One of the most popular subgenres of science fiction, dystopian films examine many possible futures in which humanity has been enslaved by an extremely powerful force. These anti-utopias are usually plagued by poverty, chaos, war, and disease. They often contain some sort of supernatural element.
Dystopian films may be full of fatalist sentiment, but their heroes and their ideals for a better future are compelling. However, there are some movies that delivered compelling stories that didn’t even make their mark in sci-fi history.
10/10 Babylon AD had a talented cast but a terrible script
In 2008, Vin Diesel starred in the post-apocalyptic action film directed by Mathieu Kassovitz, Babylon ADBased on the dystopian novel by Maurice Georges Dantec. Babylon Babiesthe film follows a Marine-turned-mercenary who is tasked with transporting a young woman from a Kyrgyz monastery to New York City.
Despite boasting a talented cast such as Michelle Yeoh and Gérard Depardieu, Babylon AD It failed to impress critics and audiences with its weak script and poor worldbuilding. Despite regaining its $70 million budget, the film barely made a profit (just $2.1 million) and even managed to score a mysterious D+ on CinemaScore.
9/10 Robot Jox is considered an undeveloped precursor to Pacific Rim
robot jox It was director Stuart Gordon’s attempt to tackle the mecha genre and capitalize on the Transformers craze of the late 1980s. The film is set in a post-nuclear futuristic future where nations have decided to solve international problems through robot warfare.
robot jox It premiered in 1990 to bad reviews and box office success, and received criticism for its ambiguous tone and underdeveloped themes. While it didn’t get much attention at first, the film has slowly garnered a devoted cult following over the years, pacific rim for a similar concept.
8/10 Sylvester Stallone’s Judge Dredd failed to impress the audience
The character of Sylvester Stallone may be one of the most popular characters in cinema, but Judge Dredd’s portrayal in the 1995 film of the same name certainly isn’t one of them. In this film, you’ll play a role among police officers, judges, jurors, and executioners on a crime-ridden planet near the turn of the 22nd century.
Once released, Judge Dredd It received some praise for its visual style and action sequences, but was ultimately deemed overall unoriginal and raucous. It was also blasted for its lackluster performances, especially Stallone, who was nominated for Worst Actor at the Golden Raspberry Awards but lost to Pauly Shore.
7/10 Transmorphers tried and failed to capitalize on another franchise
First few days before Michael Bay transformers When the film premiered in the United States, independent studio The Alysum, best known for Sharknado films, released a low-budget mockbuster, TransformerA satirical interpretation of the iconic robot franchise, the film follows a group of humans trying to reclaim Earth from a race of giant robots.
Transformer It was marketed as an ideal flick for fans of bad movies, but most critics agreed that its pacing and story had too many problems to overlook. The film received a prequel in 2009. Transformers: Fall of Manperformed slightly better than the original.
6/10 Robocop 3’s PG-13 Elements turned into the worst entry in the franchise
Director/Co-screenwriter monster squadFred Decker of robocop 3 remains the least successful entry in Robocop movie franchise. This sci-fi film starred Robert Burke as a cybernetic and capable police officer who does his best to protect civilians from a dangerous military force known as the Urban Rehabilitators.
robocop 3 One of 1993’s worst films, it received heavy criticism for its ludicrous plot, terrible CGI, and changes in the lead actors. We criticized the conversion to a PG-13 rating because the dark humor was stripped from the film. The film currently has an amazing 6% approval on Rotten Tomatoes.
5/10 Ultraviolet’s unoriginality was deadly and ended in box office failure
After making a name for himself in the world of science fiction, Resident Evil When the fifth elementMilla Jovovich starred as the lead character in Kurt Wimmer’s 2006 dystopian film. ultraviolet rays. In the film, Jovovich plays a genetically enhanced super soldier tasked with protecting a boy carrying an antidote against a deadly virus.
synonymous with villainous action movies, ultraviolet rays is notorious for doing poorly at the box office and for an even worse critical response. Every aspect of the film was seriously hated, from incomprehensible derivative plots to unremarkable action sequences, cheesy dialogue, and hilarious special effects.
4/10 Panned for its sensationalism and bad acting left behind
A second adaptation was directed by Vic Armstrong in 2014. left behind, a 1995 Christian novel that details the events of the Rapture and its effects on those remaining on Earth. The film’s cast included Chad Michael Murray as an investigative reporter, Nicolas Cage as a commercial pilot, and Kathy Thomson as the latter’s nonbeliever daughter.
left behind Panned by critics and most audiences, both Christian and non-Christian publications beat it for its sensationalism, terrible acting, and shoddy writing. These negative reviews resulted in the film receiving three Golden Raspberry Award nominations for Worst Picture, Worst Screenplay, and Worst Actor (Cage’s performance).
3/10 Barbed Wire has gained a major cult following since its initial release
At the height of her career, Pamela Anderson starred in her first theatrical release, the 1996 film. barb wireBased on the Dark Horse comic book series of the same name, the film focuses on the titular character, a mercenary and bar owner involved in a conspiracy during the Second American Civil War.
box office catastrophe, barb wire It failed to recoup its budget of just $9 million and only made $3.8 million for the entire run. Although it was initially criticized for its plot similarities, Casablanca And overly silly scenes, the film has amassed a huge cult following over the years due to its campy tone and performances.
2/10 The Future World Couldn’t Live Up To Its Famous Ensemble Cast
Even a large ensemble cast full of famous names like James Franco, Suki Waterhouse, Lucy Liu, and even Snoop Dogg couldn’t be saved. future world From crashing and burning on release. The film, which centers on a group of misfits in a post-apocalyptic wasteland, was co-directed by Franco and made just $163,000 after its direct-to-video release.
future world It has a 0% approval on Rotten Tomatoes for its lack of creativity and unappealing characters. mad max movie series. Critics also found the film’s incoherent storyline and erratic camera directions too difficult to follow throughout its runtime.
1/10 Battlefield Earth is considered one of the worst movies of all time
Set in the year 3000 AD, battlefield earth Follow a group of humans trying to reclaim Earth from a race of humanoid aliens known as the Cyclos. The film is notable for its ties to Scientology, as it was based on the novel by Scientology founder L. Ron He Hubbard and was produced by prominent follower John Travolta. Travolta also appeared as Teruru, Cyclo’s security guard.
but also battlefield earthIt grossed $29.7 million at the box office against a budget of $73 million, but was despised by critics and audiences alike. The film’s strange color palette, plethora of canted shots, horrible acting, and questionable message easily explain why it’s been labeled one of the worst movies of all time.
