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Few things are more entertaining than watching a bad movie, as film fans may enjoy making fun of something that simply does not work. Although there are certainly a great number of films out there that simply have nothing redeeming about them and cannot be viewed in an ironic manner, there are a select number of cult classics that fall into the category of being “so bad that they’re good.”
Unintentionally hilarious films require the utmost sincerity on the part of the filmmaker, as they cannot be manufactured in an attempt to make unintentional camp. Although it is rare to find a film that matches genuine creativity with complete filmmaking incompetence, the few that emerge are entertaining to view among an audience of cinephiles who can laugh and jeer in equal measure. Here are the ten essential so-bad-it’s-good movies, ranked.
10 ‘Batman & Robin’ (1997)
Directed by Joel Schumacher
Image via Warner Bros.
Batman & Robin essentially killed the superhero genre for a few years, as the disastrous fourth installment in the Batman franchise made a strange attempt to capture the cheeky tone of the original series from the 1960s that starred Adam West and Burt Ward. Unfortunately, director Joel Schumacher overshot the tone, as Batman & Robin was a visually ugly, obnoxious spectacle that served as a major embarrassment for everyone that had to appear in it.
The costumes, effects, and action in Batman & Robin are all laughable, and the attempts at being tongue-in-cheek completely fall flat. Arnold Schwarzeneggar is so entertainingly silly as Mr. Freeze that he basically saves the film, as puns like “ice to see you” or “everybody chill” indicate that he wasn’t interested in giving a serious performance at all. George Clooney is a great actor, but he was not equipped to play Batman.
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Batman & Robin
Runtime 125minutes
Writers Peter Tomasi
Budget $125 million
Studio(s) Warner Bros. Pictures
Distributor(s) Warner Bros. Pictures
Franchise(s) Batman
9 ‘Troll 2’ (1990)
Directed by Claudio Fragasso
Image via Epic Productions
Troll 2 is one of the most drastic drops in quality within any movie sequel, even though the original Troll film wasn’t exactly a classic within the first place. If everything else fails, a great science fiction monster movie should at least have convincing makeup effects in order to pull off the tone; Troll 2 is so hilariously incompetent within every aspect of its visual design that it becomes impossible to stop laughing.
Troll 2 was clearly an amateurish production, as the performances are one note throughout. That being said, the dialogue is so generic and bland that the stars can’t really be blamed for their involvement; it’s hard to imagine that even Meryl Streep and Robert De Niro would have been able to save a screenplay that is so hilariously underwritten, and gives it characters so little room to actually evolve.
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During their stay in a seemingly quaint and quiet town, a young boy tries to warn his family about the goblin-like creatures intent on turning them into plants to be eaten. As bizarre events unfold, they must unravel the mystery and find a way to avoid their grim fate.
Release Date October 12, 1990
Director Claudio Fragasso
Cast Michael Stephenson , George Hardy , Margo Prey , Connie Young , Robert Ormsby , Deborah Reed
Runtime 95 minutes
Main Genre Comedy
Writers Rossella Drudi , Claudio Fragasso
8 ‘Battlefield Earth’ (2000)
Directed by Roger Christian
Image via Warner Bros. Pictures
Battlefield Earth was one of the most disastrous science fiction films of all-time, as the adaptation of the novel by Scientology founder Ron L. Hubbard ended up becoming a massive joke. Although the film was originally intended to be a blockbuster spectacle in the vein of Jurassic Park or Independence Day, it went so hilariously awry that it basically felt like a spoof of the genre.
Battlefield Earth severely hurt the careers of everyone involved, but no one suffered more than John Travolta. Although Travolta had been having a major comeback in the 1990s after his performance in Pulp Fiction earned him his first Academy Award nomination for Best Actor since his breakout performance in Saturday Night Fever, Battlefield Earth indicated that he did not exactly have the best eye for selecting promising scripts that would fit within his unique talents as a star.
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Battlefield Earth
Release Date May 12, 2000
Director Roger Christian
Runtime
Main Genre Sci-Fi
7 ‘The Wicker Man’ (2006)
Directed by Neil LaBute
Image via Warner Bros. Pictures
The Wicker Man is one of the worst horror remakes ever made, as Neil LaBute’s reinterpretation of the 1973 classic managed to completely miss the point of why the original had been so scary in the first place. While the original film had been a compelling commentary on the social differences between followers of Paganism and Catholicism, the remake was a ridiculous conspiracy thriller that examined gender roles in a manner that just felt blatantly sexist.
The Wicker Man reached a new level of camp thanks to the ridiculous performance by Nicolas Cage, who legitimately deserves some credit for committing so deeply to the silly nature of the story. The now infamous ending, in which Cage’s character is subjected to a hoard of killer bees, has been circulated on the Internet in clips highlighting the film’s most unintentionally hilarious moments.
