bad solely by looking at the films it beat out for Worst Picture. Dirty Love was up against other terrible films like Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo, Son of the Mask, and The Dukes of Hazzard. Need we say any more?
Dirty Love ended up with only a 4% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and was called a "comedy dead zone."
1994: Color Of The Night
There's no easy way to explain the confusing plot of Color of the Night. All you need to know is that it stars Bruce Willis as a troubled psychiatrist who has to solve the murder of a friend while taking part in the strangest group therapy sessions ever seen in film.
Critics called the movie "memorably bizarre" which might be why it was still one of the top-rented films of 1994.
1987: Leonard Part 6
Parody films have to be executed just right to be successful, but director Paul Weiland and Bill Cosby apparently didn't figure out the formula in 1987. Leonard Part 6 was a spy parody in which Cosby played former CIA spy Leonard Parker.
To his credit, Cosby also wrote and produced the film, but it didn't fare well with critics. This movie won three Razzies, one for Worst Picture, Worst Screenplay, and one awarded to Cosby for Worst Actor.
2001: Freddy Got Fingered
Freddy Got Fingered was Tom Green's writing and directing debut and what a disaster it was. The plot was supposed to be a surrealist black comedy that mirrored Green's own personal struggles to become famous.
Freddy Got Fingered is one of the few films on here that was a critical failure but still raked in tons of cash. It went on to become a cult film and sold millions of DVD copies.
2013: Movie 43
Movie 43 included fourteen different storylines focusing on fourteen different characters, so it wasn't exactly an easy film to pull off. It took over a decade to get the film into production because so many studios passed on it. If that isn't a sign it's a rough movie, I don't know what is.
When it was finally released in 2013, it was panned by nearly every critic. One even went so far as to call it "the Citizen Kane of awful." Ouch.
