Whether you’re a seasoned movie buff or casual viewer, we’ve all had the experience of starting a film with high hopes, only to groan in disappointment and turn it off. Here are 23 films that many people couldn’t bring themselves to finish despite their initial interest and high hopes.
The Last Airbender
Night Shyamalan’s The Last Airbender had fans of the original animated series beside themselves with anticipation. But sadly, poor acting, bad dialogue, and significant deviations from the beloved source material left many viewers feeling frustrated and disappointed.
Catwoman
Unfortunately, Halle Berry’s star power couldn’t save Catwoman from being branded a box office bomb. The movie’s incoherent plot, cheesy special effects, and poor script made it unbearable for many viewers.
Batman & Robin
With its campy one-liners and over-the-top performances, particularly from Arnold Schwarzenegger as Mr. Freeze, Batman & Robin, disappointed many Batman fans. It’s often remembered more for its cringe factor than for any redeeming qualities.
Gigli
Gigli, starring Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck, was a romantic comedy that failed on almost every level. The film’s awkward dialogue and lack of chemistry between the leads made it painful to watch, leading many to turn it off halfway through.
The Room
Tommy Wiseau’s The Room is often cited as one of the worst movies ever made. Some of its offensive elements include a nonsensical plot, terrible acting, and strange narrative direction. As such, it’s almost impossible to watch in one sitting, earning itself the title of “Worst film ever made.”
Movie 43
This series of interconnected short films may have a quirky narrative style, but this wasn’t enough to save Movie 43 from its cringeworthy reputation. Despite featuring a star-studded cast, the film’s gross-out humor and offensive jokes made it unbearable for many viewers.
Jack and Jill
Placing himself center stage, Adam Sandler’s Jack and Jill features the actor in dual roles as a brother and sister. The film’s juvenile humor, questionable dialogue, and lack of a coherent plot left many viewers scratching their heads before giving up.
The Love Guru
Mike Myers’ The Love Guru started life as a comedic hit in the producer’s mind. Sadly, the result was both a critical and commercial failure. The film’s offensive humor and unfunny gags made it hard for many to sit through, leaving most viewers squirming in their chairs.
Fifty Shades of Grey
Despite its popularity as a book, the famously racy Fifty Shades of Grey failed to translate well to the big screen. Its wooden acting, lackluster script, and uncomfortable intimate scenes left many viewers feeling awkward and unable to finish watching.
Norbit
Eddie Murphy’s Norbit was panned for its offensive stereotypes and crude humor. The film’s tasteless jokes and over-the-top performances made it a difficult watch for many.
Superman IV: The Quest for Peace
Often considered the low point in the original Superman series, The Quest for Peace rarely makes it onto someone’s “to be watched” list. The shoddy special effects and uninspired plot about nuclear disarmament left many fans wishing they could forget this chapter in the Man of Steel’s story.
Howard the Duck
While some people find its cheese factor endearing, Howard the Duck is still a bizarre film that fails to capture the charm of its source material. With awkward humor and a confusing plot, it’s no wonder many viewers didn’t make it to the end.
Troll 2
Notorious for being one of the best, worst movies ever, Troll 2 is destined to fade into cinematic history. Its terrible acting, nonsensical plot, and laughable special effects make it difficult to watch despite garnering a cult following for its sheer awfulness.
The Emoji Movie
Though intended to be a fun, family-friendly film, The Emoji Movie ended its journey as a critical disaster. Its lack of a coherent plot and blatant product placement made it hard for viewers to sit through.
Holmes & Watson
Despite the comedic potential of Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly, Holmes & Watson failed to deliver. A poor script and unfunny jokes left many viewers bored, disappointed, and wishing the film’s producers hadn’t bothered.
The Happening
Night Shyamalan’s The Happening was meant to be a thrilling horror film but was unintentionally funny. Its ridiculous premise and bad acting made it hard for many to take seriously, leading to early exits from the theater.
Cats
It might have eccentricity going for it, but the 2019 adaptation of Cats is widely criticized for its creepy CGI and lack of a coherent plot. The film’s bizarre visuals and strange performances made it difficult for many viewers to watch until the end.
The Human Centipede
The Human Centipede is infamous for its creepy premise and graphic content, which takes already disturbing subject matters to new, awful levels. Despite its notoriety, many viewers found the film too disgusting to finish.
Birdemic: Shock and Terror
Birdemic: Shock and Terror is a low-budget horror film with laughably bad special effects and wooden acting. Its attempt to deliver a message about environmentalism is lost amidst the unintentional comedy, making it hard to watch to the end.
Highlander II: The Quickening
Highlander II: The Quickening is a sequel that strays far from the original plot, introducing a convoluted story about immortals and an alien planet. Fans of the original found the sequel’s changes hard to accept, leading many to abandon it.
House of the Dead
House of the Dead isn’t the first zombie horror film based on video game source material. But where The Last of Us delivered, this underwhelming film failed. Its poor special effects, wooden acting, and nonsensical plot made it a film that even horror enthusiasts struggled to finish.
The Wicker Man
The 2006 remake of The Wicker Man, starring Nicolas Cage, is infamous for its unintentionally hilarious moments. From Cage’s over-the-top performance to the nonsensical plot twists, it’s a film that’s hard to take seriously and even harder to finish.
Battlefield Earth
Battlefield Earth, starring John Travolta, is based on a novel by L. Ron Hubbard. The film’s convoluted plot, poor special effects, and over-the-top performances made it a movie that many viewers couldn’t finish.
