Bad movies are almost an art form unto themselves — often venerated by the likes of Mystery Science Theater 3000 and Red Letter Media — movies so bad they’re good. Utter nonsense you can put on with a group of friends.
Regrettably, this list is not about those flicks (though some exceptions can be made depending on how tolerant/funny your friends are, which trash-movie aficionados will certainly recognize).
No, this is about nigh-unwatchable dreck that you probably shouldn’t suffer through. At least, not alone.
In alphabetical order, here are the worst movies of all time along with their Rotten Tomatoes scores.
Battlefield Earth (2000) — 3%
A passion project from John Travolta and a gift to anyone studying how not to make a sci-fi film. Based on the L. Ron Hubbard novel, this disaster features Dutch angles, caveman dialect, and a plot so absurd you forget the aliens lost to humans who just discovered gunpowder. It’s like watching someone light millions of dollars on fire — for Scientology.
Catwoman (2004) — 8%
Halle Berry in leather should’ve been a slam dunk. Instead, we got a CGI-laden fever dream with a script that feels like it was written by someone who’s never met a woman or a cat. The plot involves toxic makeup, the editing is incomprehensible, and the basketball scene? Crimes were committed. Berry accepted her Razzie in person. Respect.
Gigli (2003) — 6%
This movie derailed two careers and gave us “turkey time. Gobble gobble.” Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez had zero chemistry in a movie trying to be a rom-com, crime thriller, and tender drama all at once. The result? Pure confusion. It bombed so hard it became shorthand for career suicide. Also: Christopher Walken shows up, says nothing of value, and vanishes.
Kirk Cameron’s Saving Christmas (2014) — 0%
This holiday train wreck tries to prove consumerism is actually Christlike. Cameron, smugly delivering sermons in his parked car, lectures his brother-in-law — and us — about ornaments, capitalism, and Santa being a misunderstood hero. It’s not just bad, it’s aggressively sanctimonious. Rotten Tomatoes gave it a 0%. As in, nothing. Not even a lump of coal.
Manos: The Hands of Fate (1966) — 8%
Filmed on a bet with a handheld camera, this one makes The Room look competent. It’s got a polygamist cult leader named “The Master,” a hellhound, and a villain named Torgo whose knees bend the wrong way. Dialogue is dubbed in post, pacing is nonexistent, and the whole thing feels like a cursed object. You watch it solo for survival bragging rights.
Movie 43 (2013) — 5%
Imagine Hollywood’s biggest stars doing raunchy sketches so unfunny they border on punishment. Hugh Jackman has testicles on his neck. Kate Winslet pretends this is normal. That’s the vibe. The producers tricked actors into joining, and it shows — nobody knows what is going on. It’s like watching a cry for help through $6 million of fart jokes.
Plan 9 from Outer Space (1957) — 66% (I refuse to believe this number is real)
Ed Wood’s magnum opus of incompetence. Aliens raise the dead to stop humans from making a doomsday weapon, or something. The sets wobble, the dialogue is laughable, and Bela Lugosi died mid-production — so Wood just used unrelated footage of him wandering outside his house. It’s so bad, it became a cult classic. A crown jewel in the museum of cinematic failure.
The Love Guru (2008) — 13%
This is the movie that torched Mike Myers’ career. A cringe-inducing mockery of Indian culture, full of dick jokes and elephants pooping on cue. It tries to channel Austin Powers and ends up with spiritual flatulence. Even Jessica Alba, Justin Timberlake, and a hockey subplot couldn’t save it. It’s like watching the last breath of a once-great comedian.
The Room (2003) — 26%
Tommy Wiseau’s accidental masterpiece of awfulness. Every line delivery feels like an alien guessing how humans talk. Plot threads disappear mid-film, characters vanish, and the sex scenes are … traumatic. But here’s the twist — it’s weirdly watchable. There’s sincerity behind the madness. It’s the Citizen Kane of bad movies, and yes, you must see it in a crowded theater at least once. Also the above photo will only make sense if you’ve seen the movie.
Twilight: New Moon (2009) — 29%
We could pick any of them, but this one earns special scorn. Bella spends half the movie moping in a chair while months literally fade across the screen. Edward broods. Jacob takes his shirt off. The Volturi show up and make things worse. It’s not just boring — it’s nihilistic romance wrapped in glitter. Vampires deserve better.
