Let’s be honest—some movies make you question everything: your ticket purchase, your childhood memories, and occasionally your sanity. These six films were supposed to excite fans, honor beloved franchises, or simply entertain. Instead, they became cautionary tales in filmmaking. But were they completely hopeless? Let’s find out what tanked, what (if anything) was redeeming, and whether they’re worth your streaming time today.
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| Image by freepik |
1. Dragonball Evolution (2009) – A Painful “Power Down” for Fans
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Release Date: April 10, 2009
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Production House: 20th Century Fox
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Budget: $30 million
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Revenue: $58.2 million
Let’s be clear: Dragonball Evolution isn’t just a bad movie—it’s a cinematic betrayal. Based on one of the most iconic anime franchises in the world, this live-action adaptation stripped away everything that made Dragon Ball special and replaced it with cheap clichés, whitewashed casting, and a script that clearly didn’t understand the original material.
Justin Chatwin as Goku? A teenager in high school awkwardly flirting with Chi-Chi while doing science homework? It was baffling to fans who grew up watching Goku fight alien tyrants and train under turtles. The film’s Goku was no Saiyan warrior—just another Hollywood teen stuck in a generic superhero arc.
The villains were flat (James Marsters’ Piccolo lacked both menace and purpose), the fights lacked energy, and worst of all—the spirit of Dragon Ball was missing entirely. There was no joy, no heart, and certainly no Kamehameha worthy of the name.
Dragonball Evolution didn’t just fail fans—it alienated them. To this day, it’s often cited as a textbook example of what not to do when adapting beloved anime. It’s almost legendary in its failure.
Why It’s Bad:
It’s based on Dragon Ball, one of the most iconic anime of all time, and somehow manages to get everything wrong. Goku is a high schooler? Piccolo looks like a green Voldemort? The film whitewashed major characters, butchered the plot, and ignored the source material’s tone.
Any Good?
The fight choreography wasn’t completely horrible. That’s about it. And James Marsters (as Piccolo) tried, bless him.
Should You Watch It?
Only if you're curious to see how badly something can be adapted. It’s a textbook case.
Where to Watch:
Currently available for rent on Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV.
2. The Last Airbender (2010) – A Prime Example of Completely Missing the Mark
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Release Date: July 1, 2010
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Production House: Paramount Pictures
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Budget: $150 million
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Revenue: $319.7 million
M. Night Shyamalan’s The Last Airbender is arguably one of the most widely hated cartoon adaptations ever brought to the big screen. Based on the beloved Avatar: The Last Airbender animated series, which was filled with heart, wisdom, humor, and brilliant world-building, the film adaptation was a clunky, lifeless shadow of its source.
From the very first minute, things go wrong. The character names are mispronounced (Aang became Ong, Iroh became Eeroh), the bending felt like it took forever to do anything, and the emotional depth was replaced by stiff performances and uninspired storytelling.
The casting, too, drew heavy criticism. Despite the richly diverse source material, most of the heroic characters were whitewashed, while villains were portrayed by people of color—a tone-deaf move that sparked outrage.
The worst part? It’s not just a bad movie—it drags down the legacy of something beautiful. The animated series balanced comedy and philosophy, while the film felt like a cardboard retelling by people who had never watched more than the trailer. A true letdown for an entire generation of fans.
Why It’s Bad:
M. Night Shyamalan took a beloved animated series (Avatar: The Last Airbender) and stripped it of charm, humor, and coherence. The bending looked sluggish, character names were mispronounced, and the casting choices led to whitewashing controversies.
Any Good?
The cinematography and some visual effects weren’t awful. Dev Patel added a layer of intensity to the role of Zuko.
Should You Watch It?
Skip it. Watch the original animated series on Netflix instead. It’s perfect.
Where to Watch:
You can watch it on Paramount+ or rent it through Amazon Prime Video.
