18 Movies So Bad That We Demanded a Refund
Stepping into the world of movies is like embarking on a journey into a different world. We invest our precious time to immerse ourselves in the magic of cinema. We hope for a decent experience as we part with our hard-earned cash. With a bag of popcorn and a refreshing drink in hand, we’re set for a thrilling time.
However, while there’s good, there is also bad. The same applies to the movie industry, which simultaneously produces box-office hits and stinkers. Though we’re expected to occasionally encounter a crummy film or two, some experiences are impossible to forgive and forget.
While it’s best to focus on the positive, we’ve seen many horrendous movies in which we have demanded refunds. Some films warrant immediate reimbursement for wasted time.
Cats (2019)
The anticipation was high for Tom Hooper’s adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cats musical. At long last, Webber’s classic headed for the silver screen. However, despite its ensemble cast of actors, the live-action iteration fell short of expectations, as both critics and moviegoers had predicted after watching the initial trailers.
When the first Cats trailer premiered, it encountered waves of criticism from numerous outlets. The film was lambasted for its poor CGI, lazy direction, and lackluster editing. It’s no wonder that Cats is often cited as one of the worst films ever produced, as it’s primarily remembered for its negative aspects.
Next time, maybe head to Broadway for a proper rendition of the beloved musical.
Jack and Jill (2011)
Thanks to their lengthy resume, Adam Sandler and Dennis Dugan are a comedic team many fans adore. Their biggest hits include Grown Ups, Happy Gilmore, Big Daddy, and a few others. In truth, their success speaks for itself, yet Jack and Jill might have dampened the comedy routine.
Released in 2011, after years of culminating various comedic classics, Jack and Jill launched to inferior reviews. Though garnering a box office-winning status, Jack and Jill received immense negative attraction from fans. The film received 10 Razzie Awards, one of which went to actor Al Pacino for Worst Supporting Actor.
The Last Airbender (2010)
If director M. Night Shyamalan aimed for a universe, he could’ve struck better with The Last Airbender film. Adapted from Nickeldeon’s award-winning animated series, the film took various strides to implement risky casting decisions and special effects. While anticipation sang high to the Four Nations, audiences looked down at Shyamalan’s film.
Sure, The Last Airbender was a box-office success, but it also generated a hailstorm of hatred from just about everyone. Fans were incredibly disappointed, critics voiced their concerns with the film’s whitewashing, and audiences asked for refunds.
Luckily, Netflix gives viewers an improved take on Aang and his journey of embracing his status as the Avatar.
Postal (2007)
Video game adaptations are starting to appeal to more audiences today. Adaptations like The Last of Us and Gran Turismo enticed viewers, giving hope to the entertainment industry that gaming adaptations can shine. They were sometimes flawed, though, with director Uwe Boll giving the medium a bad name.
Uwe Boll spewed out projects that fell flat, including House of the Dead and Alone in the Dark. However, his Postal adaptation is the rotten icing on the cake. It’s one of his last gaming adaptations, but he’s still going strong with other projects.
Didn’t we sign a petition to force Boll’s retirement, or was that just another Uwe-fever dream?
BloodRayne (2005)
After Alone in the Dark, Uwe Boll released his take on the BloodRayne franchise. What followed was another expected disappointment from a director who needs to take the source material seriously. With a budget of $25 million, only $3.7 was returned, stamping BloodRayne as a box office bomb.
Of course, BloodRayne‘s downfall didn’t hinder Uwe Boll’s rise as a director. A straight-to-DVD sequel was later released, and the director worked on other projects. Many, if not all, of Uwe Boll’s films were critically panned to some degree.
His next film, First Shift, will surely be a smash hit, as long as Boll avoids fighting with other film producers.
Disaster Movie (2008)
There’s a reason we don’t see parody movies in theaters anymore, and Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer are to thank for that. The filmmaking duo “specializes” in parody work, with projects like Date Movie and Epic Movie bringing in audiences. If you’re guessing a pattern, you can rightfully assume they made a Disaster Movie.
The title speaks for itself: Disaster Movie was a complete disaster. Not only was it one of their last films to premiere in theaters, but audiences despised it to the core. Years after foolishly watching it for cheap laughs, we still want our money back. If the “1%” rating on Rotten Tomatoes doesn’t tell you how bad it was, we don’t know what else will.
It’s Pat (1994)
Director Adam Bernstein’s work in television spans multiple award-winning programs. From Breaking Bad and Fargo to the comedy hit 30 Rock, Bernstein offered cinematic charm for viewers. Before his television success, he found failure with It’s Pat, one of the most regrettable movies of the 1990s.
It’s Pat, starring Julia Sweeney as the titular goof, sparked little interest in audiences. While the Pat character’s home belongs in Saturday Night Live, it only achieved negative reviews. If we’re checking out an SNL-produced film, there’s a high chance we’re already grabbing our purses and wallets for repayment.
Holmes & Watson (2018)
Pairing actors Will Ferrel and John C. Riley is a guaranteed win for box office results. The two comedic actors provided countless waves of laughter with films like Step Brothers and Talladega Nights. So, when Holmes & Watson was announced, some anticipation expectedly grew.
What transpired was an utter disappointment. Noted as one of 2018’s worst films, many of us couldn’t believe how unfunny Holmes & Watson turned out. It gutted high expectations with a version of Sherlock Holmes that we wish stays in forensics for no others to witness.
The Love Guru (2008)
Mike Myers gifted everyone with his unique characters from television and film. Wayne Campbell, Austin Powers, Shrek, and others fall into the line of memorable fictional characters. That’s why it’s tough to think about The Love Guru and its collapse.
