These 8 Movies Aren’t The Best, But I Think They Get Far Too Much Hate

There are some movies that rub people the wrong way, and even though they’re not actually that bad, they were still subjected to far too much hate. It’s interesting to see how opinions change over time, and movies that were once total failures at the box office steadily grow a following and become reappraised as cult classics. Other films never get that kind of renewed appreciation from mainstream audiences, yet plenty of viewers quietly believe that the movie was not as bad as everyone seems to think it was.

It’s enjoyable to revisit and give underrated movies a second look, seeing if they truly deserve the hate they’ve received over the years. Films from major directors like Tim Burton, David Fincher, and even the late David Lynch have been the victim of major backlash from audiences, yet the argument can be made that none of those films deserved quite so much hate. While a lot of these movies may have frustrated and annoyed countless film lovers, it shouldn’t be controversial to say that even if they weren’t the best, they still don’t deserve to be so maligned.

8

The Island (2005)

Directed by Michael Bay

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Michael Bay gets a lot of hate for his over-the-top, often substanceless action movies, and when it comes to franchises like Transformers, I understand where viewers are coming from. However, Bay’s 2005 dystopian sci-fi story The Island should not be lumped in among the filmmaker’s worst projects and actually stands as a clever pastiche of escape-from-dystopia sci-fi of bygone eras like Logan’s Run. With a clever premise addressing themes of cloning, identity, and ethics, although the movie borrowed heavily from other media, there was still something engaging about this sci-fi spectacle.

The Island (2005) - Poster - Ewan McGrergor & Scarlet Johanson Running

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The Island

PG-13

Action

Thriller

Science Fiction

Adventure

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4/10

10.0/10

Release Date

July 21, 2005

Runtime

136 Minutes

Cast

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  • Headshot Of Ewan McGregor In The New York premiere of 'A Gentleman In Moscow'

    Ewan McGregor

  • Headshot Of Scarlett Johansson In The ‘Fly Me To The Moon’ Premiere

    Scarlett Johansson

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With some great performances from Ewan McGregor and Scarlett Johansson, The Island had a strong storyline with a powerful message about the dangers of playing God. While most criticisms about Bay relate to his tendency to value style over substance, with The Island, he was genuinely trying to make a point, and it feels wrong to hate on one of the few movies that showcase he’s interested in more than just explosions and action set pieces. Although The Island ripped off much better films, I still think it gets more hate than it deserves.

7

Waterworld (1995)

Directed by Kevin Reynolds

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As the most expensive movie of all time back in 1995, the notorious box office flop Waterworld stood as a Hollywood cautionary tale on the danger of letting a movie production get out of control. With plenty of behind-the-scenes chaos, setbacks, and a rapidly ballooning budget, Universal had only authorized $100 million for the film, which eventually grew to $175 million (via LA Times.) While Waterworld’s reputation as a devastating financial flop has overtaken much of the conversation of this film, when viewed away from those controversies, what’s revealed is an interesting post-apocalyptic story that took some real creative chances.

waterworl

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Waterworld

pg-13

Action

Sci-Fi

11

7.1/10

Release Date

July 28, 1995

Runtime

135minutes

Cast

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  • Headshot Of Kevin Costner In The Premiere Of Horizon: An American Saga

    Kevin Costner

  • Headshot Of Jeanne Tripplehorn

    Jeanne Tripplehorn

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Waterworld received some pretty poor reviews at the time and was often called a second-rate rip-off of Mad Max 2, a comparison that fails to recognize the movie’s unique charm. As a quiet cult classic with some great performances from Kevin Costner and Dennis Hopper, its interesting worldbuilding and futuristic setting looked great. The truth is that Waterworld is a flawed movie, but looking back, it’s highly watchable and filled with some truly great sequences.