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A police officer embarks on a journey to a secluded island to solve the case of a missing girl, only to find himself in the midst of an eerie and secretive community. The island's inhabitants, with their peculiar traditions and rituals, hinder his investigation, leading to a series of bizarre and unsettling encounters. As he gets closer to the truth, he uncovers a chilling conspiracy that puts him in grave danger. The film blends suspense and horror, presenting a gripping narrative that explores themes of isolation, belief, and the harrowing depths of human nature.
Release Date August 31, 2006
Runtime 102 Minutes
Character(s) Sister Summersisle , Edward Malus , Sister Willow , Dr. Moss , Sister Rose / Sister Thorn , Sister Honey , Sister Beech , Officer Pete , Rowan Woodward , Truck Stop Waitress , Station Wagon Mom , Station Wagon Girl , Sea Plane Pilot , Sister Oak , Sister Violet , Daisy , Ivy , Village Sister #1 , Attendant #1 , Attendant #2 , School Girl #1 , School Girl #2 , School Girl #3 , Female Cop , Village Male #1
Budget 40000000.0
Studio(s) Millennium Media , Saturn Films , EFO Films , Equity Pictures Medienfonds GmbH & Co. KG III , Nu Image , Alcon Entertainment , Emmett/Furla Films
IMDb ID tt0450345
TMDB User Rating 4 .291
6 ‘The Happening’ (2008)
Directed by M. Night Shyamalan
Image via 20th Century Fox
The Happening indicated that M. Night Shyamalan was in the midst of a creative crisis, as he clearly did not have the same eye for interesting genre storytelling that had made modern classics like The Sixth Sense, Unbreakable, and Signs so impactful. Although The Happening was ostensibly intended to be a tribute to the classic science fiction B-movies that had been widely popular within the 1950s, it was never clear how much of the film was intended to be taken seriously.
The Happening is simply not scary, as the most graphic moments come off as more comical than frightening because of how jarring the tonal shifts turned out to be. There’s also a hilarious performance by Mark Wahlberg, a great actor who is entirely unconvincing pretending to be a professor that delivers all sorts of ridiculous dialogue about the environment seeking revenge on mankind.
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A science teacher, his wife, and a young girl struggle to survive a plague that causes those infected to commit suicide.
Release Date June 13, 2008
Runtime 91 Minutes
Main Genre Sci-Fi
Budget $40-60 Million
Studio(s) 20th Century , Dune Entertainment , Spyglass Media Group , Blinding Edge Pictures
Distributor(s) 20th Century
5 ‘Miami Connection’ (1987)
Directed by Richard Park
Image via Drafthouse Films
Miami Connection is a film that is challenging to classify within any genre, as it is both a coming-of-age story, an action thriller that emulates kung fu epics, and a strange social commentary about the rise of violence. None of these tones work out well, as the storyline in the film is so confusing that it is hard to get a firm grasp on what type of narrative director Richard Park was aiming for.
Miami Connection suffers from action that is overstated, as the kung fu action sequences are so obviously choreographed that they simply look unbelievable within any context. The performances are also quite confusing, as every actor does not seem sure if they are intended to be playing adolescent heroes or seasoned warriors. Throw in some cheesy music, and Miami Connection is a film that is as baffling as it is incompetent.
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Release Date August 18, 1987
Director Richard Park Wu-sang , Y.K. Kim
Cast Y.K. Kim , Vincent Hirsch , Joseph Diamand , Maurice Smith , Angelo Janotti , Kathy Collier , William Ergle , Si Y Jo , William P. Young , Joy Sharpe , Richard Park Wu-sang , William Whitacre , Robert G. Goodwin , Bubba Baker
Runtime 86 Minutes
Character(s) Mark , John , Jack , Jim , Tom , Jane , Jeff , Yashito , Club Owner , Club Owner's Girlfriend , Uncle Song , Music Store Owner , Ninja , Nail Face
Writers Richard Park Wu-sang , Y.K. Kim , Joseph Diamand
4 ‘Wish Upon’ (2017)
Directed by John R. Leonetti
Wish Upon is one of the worst horror films in recent memory, as it is actually rather remarkable that a project released by a major studio was this incompetent within every level of storytelling. Beyond the fact that the entire notion of a wishing power that has devastating consequences feels lifted from a fantasy story intended for children, the story of Wish Upon makes absolutely no sense unless all the characters are intended to be psychopaths.
