Time: Top 20 Worst Summer Blockbusters

[Cognitive Gear]

Yes, another Time Magazine movie list. This one isn't as strange, if only because Summer Blockbusters are a fairly recent phenomenon. I think it's a fun list, if nothing else:

20. The Last Airbender
19. Knight and Day
18. Hudson Hawk
17. Avengers
16 Transformers: Dark of the Moon
15. Stealth
14. The Haunting
13. Howard the Duck
12. Speed 2: Cruise Control
11. Green Lantern
10. Pearl Harbor
09. Catwoman
08. Wild Wild West
07. Waterworld
06. Godzilla
05. Batman and Robin
04. Battlefield Earth
03. Sex and the City 2
02. Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace
01. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

I just have a couple comments:

1) Episode 1 worse than Battlefield: Earth? Harsh.
2) Every movie on this list is probably loads of fun with Rifftracks.

The order is a bit weird, but again, it's a fun list. All of these are bad movies, but thankfully there is nothing wrong with liking a bad movie.

[SincerelyAnomymous]

Makes sense I guess. Last Airbender didn't have much emotion, neither did Phantom Menace and I didn't think Revenge of the Fallen was that bad.

[bigsleepj]

Am I the only person who think that the American Godzilla is not that bad? Apparently...

Also, Phantom Menace is a bit harsh, I agree.

[Sheenar]

Am I the only person who think that the American Godzilla is not that bad? Apparently...

I liked it --right up until the ending...

[rocklobster]

I agree with most of these, especially Howard the Duck, Speed 2, Batman and Robin, Catwoman, and Wild Wild West. Those were all awful. And once again, I'm the only person who thinks the Star Wars prequels were actually good.
*goes off in private corner to cry, only to find George Lucas consoling Jar Jar Binks*
Um, never mind.

[Edward]

And once again, I'm the only person who thinks the Star Wars prequels were actually good.
*goes off in private corner to cry, only to find George Lucas consoling Jar Jar Binks*
Um, never mind.

Hey, I liked the prequels too. I'll never understand all the SW prequel hate.

But I liked Wild Wild West. Of course, I was like five years old when it came out and I haven't seen it since so that might have something to do with it. I've never seen any of the other movies, so I can't comment on them.

[SincerelyAnomymous]

I remember the Batman films, in my childhood, to be terrible. There was really sense of story in them as far as I can remember.

Ok, maybe Star Wars isn't the worse, but I felt Phantom Menace could have explained how Quin Jonn and Obi-Wan's relationship was deep.

[Nate]

I'll never understand all the SW prequel hate.

Probably because they were pretty terrible movies. ;D

But worse than Battlefield: Earth? No. Just no. The Star Wars prequels are bad but at least they're watchable and have some fun parts. Battlefield: Earth is just hideous.

As far as the Star Wars prequels being worse than Batman and Robin...eh. That's a tough call. A VERY tough call.

[ADXC]

Well it's not surprising to see some Transformers movies up there.


But I'm kinda surprised to see the Phantom Menace up there. :/ I mean it was packed when I saw it when I was nine and I loved it.

[SincerelyAnomymous]

Well it's not surprising to see some Transformers movies up there.


But I'm kinda surprised to see the Phantom Menace up there. :/ I mean it was packed when I saw it when I was nine and I loved it.

It was probably packed because it was about 20 years since the last film. The critics probably didn't like it for the story being bland and such.

[TWWK]

Sooooo many bad movies. Wow. A couple notes:

• Not enough people saw Knight and Day - such a bad film, made worse because the previews were awfully good.
  
• Episode I is awesome, I don't care what anyone says!
  
• NO summer blockbuster is worse than Battlefield Earth. A lot of these movies were maddeningly mediocre...but Battlefield Earth was horrendous. First time I ever walked out of a movie.

[Mr. SmartyPants]

There's no way that either Transformers movie was worse than The Last Airbender.

They weren't that bad... right?.... right? I haven't seen them but they couldn't have been that bad...

[ADXC]

The critics probably didn't like it for the story being bland and such.

Well the critics can just go.....*fill in expletive*


There are lots of movies that critics considered were bad that I liked.

Again this is a whole subjective thing.

Subjectively, I think Episode 1 was good, but then again I was 9 years old so I may just have well been captivated by the racing, lasers, and such. Also, it was my first Star Wars movie. I had not seen such a thing before.

[ChristianKitsune]

This list is better than the animated movie one...but why isn't Eclipse on it?

[mechana2015]

I get the impression that they're using some wierd combination of 'stuff that was critically bad' and 'stuff that didn't make back enough money'. Eclipse was bad, but it made a ton of money so therefore not on the list?

(that still doesn't explain Ep1 being so far up the list)

[Scarecrow]

Meh, there's a lot I agree with but the order is messed up. Ep 1 and Transformers 2 should be at the bottom of that list. And The Avengers only at number 17? I mean some of those movies are bad but tolerable (Darkside of the Moon, RotF, Waterworld which wasn't even that bad at all etc). The Avengers? No way. That was terrible. Batman and Robin was probably better than that. And I didn't enjoy the Green Lantern myself but it's not bad as most of these. And it was better than Green Hornet which is missing from this list.