3. Mortal Kombat: Annihilation (1997) – Game Over Before It Began
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Release Date: November 21, 1997
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Production House: New Line Cinema
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Budget: $30 million
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Revenue: $51.3 million
The first Mortal Kombat (1995) film may not have been high art, but it was fun, self-aware, and delivered solid fan service. Mortal Kombat: Annihilation undid the momentum of the original and dropped it straight into the Netherrealm.
Within the first few minutes, half the original cast is replaced without explanation. Characters are killed off in blink-and-miss moments. The acting ranges from wooden to cartoonishly bad, and the dialogue? It's so cheesy it could've come from a PS1 loading screen.
But where the film really fails is in its visual effects. Even by 1997 standards, the CGI looks cheap and incomplete. The infamous dragon fight at the end looks like something out of a bad video game mod. The film crams in dozens of characters from the games, hoping to thrill fans, but it gives none of them proper arcs or screen time. This is a classic case of doing too much with too little care.
Annihilation feels like someone trying to speedrun the entire Mortal Kombat mythos without understanding any of it. What could have been a gritty, stylized sequel turned out to be one of the worst video game movies of all time.
Why It’s Bad:
This sequel took everything fun from the first Mortal Kombat movie and crushed it. Bad CGI, cheesy dialogue, nonsensical plot jumps, and stunt double-level acting. Characters pop in and die within minutes.
Any Good?
If you like watching things "so bad they’re good," this might be your guilty pleasure.
Should You Watch It?
Only with friends and snacks. It’s dumb fun at best.
Where to Watch:
Streaming on Max (formerly HBO Max) and available on Prime Video for rent.
4. Cats (2019) – A Furry Fever Dream No One Asked For
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Release Date: December 20, 2019
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Production House: Universal Pictures
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Budget: $95 million
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Revenue: $75.5 million
When the first trailer for Cats dropped, audiences were confused, then horrified, then fascinated—for all the wrong reasons. And when the film finally released, it somehow managed to be even more bizarre than expected.
The CGI—the infamous “digital fur technology”—was the movie’s biggest talking point. Instead of stylized costumes or animation, we got a nightmare blend of human faces awkwardly grafted onto cat-like bodies. This made the characters land right in the uncanny valley, unsettling to watch and impossible to take seriously.
The film also struggled with tone. Was it whimsical? Erotic? Tragic? It didn’t seem to know. With a cast of incredible talent—Idris Elba, Judi Dench, Ian McKellen, Jennifer Hudson—you’d expect greatness. Instead, they were all swallowed by strange choreography, awkward musical numbers, and visuals that distracted rather than enhanced.
There was no real narrative thread. Cats the stage musical is odd, but this adaptation amplified its weirdness tenfold without translating its charm. What could have been a creative risk turned into a cultural punchline.
Why It’s Bad:
“Nightmare fuel” is how many described this adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s stage musical. The human-cat hybrids were unsettling. The plot (if you can call it that) was incoherent, and the celebrity cast couldn't save it.
Any Good?
Taylor Swift’s performance was flashy, and Jennifer Hudson's rendition of “Memory” was emotional… if you could look past the CGI.
Should You Watch It?
Only if you want to experience something bizarre. You’ll be asking “why?” the entire time.
Where to Watch:
Streaming on Peacock. Also available for rent on YouTube and Prime Video.
5. X-Men: Dark Phoenix (2019) – Fizzling Out in Mediocrity
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Release Date: June 7, 2019
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Production House: 20th Century Fox
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Budget: $200 million
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Revenue: $252.4 million
The X-Men franchise helped shape modern superhero cinema, but it deserved a better send-off than Dark Phoenix. After nearly two decades of time-traveling, shape-shifting, and mutant politics, this film should’ve been an emotional epic. Instead, it fizzled into an underwhelming, slow-paced drama with forced stakes and wasted characters.
Jean Grey’s transformation into the Phoenix is one of the most powerful arcs in Marvel Comics, but the film glosses over her emotional journey. Sophie Turner’s performance had potential, but the script gave her little to work with. Characters like Mystique and Beast flip sides with little motivation, and others like Storm, Nightcrawler, and Quicksilver are largely sidelined.