Wish Upon is hilariously bad at capturing what young characters look and act like, as the film’s portrayal of social media is antiquated and completely superfluous. Although talented actors like Ryan Phillippe and Zoey King were involved, their careers probably benefited from the fact that almost no one actually sat down and watched Wish Upon, as it was a box office disaster that essentially disappeared.
Release Date July 7, 2017
Runtime 90
Main Genre Horror
3 ‘Fateful Findings’ (2014)
Directed by Neil Breen
Image via Neil Breen Films
Fateful Findings is the singular vision of Neil Breen, who directed, wrote, produced, and starred in this baffling fantasy drama about a man with superpowers who decides to take down a conspiracy of secret government forces. While there are many artists who have attempted to be involved in every level of a production in the same vein as Orson Welles or Clint Eastwood, Breen seems to be completely unaware of how to tell a story.
It is hard to see Fateful Findings as anything other than an ego project for Breen, as his character is constantly referred to as the peak of human decency. The clearly low-budget nature of the production is also responsible for adding a lot of laughs, as it is clear that Breen’s ambitions for what the film could have looked like were limited by the capacity of what he could afford.
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Fateful Findings
Release Date May 23, 2013
Director Neil Breen
Cast Klara Landrat , Neil Breen , Jennifer Autry , David Silva , Gloria Hoffman , Danielle Andrade , Victoria Viveiros , John Henry Hoffman , David Scott , Steven Nelson , Richard Hunsacker , JR Thompson , Ryan Collis , Jaime Reborn , Jack Batoni , Brianna Borden , Mark Bettencort , Jesse Mendez , Monique Batoni , Steve Silverstein , Greg Hobbs , Morgan Villanueva , Tim Duclos , Dasey Cameron , David Miranda
Runtime 100 minutes
Character(s) Emily , Dylan , Leah , Jim , Dr. Andra , Ally , Amy (as Victoria Valene) , Dr. Lee , Dr. Rosen , Corporate CEO , Bank President , Congresswoman , Wall Street Broker , Insurance President (as Jamie Reborn) , Young Dylan , Young Leah , Kidnapper , Tim , Young Leah's Mother , Young Leah's Father , Crowd , Senator
2 ‘Plan 9 From Outer Space’ (1959)
Directed by Ed Wood
Image via Distributors Corporation of America
Plan 9 From Outer Space is the most famous film by Ed Wood, a notorious writer/director known for making films that are hilariously bad. Wood made many genre films that attempted to capture trends that were popular at the time, and Plan 9 From Outer Space attempted to merge science fiction disaster stories, spooky monster tales, and a commentary about the evolution of human society into one highly confusing narrative. The film also awkwardly cast horror legend Bela Lugosi, who died halfway through production.
Plan 9 From Outer Space is nothing if not sincere, as Wood’s dialogue bears no resemblance to anything that anyone has ever said. However, Wood did become an object of cult affection over time; Tim Burton even directed a 1994 film starring Johnny Depp titled Ed Wood, which has been hailed as one of the greatest biographical films of all-time.
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Release Date July 22, 1959
Director Edward D. Wood Jr.
Cast Gregory Walcott , Mona McKinnon , Duke Moore , Tom Keene , Carl Anthony , Paul Marco , Tor Johnson , Dudley Manlove , Joanna Lee , John Breckinridge , Lyle Talbot , Conrad Brooks , Maila Nurmi , Bela Lugosi , Criswell , Edward D. Wood Jr. , David De Mering , Norma McCarty , Lynn Lemon
Runtime 79 Minutes
Main Genre Sci-Fi
Character(s) Jeff Trent , Paula Trent , Lt. John Harper , Col. Tom Edwards , Patrolman Larry , Patrolman Kelton , Inspector Clay , Eros , Tanna , Ruler , General Roberts , Patrolman Jamie , Vampire Girl , Ghoul Man , self / narrator , Man Holding Newspaper , Danny , Edith , Reverend
Writers Edward D. Wood Jr.
1 ‘The Room’ (2003)
Directed by Tommy Wiseau
Image via Chloe Productions
The Room is one of the most beloved cult classics of all-time, and managed to turn its auspicious writer, director, and star, Tommy Wiseau, into a minor icon. The Room is the rare film that genuinely seems to have its heart in the right place, but is so strangely directed that its attempts at being a drama come off as completely hilarious.
The Room has many strange subplots that go nowhere, and lacks any sense of continuity, to the point that it becomes unbelievable to imagine that a script supervisor was ever involved. Wiseau’s performance is perhaps the most hilarious aspect about it, as his attempts to capture the tragic charisma of James Dean or Marlon Brando come off as the work of a complete amateur. Nonetheless, The Room is still screened around the world many times, proving that Wiseau may have actually been a secret genius.
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