Released after the third Shrek film, The Love Guru premiered to negative reviews. Both critics and fans found the movie embarrassing, troubling, and offensive. Several sources claim the film derailed Mike Myers’ career, and the actor has yet to achieve similar success.
Dark Phoenix (2019)
The X-Men film adaptations either succeed or fail tremendously, and this is a painful sentiment given the franchise’s promising source material. As audiences witnessed the franchise’s downfall, many ignored 20th Century Fox’s final adaptations. These include X-Men: Apocalypse and The New Mutants, which omitted the “X-Men” in the title. Producers drove for a more dramatic approach with shortened titles, as exemplified by Dark Phoenix.
Serving as the final installment in the X-Men prequels, Dark Phoenix attempted to rise from the ashes, and it subsequently bombed. Deemed as an average superhero outing, Dark Phoenix failed to win fans back. Luckily, the X-Men possess another chance at success, with Disney taking over the property.
Daddy Day Camp (2007)
Also known as Daddy Day Care 2, Daddy Day Camp opened for business in 2007. With distribution from Sony Pictures Releasing, many audience members couldn’t ignore Cuba Gooding Jr. in a comedy. As such, Daddy Day Camp is, technically, a box office success, though its critical reception favors negativity.
Another film stuck with the dreaded “1%” from Rotten Tomatoes’ Tomatometer, Daddy Day Camp should’ve remained closed. Not only did we demand refunds, but we didn’t request a third film starring Danny Trejo and Reno Wilson. We’re confident no audience member asked for Daddy Day Care to expand.
The Dark Tower (2017)
Stephen King enthusiasts carried high expectations to the cinema for the long-awaited Dark Tower adaptation. For years, producers fumbled various efforts to bring Roland Deschain and his companions to life. Though Sony Pictures Releasing succeeded in premiering an adaptation of The Dark Tower, it only crumbled to ludicrous results.
When even actors like Idris Elba and Matthew McConaughey can’t convince audiences of a believable journey into Stephen King’s epic fantasy, you know something is wrong. On top of a poor box office performance, The Dark Tower sundered, leaving its legacy merely in graphic literature from Stephen King.
Dragonball Evolution (2009)
Finally, the Dragon Ball franchise got a chance to display its flair for the fantastic with a film adaptation. Though live-action adaptations often fail to stick the landing, Dragonball Evolution was doomed from its inception.
Dragonball Evolution, a perpetrator of whitewashing characters, stumbled into controversial territory many found distasteful. The fact that Goku isn’t Japanese is just the tip of the iceberg, for the film barely feels like an authentic Dragon Ball adventure. Instead, it’s an atrocious take on the manga by Akira Toriyama, who also was not fond of the film.
Battlefield Earth (2000)
It’s fair to say that Battlefield Earth became the turning point in John Travolta’s career, and it’s not for good reason. Adapted from L. Ron Hubbard’s 1982 novel, Battlefield Earth is about funky-looking aliens and their control of Earth in the future. It also has Forest Whitaker, yet that’s where the eagerness ends.
In truth, audiences can’t remember the rest of what transpires in Battlefield Earth. Last we checked, John Travolta’s character ranted about spelling someone’s name while we laughed our way back to customer service. In some way, the film feels like a bad dream that stuck with us for an eternity.
Norbit (2007)
Actor Eddie Murphy is equipped with many characters audiences have enjoyed for decades. In addition to his tenure on SNL, Murphy gave moviegoers notable performances as Axel Foley and Prince Akeem Joffer. However, Murphy shocked everyone when he starred, wrote, and produced a little notorious gem called Norbit.
The name Norbit is enough to send any Eddie Murphy fan into a rage. Accused of racially insensitive writing, Norbit offended many groups, including Black people and women. It nearly omitted Murphy from Hollywood and a few bucks from our pockets. At the very least, it was a close call, and we’re content with its burial in free streaming services.
The Happening (2008)
Can anyone explain what happened in The Happening? Mark Wahlberg’s character in the film might wonder the same as we mindlessly ponder on the film’s themes and writing. Nothing is inspiring in M. Night Shyamalan’s thriller, and that’s the whole twist.
Despite M. Night Shyamalan’s other films with poor receptions, there’s at least some excitement brewing on the screen. When referring to The Happening, the thrills fail to kill, even when creative deaths occur in the film. We’re also walking away from the cataclysm, just like the affected victims did in the movie.
Superbabies: Baby Geniuses 2 (2004)
Director Bob Clark’s Baby Geniuses might fly over many radars today, though it remains firmly in our heads when it premiered in 1999. It’s not because it features adorable babies but due to its obnoxious humor and cheesy special effects. For some reason, it warranted a sequel with Superbabies: Baby Geniuses 2.
Released in the following century, Superbabies: Baby Geniuses 2 spoiled the fun for critics and families. On top of awful writing, Superbabies offered very little as a sequel.
The popular review aggregators (Metacritic, Rotten Tomatoes, etc.) all display extremely negative rankings. You can’t blame the infants for this horrific mess.
Serenity (2019)
Matthew McConaughey’s presence can help boost a film’s marketing efforts with his face alone. However, supporting him in Serenity is difficult, as movie audiences find the experience cartoonish and insane. It’s essential to consider the film’s sincere approach to fatherhood, though it didn’t win anyone’s hearts.
Drowned by a questionable ending, Serenity shines only for moments when McConaughey sails the sea. Aside from this, the film sinks, as exhibited by its disappointing box office results. Now that it’s available on streaming platforms, we’ll gladly tell our relatives to steer clear of this not-so-alright boat ride.
