Sign in to your Collider account
Image by Federico Napoli
Terrible movies are one thing that is inevitable for film fans, and while some decades have more flops than others, there are some from the 2000s, such as Disaster Movie, Catwoman, and Gigli, that audiences wish was just a bad dream. One of the worst parts of these terrible films is that most of them have an excellent cast or a solid story, but there seems to be one or two major issues that cause it all to unravel into an absolute mess.
Even major stars like John Travolta, Sharon Stone, and Halle Berry have their fair share of horrible movies, but they unfortunately can only work with what they are given, proving that it takes more than starpower and special effects to pull off a great film. Out of the terrible movies, including Norbit, The Cat in the Hat, and One Missed Call, these are by far ten of the worst movies of the 2000s (and possibly of all time.)
10 'Battlefield Earth' (2000)
Directed by Roger Christian
Image via Warner Bros. Set in a dystopian future, Earth is nothing but a wasteland ruled by an evil alien race, the Psychlos, who have taken over the planet's natural resources, forcing humans to become close to extinct. When a brave human, Jonnie "Goodboy" Tyler (Barry Pepper), decides enough is enough, he and the surviving humans go to battle against the Psychlos in an effort to restore their former world.
Battlefield Earth is based on the 1982 novel by the same name written by Scientology founder, L. Ron Hubbard, which should have been the first red flag of this production. Even with big stars like John Travolta and Forest Whittaker, Battlefield Earth is a scattered si-fi story that feels forced and fails to adapt to its full potential on the silver screen, making this not only one of the worst movies of the decade but also one of the worst science-fiction flicks of all time.
Battlefield Earth
Release Date May 12, 2000
Director Roger Christian
Runtime
Main Genre Sci-Fi
9 'Basic Instinct 2' (2006)
Directed by Michael Caton-Jones
Image via Sony Pictures Entertainment Sharon Stone returns in her signature role in Basic Instinct 2 as Catherine Tramell who, after causing a car crash that kills her boyfriend, is court ordered to see a psychiatrist after the police find drugs in her car. The novelist begins to see Michael Glass (David Morrissey), who starts to believe that Tramell is a dangerous person, but despite his analysis, he still finds himself in the middle of a sexually enthralling relationship with his patient.
There are some movies that should never be remade or continued with a sequel and Basic Instinct is one of those classics that should have been left alone. Basic Instinct 2 was clearly an attempt at a money grab and basically recycled the original plot with a few altercations, leaving audiences with just a modernized version of the first film. While Stone gives a more than decent performance, the film falls flat and ranks as one of those movies that failed to even come to the success of the first Basic Instinct.
Basic Instinct 2
Release Date March 29, 2006
Director Michael Caton-Jones
Runtime 113
Main Genre Crime
Writers Leora Barish , Henry Bean , Joe Eszterhas
8 'One Missed Call' (2008)
Directed by Éric Valette
When Beth (Shannyn Sossamon) witnesses the death of two of her friends, she is sure that there is something more to their untimely demise than just a tragic coincidence. Shortly before the day they died, both girls received calls on their cell phones from an unknown caller and heard their final moments. While the police think Beth is just trying to cope with the loss of her friends, one detective (Edward Burns) starts to believe her and, together, they try to find out what exactly happened before it happens to someone else.
One Missed Call is an American adaption of the 2003 Japanese film by the same name. While most horror movies have a supernatural aspect, this is one horror film that takes things to an absurd level that is almost comical. The plot is similar to other J-horror films such as The Ring and The Grudge, but One Missed Call features some of the worst performances and a lack of a backstory, which cheapens the overall film to a resemble a low-budget dark comedy.
7 'The Wicker Man' (2006)
Directed by Neil LaBute
Image via Warner Bros. Nicolas Cage stars in The Wicker Man as a reclusive attorney, Edward Malus, who decides to travel to a remote island where he believes a missing girl may be found. Once he arrives, he starts to realize there are sinister and sadistic forces at play, leading to a series of human sacrifices and horrors beyond the attorney's imagination.
The Wicker Man is a terrible remake of the 1973 movie by the same name, which is based on the 1967 novel Ritual by David Pinner. Unlike the original film, the 2006 version is considered to be a "reimagining" of the cult classic and while it does borrow material from Pinner's novel, it forges its own horrible plot that's even ridiculous for the horror genre. The Wicker Man feels half-empty with failed comedic relief and a puzzling plot that leaves audiences with more questions than answers by the end credits.
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
6 'Catwoman' (2004)
Directed by Pitof
Image via Warner Bros. Halle Berry takes on the role of a sensitive, shy artist, Patience Phillips, who works for a major cosmetic company, but when she accidentally discovers a dark secret involving her boss and dangerous product, Laurel Hedare (Sharon Stone), Hedare has her killed. Philips is revived by an Egyptian mau cat, giving her cat-like super abilities, and soon becomes the crime-fighting heroine known as Catwoman.
The issue with Catwoman isn't Berry, who does her best as the iconic DC Comic character, but the film lands as one of the worst superhero movies of the 2000s mainly due to its lack of excitement and momentum, causing it to feel quite dreary. The film's tinkered plot and Berry's character had immense potential, but when the film's director fails to capture the action and intensity needed for a solid superhero film and instead focuses on the lead actress' sex appeal and physical appearance, it's a guaranteed bust.
Catwoman follows Patience Phillips, a graphic artist who uncovers a corporate conspiracy and gains cat-like abilities after a mysterious resurrection. Using her newfound powers, she becomes a vigilante, while a determined detective, Tom Lone, investigates her dual identity, leading to a complex pursuit.
