Superhero movies have been some of the most defining and biggest success stories when it comes to film in recent years. Massive franchises like the MCU have shown the limitless potential that superhero movies have held, being able to bring these iconic characters to the big screen in ways never thought possible in the past. However, for every groundbreaking and critically acclaimed superhero movie that’s released, there are also a handful that completely botches their executions in the worst way possible.
For many years, superhero films were a source of constant disappointment to fans, with some of them reaching levels to be considered some of the worst movies of all time. These bad superhero movies were made on the cheap, disloyal to the source material, and worst of all, they simply weren’t entertaining or exciting. Both in the era long before superhero movies became such a commodity and the rare complete failure released during the modern era, the genre has had a wildly varied bottom-of-the-barrel.
15 ‘Zoom’ (2006)
IMDb Score: 4.4/10
Nobody probably expected Zoom to be the greatest superhero film of all time, but nobody expected it to be quite so terrible either. The film follows Jack (Tim Allen), a former superhero who is brought back to train a group of children into the world’s greatest superheroes. Allen is joined by Courtney Cox, Kate Mara, and Chevy Chase, but none of them are capable of salvaging the generic script and poorly-written characters.
The CGI in Zoom is incredibly dated and jarring, not that Zoom offers much to truly engage audiences in the first place. It follows the same archetype and style of a cheap and lazy comedy movie of the era, and just happens to have a feigned satirical superhero premise. However, instead of having anything interesting to parody about superheroes, the film is about as basic and predictable as possible. If Tim Allen rocking a goatee sounds like something you’d like to see, this is the film for you. If you don’t, steer well clear. You’ve been warned.
Zoom
Release Date August 11, 2006
Director Peter Hewitt
Runtime 86 minutes
14 ‘Supergirl’ (1984)
IMDb Score: 4.4/10
Decades before the character had her own hit series; Supergirl flew onto the big screen in a self-titled spin-off of the Christopher Reeve Superman films. Helen Slater was cast as the iconic heroine who must travel to earth after losing a powerful orb. However, once she arrives on earth, Supergirl finds herself up against a wicked witch. The film doesn’t capture the charm or heart of the first two Superman films, blatantly feeling like a cheap attempt to squeeze the franchise of any last remaining interest.
Supergirl benefits from some strong performances, and while it certainly isn’t perfect, it’s a somewhat solid attempt at a female-led superhero film during a decade when female superheroes weren’t given their fair share of screen time. However, with the advent and hindsight of all the great female-led superhero movies of the modern era, the massive structural and tonal issues of Supergirl stick out that much more.
Supergirl (1984)
Release Date November 21, 1984
Director Jeannot Szwarc
Cast Helen Slater , Faye Dunaway , Peter O’Toole , Mia Farrow
Runtime 124 minutes
13 ‘Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance’ (2011)
IMDb Score: 4.3/10
Image via Columbia
While Nicolas Cage as Ghost Rider feels like a slam dunk for an amazing superhero experience, Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance proves itself to be the complete opposite. A sequel to 2007’s Ghost Rider, Spirit of Vengeance sees Johnny Blaze having to once again take down the devil, who has returned to earth in human form with plans to take over the world. Blaze soon finds himself having to rescue and care for a 10-year-old boy who has a dangerous connection to the devil’s master plan.
The distinct and chaotic filmmaking style of director duo Brian Taylor and Mark Neveldine has as many die-hard fans as it does die-hard haters, with Spirit of Vengeance being no different. The film strived for a darker, grittier tone than the first Ghost Rider movie but was still too tame to appeal to die-hard fans of the character and too dull to appeal to neutral audiences. It’s a shame that the critical and commercial failure of Spirit of Vengeance has placed Ghost Rider in a sort of limbo, as it is high time that Johnny Blaze was allowed to ride again.
12 ‘Fantastic Four’ (2015)
IMDb Score: 4.3/10
There was a lot of hype surrounding the 2015 reboot of Fantastic Four in the months leading up to its release. Josh Trank signed on to direct on the back of directing critically-acclaimed, found-footage superhero film Chronicle and assembled an incredible cast of young talented actors. Miles Teller, Kate Mara, Michael B. Jordan, and Jamie Bell were all hot properties at the time, and it was assumed their talents, combined with Trank’s direction, would finally give fans the excellent Fantastic Four film they’d been waiting for. It didn’t turn out that way, though.