[Radical Dreamer]

I've actually only seen four movies on this list (is that an accomplishment? XD), so I don't have trouble with most of them being there because it just makes me glad I missed them (unless I've missed movies that are so bad, they're hilarious XD). However, I do wonder where the second and third (especially the third, my goodness) Pirates movies are. XD They would've easily made my own list of failed Blockbusters, though I'm sure they made a ton of money at the box office. XD

[Atria35]

Some of those movies I disagree with for being where they are-

Ep I, as so many have mentioned. While it does deserve to be on the list, that far down? Naw. I also enjoyed the Godzilla movie once I was old enough to appreciate action movies (to a certain extent). Wild Wild West.... Okay, that one's hilarious if you're willing to turn off your brain. I enjoyed the humor and anachronisms- it reminded me of Samurai Champloo like that. But yeah, still deserves to be on the list since it does have it's iffy moments.

I honestly don't get Pearl Harbor, though. I admit, I went to see it in 7th grade (we had a movie theater that was literally 2 blocks away from the school, so everyone went to see it when it came out as part of a class field trip), but I thought it was a great movie. Then again, the only hardcore war film I'd seen until then was Gettysburg, so maybe by now I would have different feelings about it, but... yeah.

[Radical Dreamer]

I honestly don't get Pearl Harbor, though. I admit, I went to see it in 7th grade (we had a movie theater that was literally 2 blocks away from the school, so everyone went to see it when it came out as part of a class field trip), but I thought it was a great movie. Then again, the only hardcore war film I'd seen until then was Gettysburg, so maybe by now I would have different feelings about it, but... yeah.

As I recall, the major problems with the movie were that it was terribly insensitive to the Japanese, and instead of focusing on the historical aspect, it was more about "WHOOHOO 'MERICA." It's been a long time since I've seen it (I was in elementary school when I saw it on VHS XD), but from what I recall, I'd say that's more or less an accurate description. XD

[Atria35]

^ Ah. I knew some parts were historically inaccurate, but considering it came out the year after 9/11 I would expect the patriotism to be played up. I should go back and rewatch it, though.

[Psycho Molos]

Avengers is out already?? Capt America was just out. I agree with Battlefield Earth tho. Terrible...didn't match the book much at all and I read it

[Warrior 4 Jesus]

08. Wild Wild West - silly but fun
07. Waterworld - enjoyable enough
06. Godzilla - good, dumb fun
02. Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace - okay with one or two great scenes

[Edward]

Avengers is out already?? Capt America was just out. I agree with Battlefield Earth tho. Terrible...didn't match the book much at all and I read it

The Avengers on the list is an American film adaptation of a British TV show, not the superhero movie that won't be out until next year.

[ShiroiHikari]

Wild Wild West was a pretty ridiculous movie but it wasn't completely unwatchable.

Episode I is and was a sucky movie; I don't care what anybody says. Sure, there are worse films out there, but Episode I (and II and III) is one of the most disappointing movies of all time. But I really don't want to go over this yet again so I'll just stop now.

[Yamamaya]

Most of those on the list deserve to be there, ESPECIALLY Batman and Robin.
However, Episode I I feel is a too controversial choice to put on there especially that low. It's like they were asking for a crapstorm.


Knight and Day was a very mediocre, blah movie.

Also, wasn't Pearl Harbor very well liked?

Sex and City 2 definitely earned its place on the list. It represents everything that is wrong with society.

[TopazRaven]

Am I the only one in this world who actually likes the Transformers movies? *Sobs*. I haven't seen many of the movies on this list, but I remember liking Godzilla as well as Batman and Robin when I saw them as a kid. If Green Lantern is the recent one I actually enjoyed that film as well.

[Psycho Molos]

The Avengers on the list is an American film adaptation of a British TV show, not the superhero movie that won't be out until next year.

Oh duh forgot

[Atria35]

Am I the only one in this world who actually likes the Transformers movies? *Sobs*. I haven't seen many of the movies on this list, but I remember liking Godzilla as well as Batman and Robin when I saw them as a kid. If Green Lantern is the recent one I actually enjoyed that film as well.

I enjoyed the first one. The second one is the one that's on that list. And no, I didn't enjoy the second one at all.

Also, wasn't Pearl Harbor very well liked?

By the audiences, yes. Rotten tomatoes has it at 73% by the people in the theaters. However, critics have it at 25%.

[Destroyer2000]

How is James Cameron's Avatar not on here? That was one of the worst movies ever made. Or was that not a summer film?

[Warrior 4 Jesus]

Yes, Avatar was rather mediocre. Visually pretty but incredibly shallow and boring.

Pearl Harbour was awful! It was poorly written and the historical accuracy was traded for flat-out lies. Why was it even made? The US weren't ready for the attack on Hawaii, so why pretend they were? Argh!