Even the action felt tired. After Logan, Deadpool, and Days of Future Past raised the bar, Dark Phoenix offered no innovation or memorable moments. It looked and felt like a project everyone just wanted to finish.
Its failure also symbolized the end of Fox’s X-Men era—a once-revolutionary franchise that had simply run out of ideas. And instead of going out with a bang, Dark Phoenix just faded away, taking the franchise’s legacy down a notch.
Why It’s Bad:
It was supposed to be an epic conclusion, but it was more of a whimper. The film suffered from re-shoots, script changes, and a disengaged cast. Jean Grey’s transformation lacked emotional weight, and the film felt rushed and redundant.
Any Good?
Hans Zimmer’s score. Also, the train sequence wasn’t half-bad.
Should You Watch It?
If you're completing the X-Men series, go for it. But don’t expect a proper send-off.
Where to Watch:
Streaming on Disney+ Hotstar. Rentable on Google Play and Prime Video.
6. Morbius (2022) – A Vampire Without Bite
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Release Date: April 1, 2022 (U.S.)
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Production House: Columbia Pictures (Sony)
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Budget: $75–83 million
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Revenue: $167.5 million
Few films have been meme’d to death before they even hit theaters. Morbius became infamous long before release, thanks to Sony’s awkward marketing and an online movement that sarcastically chanted “It’s Morbin’ Time!” And the film? It lived down to every joke.
Jared Leto stars as Dr. Michael Morbius, a biochemist who turns himself into a vampire. The idea had potential—a tragic antihero in the style of Venom or Blade. But what we got was a joyless, formulaic origin story that neither scared nor excited.
The pacing was off, the character arcs rushed, and the villain (played by Matt Smith) was a copy-paste of Morbius with less personality. The CGI felt unfinished, especially during the bat-cloud sequences and echo-location shots that were meant to be cool but came off clumsy.
Worst of all, the film couldn’t decide on a tone. It tried to be dark, then campy, then emotional—but none of it landed. It also teased connections to the wider Spider-Verse in the most confusing and unearned way possible.
Morbius could have explored complex themes of identity and morality—but instead, it ended up as a toothless vampire film whose only legacy is the meme storm it inspired.
Why It’s Bad:
Jared Leto stars as the living vampire in this Spider-Man spin-off that just doesn’t sink its teeth into anything. Weird pacing, bland action scenes, and a paper-thin plot made it feel like a missed opportunity. The internet turned it into a meme (“It’s Morbin’ Time!”) — and not in a good way.
Any Good?
The transformation effects and some moments of horror-esque visuals were decent.
Should You Watch It?
Only if you’re curious or a completionist for Sony’s Spider-Verse. Otherwise, you're not missing much.
Where to Watch:
Streaming on Netflix in select countries. Rentable on Apple TV and Prime Video.
Final Verdict: Watch or Skip?
| Movie | Stream It? | For Whom? |
|---|---|---|
| Dragonball Evolution | Skip | Unless you're into cinematic disasters |
| The Last Airbender | Skip | Go for the cartoon instead |
| Mortal Kombat: Annihilation | Maybe | Group watch with popcorn |
| Cats | Maybe | If you’re into surreal musicals or... high? |
| X-Men: Dark Phoenix | Maybe | X-Men fans who want to finish the story |
| Morbius | Maybe | Jared Leto fans or Marvel completionists |
Hype Isn’t Always Heroic
All these films had promise—either due to beloved source material, talented casts, or massive fanbases. But they remind us that no franchise or IP is immune to failure when the heart of the story is lost.
Whether it’s Dragonball Evolution disrespecting its roots, Cats turning art into absurdity, or Morbius being remembered as a meme and nothing more, these films serve as cautionary tales in Hollywood history.
Because when you mishandle what people love, the backlash isn’t just loud—it’s legendary.
