Not every action film has to reach for the stars. A lot of them are really good ideas on paper — yet somehow fall short when brought to life on screen. Sometimes it is bad casting or an over-the-top plot — or maybe poor execution when it comes to direction, acting, editing, etc. It causes these action movies to end up missing the mark in ways that leave audiences disappointed.
Below is my list of the 10 action movies that likely should have never been anything beyond a script.
Featured Image Credit: cottonbro studio /Pexels.com.
Catwoman (2004)
It was the same with Catwoman, it had so much promise: an icon from Batman’s world — but they blew that one too. The story was choppy — Halle Berry’s version of Catwoman barely had anything in common with the comic book character. The cheesy SFX made it feel like a cartoon movie.
G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (2009)
Inspired by the Hasbro toy icon and subsequent animated series, expectations ran high for this movie — but it fell flat. There was way too much CGI and not enough storyline in the movie. Plus, the characters were as generic as they could be, and it felt more like a two-hour toy ad for the fans than an awesome action movie.
Like our content? Be sure to follow us.
Battlefield Earth (2000)
As one of the worst sci-fi movies ever made, Battlefield Earth is a film that simply should never have been let out into the world. It was a disaster on the big screen, despite being based on a book by L. Ron Hubbard. The lines were cringe, effects looked low budget and the acting was so choppy the viewers actually had to keep reminding themselves that the actors were trying their best.
The Last Airbender (2010)
The Last Airbender was a disaster in theaters when it came out. The storyline felt hurried, the acting was deservedly labeled as wooden and the special effects just weren’t up to add that sparkle which filled so many of our memories. Out of nearly all the criticisms about any movie that ever existed, this is one of those movies that just did not need to be made particularly for fans who loved the original series.
Gods of Egypt (2016)
This was meant to be an epic action blockbuster about Egyptian mythology, but in reality it turned into a CGI laden mess. The story was muddled, the characters were shallow and it all got a bit too absurd visually. Not only that, but the film was panned for having non-Egyptian actors in major roles, which ticked off a ton of viewers as well.
Max Steel (2016)
Adapted from a toy line, Max Steel wanted to be another appealing superhero film but instead plays out like B-movie trash. It had a wafer-thin plot, the action felt weak and it seemed to be trying far too hard to be bigger than its britches.
Ultraviolet (2006)
Ultraviolet was visually promising and had some high-octane action, but it just didn’t come together. The story was disjointed and the movie forgettable. The effects in the movie felt more like old video game graphics than something exciting. It aspired to be a cool sci-fi action, but it was just all sloppy slop.
Jupiter Ascending (2015)
Such was the case with Jupiter Ascending, which seemed an ambitious sci-fi action piece in theory but quite simply a lame bloated mess when it reached theaters. The plot was complicated & the characters did not connect with the audience. Not even a large budget & plenty of special effects could save the redemption attempt.
King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (2017)
Guy Ritchie was supposed to deliver a cool, gritty King Arthur legend but that’s not what we got. Modern dialogue in a medieval setting felt unnatural and the exaggerated action didn’t mesh well with the tale. It was one of those movies that sounded exciting when it was announced, but should have never been made.
The Dark Tower (2017)
Stephen King’s sprawling book series The Dark Tower was turned into a total dud of a movie. They attempted to fit everything in one film rather than spanning the tale over a few movies, and it just did not work. These loyal followers of the books were let down by the lack of detail, and those who never read a single word from the series got befuddled. This is a film that probably should have never got past script stage — full stop.
Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
Like our content? Be sure to follow us.
