Boredom is subjective, but some movies know how to send almost everybody off to sleep. Whether they’re ridiculously long or just never became interesting, these releases failed to keep the audience’s attention. Here’s a roundup of movies that we just couldn’t make it all the way through.
The Blair Witch Project
What may have been a revolutionary horror movie when it was released has become dated for some. The shaky camera rapidly loses its novelty, and the plot development is barely there, making this movie more of an annoyance than a scare.
50 Shades of Grey
Although based on a raunchy novel, 50 Shades of Grey never really heats up. It has been criticized for its thin plot and wooden acting, with it failing to pitch a balance between being a romance and drama movie. It ends up being a snooze fest instead of a slick romance.
Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
Though full of amazing shots and epic battles, The Phantom Menace drags on with endless political discussions, with Jar Jar Binks making a few too many appearances. The pacing issues mean this movie falls among the most sleep-inducing entries in the Star Wars Saga.
Brokeback Mountain
Starring Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal, Brokeback Mountain was critically acclaimed upon its release for its performances, storytelling, and controversial subject matter. Unfortunately, this romantic Western’s slow pace and introspective nature can sometimes be a chore if the viewer is not invested in the central romance.
Transformers
Despite being an explosive action movie that kicked off the famous Transformers series directed by Michael Bay, the very first movie can be dull unless you’re happy to watch explosions the entire time. Despite the excellent CGI, the thin storyline does nothing to support the movie, which comes across as overdone and monotonous after a while.
The Postman
Kevin Costner’s sprawling post-apocalyptic drama, The Postman, lacks anything meaningful to keep viewers interested. The three-hour runtime feels much longer due to its self-absorbed plot and heavy-handed themes, with critics and audiences alike judging it as boring and forgettable.
The Artist
In contrast, The Artist was both a critical success and a winner at the Academy Awards but still fails by modern standards. Although this silent black-and-white film has a nostalgic charm, it isn’t strong enough to keep people awake. The slow pace and lack of dialogue make a painful barrier for new viewers.
Australia
Baz Luhrmann’s epic adventure love story Australia is set against the backdrop of World War II. Unfortunately, the potentially interesting premise and fantastic visuals can’t compensate for its incoherence. It’s padded with a host of unwelcome subplots, turning what could have been an exciting drama into a cinematic marathon.
Vanilla Sky
With a unique idea and a star-studded cast led by Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz, Vanilla Sky had nearly all the ingredients to make a great movie. It lacked tight plotting that would make sense of the movie’s events instead of confusing us more than entertaining us. The convoluted plot and philosophical ramblings are a drag, making it a chore to follow.
Seven Years in Tibet
Despite being a beautiful historical drama starring Brad Pitt and David Thewlis, Seven Years in Tibet is excruciatingly slow. While many love the focus on spiritual and personal growth, others will find it a struggle to remain engaged. Critical reviews were mixed upon release, with many also feeling that the plot needed work.
Batman and Robin
Chiefly known for its campiness and over-the-top acting, the 1997 movie Batman and Robin is usually cited among the worst superhero genres. Fortunately, this one offers up some incredibly cheesy dialogue to keep audiences laughing but is brought down by an overall poor plot that makes the runtime seem much longer.
2001: A Space Odyssey
2001: A Space Odyssey is widely regarded as a masterpiece in the sci-fi genre, with a thought-provoking plot and visually stunning scenes, courtesy of Stanley Kubrick. But it still starts to drag a bit, with lengthy scenes and a slow pace boring viewers looking for a more traditional sci-fi adventure.
The Matrix Revolutions
Revolutions, the final leg of the Matrix trilogy, was critically and commercially panned for its confusing plot and overreliance on CGI to create repetitive battles. What could have been an exciting finish that tied together all the loose ends was instead plagued by a tedious storyline that disappointed the fans.
Showgirls
Paul Verhoeven’s Showgirls is notorious for its explicit content, but without this, there’s not much to say about it. The movie’s attempts at drama and satire fall flat, with the poor storytelling making it more cringe-worthy than captivating.
Far and Away
Starring Tom Cruise opposite Nicole Kidman, this epic romance Western promises the audience adventure but snatches it away at the last second, replacing it with a plodding narrative. Even worse, the chemistry between the two leads was lacking despite them being married at the time.
The Tree of Life
Terrence Malick’s experimental coming-of-age drama The Tree of Life is visually stunning but painfully slow. Its philosophical nature requires a certain mindset to watch, making it challenging for viewers who aren’t interested in the complex imagery used.
Noah
Darren Aronofsky’s take on the biblical story of Noah is a visually ambitious blockbuster that fails to get a plot to match. It feels more like a long-winded sermon rather than an engaging drama, with the main problems being the heavy themes and a lack of pacing.
Meet Joe Black
This romantic fantasy, featuring Brad Pitt and Anthony Hopkins in leading roles, is beautiful but painfully slow. It clocks in at three hours due to the stilted storyline, which critics and viewers have criticized as a major fault of the movie.
Lincoln
Steven Spielberg’s biopic about Abraham Lincoln was critically acclaimed but is still extremely slow. Too much political maneuvering and long-winded scenes give the viewer the impression they are stuck in a history lesson rather than watching an entertaining drama.
Cleopatra
The historical epic Cleopatra was the highest-grossing movie of 1963, starring Elizabeth Taylor in the titular role. Unfortunately, the runtime of over four hours is enough to test the endurance of even the most diehard fans, with the slow pacing failing to keep modern audiences engaged.