6

Charlie And The Chocolate Factory (2005)

Directed by Tim Burton

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Tim Burton was always going to get hate when he opted to make a new adaptation of Roald Dahl’s beloved kids’ story, as the previous version, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, stood as an undisputed children’s classic. With Johnny Depp taking up Gene Wilder’s iconic role as Willy Wonka, his strange characterization was dismissed by many as being too creepy, too weird, and too off-putting. However, Depp’s unusual performance and the strange Burton-esque feeling of the film were what set Charlie and the Chocolate Factory apart and gave it a unique sense of identity.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory movie poster

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Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

PG

Adventure

Comedy

Family

Fantasy

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7/10

19

7.4/10

Release Date

July 15, 2005

Runtime

115 minutes

Cast

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  • Headshot Of Johnny Depp In The UK premiere of Jeanne Du Barry

    Johnny Depp

  • headshot of Freddie Highmore

    Freddie Highmore

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While I understand that the 1970s version remains the definitive adaptation of Dahl’s book, the trauma-coded portrayal of Depp’s Wonka added unnerving undertones to the film, aligning it more closely with Burton’s sensibilities. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory also just looks great, and it’s impossible not to be won over by its impressive set design and the creative depiction of Wonka’s magical factory. Although Charlie and the Chocolate Factory remains divisive, I’m glad that it exists and acts as an interesting alternative to Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.

5

Alien 3 (1992)

Directed by David Fincher

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With Ridley Scott’s original Alien movie standing as a horror sci-fi classic and James Cameron’s follow-up Aliens earning a reputation as one of the greatest sequels of all time, David Fincher had a lot to live up to with Alien 3. Unfortunately, the future Fight Club director couldn’t meet these sky-high expectations, and a troubled production history and studio interference meant the released movie did not align with his artistic vision. Instead, Alien 3 underperformed at the box office, and many felt it tarnished the franchise’s then-perfect reputation.

alien 3

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Alien 3

r

Action

Horror

Sci-Fi

Thriller

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6/10

6.0/10

Release Date

May 22, 1992

Runtime

114minutes

Cast

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  • Headshot Of Sigourney Weaver In The James Cameron And Jon Landau Handprints And Footprints Ceremony.

    Sigourney Weaver

  • Headshot Of Charles S. Dutton

    Charles S. Dutton

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However, looking back on Alien 3 today, it’s surprising just how much about the film works and that its creative risk-taking actually brought up fascinating questions relating to the series’ mythology. With Ellen Ripley having crash-landed on a prison planet populated by violent criminals, this unique setting alone was enough to make the movie stand out. While Alien 3 has gotten a lot of hate over the years, most will agree that the 2003 extended and revised version of the film, known as the Assembly Cut, did a lot to restore the film’s reputation.

4

Spider-Man 3 (2007)

Directed by Sam Raimi

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As the final installment in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy, Spider-Man 3 felt like a disappointment back in 2007, as it lacked the surprising excitement of the first installment, and its villains were forgettable when compared to the Green Goblin or Doctor Octopus. Instead, we got emo Peter Parker and a haphazard depiction of Topher Grace as Venom. With these issues in mind, it makes sense that Spider-Man 3 got a lot of hate, but time has been kind to Raimi’s series.

01357311_poster_w780.jpg

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Spider-Man 3

PG-13

Action

Adventure

Superhero

Sci-Fi

ScreenRant logo

7/10

31

8.4/10

Release Date

May 3, 2007

Runtime

139 minutes

Cast

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  • Headshot Of Tobey Maguire IN The Global Premiere Screening Of Paramount Pictures 'Babylon'

    Tobey Maguire

    Spider-Man / Peter Parker

  • Headshot Of Kirsten Dunst

    Kirsten Dunst

    Mary Jane Watson

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Looking back on Spider-Man 3 today, it maintained the campy quality of Raimi’s best work and felt a lot more fun and interesting than many of the most recent MCU movies. As time has gone on, viewers have also grown a sentimental sense of nostalgia for Tobey Maguire’s performance, and the memeable nature of this third film has only added to its appeal.

