While it may be the era of superhero movies and has been for quite some time, that doesn't guarantee that every flick is going to be a good one. There are some failures that are so bad they're good or, at the very least, have some entertainment value. There are, however, some superhero movie failures that are so god-awful that they're simply impossible to watch.
Unwatchable superhero movies don't only come from one specific era. They emerge all across the Hollywood timeline, proving that how long a genre is around has nothing to do with the ensured quality of the films within it. It can be quite difficult to make a superhero film unwatchable, as well. What they've always had going for them is the fact that they inherently have action that is typically exciting and worth sticking around for. But some movies can't just be saved by good action or even have enjoyable action in the first place.
10 'Green Lantern' (2011)
Directed by Martin Campbell
Oh, Green Lantern, how the world hates you so, and for very good reason. This iconic piece of cinema history is so rough that its star, Ryan Reynolds, is incredibly public with his disdain for the project and how it turned out. He makes numerous references to it, not just in real life, but in his fourth-wall-breaking franchise, Deadpool.
It's not often that an actor for a project will come out and actively hate on a movie they're in. However, Green Lantern is a unique exception. Whether it be the lackluster story, terrible visual effects (with Reynolds' superhero suit being completely CGI), looking cheap despite its large budget and a studio that clearly didn't care to make a good film, this flick has pretty much zero rewatchability. Unless someone wants to revisit the biggest superhero flops.
Green Lantern
Reckless test pilot Hal Jordan is granted an alien ring that bestows him with otherworldly powers that inducts him into an intergalactic police force, the Green Lantern Corps.
- stream
- rent
- buy
- Release Date
- June 16, 2011
- Director
- Martin Campbell
- Cast
- Ryan Reynolds , Blake Lively , Peter Sarsgaard , Mark Strong , Temuera Morrison , Jenna Craig
- Main Genre
- Action
- Writers
- Michael Green , Greg Berlanti , Michael Goldenberg , Marc Guggenheim
9 'Suicide Squad' (2016)
Directed by David Ayer
The DC Extended Universe had some rough projects in its cinematic tenure, but none as profoundly horrible as Suicide Squad. Based on reports surrounding the film and its production, it sounds like David Ayer's original cut and vision for the film is not anywhere near what was released to theaters. This makes Suicide Squad another unfortunate result of studio meddling in superhero cinema.
Whether Ayer's original iteration of the project was better or not, it can't be denied that what was released was disgustingly bad. With some of the worst dialogue of the 2010s, characters that no one cared about and performances that were scattered across the board, there was genuinely nothing appealing about Suicide Squad.
Suicide Squad
A secret government agency recruits some of the most dangerous incarcerated super-villains to form a defensive task force. Their first mission: save the world from the apocalypse.
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- rent
- buy
- Release Date
- August 5, 2016
- Director
- David Ayer
- Cast
- Joel Kinnaman , Will Smith , Cara Delevingne , Jai Courtney , Jared Leto , Viola Davis , Margot Robbie , Jay Hernandez , Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje , Scott Eastwood
- Runtime
- 123 minutes
- Writers
- David Ayer
- Budget
- $175 million
- Studio(s)
- DC
- Distributor(s)
- Warner Bros. Pictures
- Sequel(s)
- The Suicide Squad
- Franchise(s)
- Suicide Squad
8 'Steel' (1997)
Directed by Kenneth Johnson
Before he was one of the best characters in Superman & Lois, the character, Steel, had a big-screen debut where he was played by the one and only Shaquille O'Neal. With a name as big as his, one would believe that this movie would make headlines and go on to be remembered. Unfortunately (or fortunately) for the team behind Steel, it's been forgotten to time and for pretty good reason.
The 90s were not an easy time for superhero films in the first place, let alone for a character that wasn't a major hitter like Batman or Superman. So, when Steel was released, there was a good chance it was not going to find critical acclaim, but not many expected it to be as bad as it ended up being. Shaquille O'Neal could not save this movie from being bland, having an uninteresting protagonist, a ridiculous costume and poor acting. These factors combined make this film not worth coming back to.
Steel
- stream
- rent
- buy
- Release Date
- August 15, 1997
- Director
- Kenneth Johnson
- Cast
- Shaquille O'Neal , Annabeth Gish , Richard Roundtree , Judd Nelson
- Runtime
- 97 Minutes
7 'Fantastic Four' (2015)
Directed by Josh Trank
2015's Fantastic Four (also known as Fan4stic) is one of the most notorious modern superhero films that genuinely made headlines for how bad it was. So bad, in fact, that director Josh Trank publicly disowned the film prior to its release. Marvel's first family has always had trouble at the theaters, but this took it to a whole new level.
While there may have been and continue to be jokes made about it on the internet, this project is not one that many find themselves ever genuinely returning to. While the original franchise that had a theatrical run has a lot of entertainment value and nostalgia going for it, the Fantastic Four that came many years after does not have either of those things helping it.
Fantastic Four
Four young outsiders teleport to an alternate and dangerous universe which alters their physical form in shocking ways. The four must learn to harness their new abilities and work together to save Earth from a former friend turned enemy.