Release Date July 22, 2004
Director Pitof
Runtime 104 minutes
5 'The Cat in the Hat' (2003)
Directed by Bo Welch
Image via Universal Pictures Mike Myers stars in the live-action version of Dr. Seuss's The Cat in the Hat as the titular trouble-making character who visits two kids, Sally (Dakota Fanning) and Conrad (Spenser Breslin) while their mother is out. Initially, the siblings enjoy having the cat around, but when his idea of fun becomes destructive, they try to clean everything up before their mom gets back.
The Cat in the Hat is another movie that isn't terrible because of the performances or story, but because the overall appearance of Myer's character is simply daunting and, well, terrifying. Even though the atmosphere of the film captures Seuss's iconic style and its full of family fun and humor, The Cat in the Hat still serves as an example of how some movies shouldn't be adapted into live-action, no matter how funny the lead can be.
The Cat in the Hat
Looking for fun, a mischievous feline invades the home of two children while their mother is away.
Release Date November 21, 2003
Director Bo Welch
Runtime 82 Minutes
Main Genre Comedy
Writers Alec Berg , David Mandel , Jeff Schaffer
4 'Norbit' (2007)
Directed by Brian Robbins
Eddie Murphy is known to play multiple characters in his movies and while it's usually a success, he fails miserably in the 2007 film Norbit. The film tells the story of a spine-less man, Norbit (Murphy), who has always had it rough in life ever since he was a kid and is now married to an entitled and rude woman named Rasputia. When Norbit's first love, Kate Thomas (Thandie Newton), moves back into town, Norbit tries to find a way to get rid of his wife and find his way back into the arms of his childhood sweetheart.
Norbit is full of tasteless stereotypes and comes off as more of a depressing melodrama than a laugh-out-loud comedy. Since Murphy had just come off his Oscar-nominated performance in Dreamgirls, Norbit was a surprise to audiences and critics, who panned the film, notably The Hollywood Reporter, calling it racially insensitive and unbelievably crude. No star can have a perfect track record, but Norbit is one film that audiences today still wonder what Murphy and everyone else involved were thinking when making this abomination of a movie.
Norbit
Release Date February 8, 2007
Director Brian Robbins
Runtime 110
Main Genre Comedy
Writers Eddie Murphy , Charlie Murphy , Jay Scherick , David Ronn
3 'Gigli' (2003)
Directed by Martin Brest
When Larry Gigli (Ben Affleck) is tasked with kidnapping the younger brother of a federal prosecutor, plans take an unexpected turn, leading to Gigli's boss sending in a female gangster, Ricki (Jennifer Lopez), to assist with the kidnapping. Initially, the two are at odds but soon Gigli finds himself falling for the free-spirited Ricki, making his job even more complicated.
Despite the all-star cast, which also includes Christopher Walken and Al Pacino, Gigli is easily one of the worst movies of the 2000s. The film is completely disjointed and while Lopez and Affleck do have chemistry, the dynamic between their characters is unrealistic and extremely far-fetched. If Gigli wasn't meant to be a romantic comedy, it may have hit differently, but despite the film's admirable intention of trying something new with the genre, Gigli still bombed at the box office as well as with audiences and critics.
2 'Son of the Mask' (2005)
Directed by Lawrence Guterman
Image via New Line Cinema Tim Avery (Jamie Kennedy) is a cartoonist who is happily married but nervous about him and his wife taking the next step of trying to have a baby. When his dog finds an unusual mask, Avery decides to wear it to his studio's Halloween party, but once he puts it on, he turns into a green-faced party animal. Shortly after, Avery's wife reveals she is pregnant, but when the baby is born, Avery discovers that it has the powers of the mask, resulting in pure chaos.
If there was any sequel to an epic movie that could be erased from history, it would be the 2005 film Son of the Mask. The original film had two things going for it that the sequel failed to capture. First, Jim Carrey made The Mask the massive success it was and second, the story had the perfect balance of fantasy and realism that made the whole film work. Son of the Mask goes a step too far with the fantasy element, which also leads to the film's plot becoming way too complicated and over-the-top lame.
Release Date February 18, 2005
Director Lawrence Guterman
Runtime 94 minutes
Writers Lance Khazei
1 'Disaster Movie' (2008)
Directed by Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer
Image via Lionsgate Over the course of one dreadful night, a group of extremely attractive people in their 20s are caught in the middle of a series of disastrous events. As they endure catastrophic occurrences such as tornadoes, earthquakes, and falling asteroids, they meet others along the way, resulting in them all desperately trying to find safety.
While the title of the movie is a reference to the events in the film, Diaster Movie is, well, a complete disaster. The parody movie is a half-assed attempt at following the same success as the Scary Movie franchise, but instead, failed miserably. Aside from the cringy performances and lack of any form of structure or linear storyline, Disaster Movie is crammed with way too many film references and characters that aren't even funny. With an IMDb score of 1.9 out of 10, Disaster Movie is without question one of the worst movies of the 2000s.
A chaotic evening unfolds when unexpected catastrophes strike, compelling a band of friends to confront a whirlwind of surreal and over-the-top disasters. Mimicking various blockbuster hits, they encounter everything from invasions to superstorms, poking fun at cinematic tropes with each misadventure.
Release Date August 29, 2008
Director Jason Friedberg , Aaron Seltzer
Runtime 87 Minutes
Main Genre Comedy
Writers Jason Friedberg , Aaron Seltzer
:quality(85):upscale()/2024/11/05/936/n/1922153/cc2bbd68672a8e1588a964.53876938_.webp)
English (US) ·