3

The Cable Guy (1996)

Directed by Ben Stiller

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The Cable Guy received a lot of hate when it was released in 1996, as viewers were presented with a far darker version of Jim Carrey’s wacky persona than they were accustomed to. As a black comedy that was closer to a genuine horror movie than anything anyone had previously seen from the man who played Ace Ventura, this satirical story about a stalker cable guy who infiltrates the life of one of his customers received mixed reviews from critics who did not know quite what to make of Carrey’s unnerving and sinister performance.

The Cable Guy (1996) - Poster - Jim Carrey Holding An Electric Wire

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The Cable Guy

PG-13

Comedy

Drama

Thriller

6.0/10

Release Date

June 10, 1996

Runtime

96 Minutes

Cast

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  • Headshot Of Jim Carrey In The North America Rights

    Jim Carrey

  • Headshot Of Matthew Broderick

    Matthew Broderick

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While The Cable Guy was not what people were expecting from Carrey after the triple whammy success of Ace Ventura, The Mask, and Dumb and Dumber, it was actually the first glimpse at the actor’s more dramatic side. This dark, layered performance style would continue throughout the 1990s with Man on the Moon and The Truman Show before Carrey gave arguably his greatest dramatic performance of all in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind in 2004. While audiences might not have realized it at the time, The Cable Guy was our first look at Carrey’s more serious side.

2

Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017)

Directed by Rian Johnson

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In the history of Star Wars, there’s no movie more divisive than Rian Johnson’s The Last Jedi, a release that challenged the legacy of the franchise and took beloved characters in controversial directions. With Luke Skywalker portrayed as a disillusioned hermit, many were disappointed he was not depicted as the triumphant hero they remember, Princess Leia being woefully underused and left floating in space, and Han Solo nowhere to be seen after his shocking death in The Force Awakens. All these issues frustrated fans, although there was a lot to love about the film that rarely gets recognized.

01359310_poster_w780.jpg

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Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi

PG-13

Adventure

Action

Science Fiction

ScreenRant logo

9/10

64

5.3/10

Release Date

December 13, 2017

Runtime

152 minutes

Cast

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  • Daisy Ridley Profile Picture

    Daisy Ridley

    Rey

  • Headshot Of Adam Driver

    Adam Driver

    Kylo Ren

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While many continue to hate on The Last Jedi, I prefer to focus on what it got right, and I think it was a bold move to shake things up and not simply retread narrative themes and ideas from the original trilogy. The Last Jedi took Luke’s character in an interesting direction, Kylo Ren was a top-tier villain, and it opened the door for endless possibilities moving forward. Sadly, Disney and Lucasfilm panicked at the backlash, and The Rise of Skywalker just felt like a mishandled attempt to please everyone.

1

Dune (1984)

Directed by David Lynch

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The pairing of surreal and dreamlike auteur director David Lynch with the rich world-building and thematic resonance of Frank Herbert’s Dune feels like a match made in heaven, although studio interference meant the final product did not reflect Lynch’s vision, and he even asked for his name to be removed from the credits. With these issues in mind, it’s not surprising that Dune flopped at the box office, was hugely divisive among viewers, and meant that Lynch never made a major blockbuster again and ensured he had the final cut on every subsequent project he worked on.

Dune Movie Poster

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Dune

PG-13

19

7.2/10

Release Date

December 14, 1984

Runtime

137 Mins

Cast

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  • Headshot Of Kyle MacLachlan In The 7th Canneseries International Festival pink carpet day 2.

    Kyle MacLachlan

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Francesca Annis

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There were admittedly plenty of issues with Dune, although it’s also a visually stunning film that is packed with Lynch’s unique sensibilities, features great performances from Kyle MacLachlan and Sting, and captures the otherworldly atmosphere of Herbert’s world. While Dune was considered a notorious failure, now that we’ve got the critically lauded Denis Villeneuve adaptations, it’s possible to look back on the film with kinder eyes.

Source: LA Times