The final product of Fantastic Four almost feels embarrassed of itself to even be attached to the quirky comic characters it’s based on, doing everything in its power to appear gritty and grounded in hyperrealism. The film suffered from a massive amount of studio interference, and production was troubled due to an alleged rift between Trank and cast members. Trank has since left an honest review of the film on Letterboxd, suggesting that he’s learned from the experience.
Fantastic Four (2015)
Release Date August 4, 2015
Director Josh Trank
Runtime 100 Minutes
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11 ‘Madame Web’ (2024)
IMDb Score: 3.9/10
Image via Sony Pictures
The Sony Spider-Man Universe expands with Madame Web, a movie that follows a clairvoyant woman named Cassandra Webb (Dakota Johnson). As she grapples with her newfound power, she uncovers a chilling prophecy — three seemingly ordinary teenagers, Julia Cornwall (Sydney Sweeney), Anya Corazón (Isabela Merced), and Mattie Franklin (Celeste O’Connor) are destined for a deadly confrontation with a mysterious figure known as Ezekiel Sims (Tahar Rahim).
Madame Web was a box office bomb, due in large to its convoluted narrative and shallow characters. Excessive exposition and clunky dialogue plague the screenplay, resulting in a disjointed and unconvincing plot. In addition, viewers point out that the film relies too heavily on established Spider-Man lore, preventing it from creating unique and engaging characters. It’s safe to say that Madame Web is tangled in a web of negative reviews.
Madame Web
Release Date February 14, 2024
Runtime 1h 56m
Watch on Netflix
10 ‘The Fantastic Four’ (1994)
IMDb Score: 3.8/10
The production of this film is ironically far more interesting than the actual film itself. Though it was unbeknownst to the cast and crew at the time, The Fantastic Four was never intended to be released. The studio was going to lose the rights to the franchise if they didn’t put a film into production, and hence shooting quickly began on The Fantastic Four. Even when compared to the other, already poorly received Fantastic Four films, The Fantastic Four is the strange and confusing black sheep that’s been forgotten to time.
The film has never actually had a theatrical release, although bootleg copies began being circulated, allowing people to see the movie. As a film that was never meant to be viewed by a general audience, it’s clear that there was very little actual quality assurance or screen testing, as the film is a confusing mess of poor effects and even worse performances. The film might not be worth viewing, but the story surrounding it makes it well worth a watch.
The Fantastic Four
Release Date January 1, 1994
Director Oley Sassone
Cast alex hyde-white , Jay Underwood , rebecca staab , michael bailey smith , Ian Trigger , Joseph Culp
Runtime 90
The Fantastic Four is currently not available to stream, rent, or purchase in the U.S.
9 ‘Batman & Robin’ (1997)
IMDb Score: 3.8/10
Where do we start with this one? The nonsensical, non-stop ice puns, the ridiculous bat gadgets, the nipples on the bat suit. Let’s be honest; it’s all a little ridiculous. Still, though, it’s hard to believe that a film starring George Clooney, Uma Thurman, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Chris O’Donnell could tank as spectacularly as Batman & Robin. The film follows the story of Batman, Robin, and Batgirl as they have to take on the powerful villainous team of Poison Ivy and Mr. Freeze.
After Batman Forever stripped away the dark and gritty elements of the franchise Tim Burton started, Batman & Robin leans further into the light-hearted campiness that director Joel Schumacher thought suited the franchise best. Unfortunately, in the case of this movie, it just didn’t work. The film takes a notable nosedive too far into comedic hijinks that audiences of 1997 simply were not looking for out of Batman. That said, Schwarzenegger’s portrayal of Mr. Freeze is charming enough to draw audiences. It’s no coincidence that the Batman film that followed this was Batman Begins, almost the complete opposite film tonally from Batman & Robin.
Batman and Robin
Release Date June 20, 1997
Runtime 125
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8 ‘The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl 3-D’ (2005)
IMDb Score: 3.7/10
Image via Dimension Films
Part of Robert Rodriguez’ Spy Kids universe, The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl 3-D is a fun-filled movie geared for kids. In it, Max (Cayden Boyd), a young boy with a vivid imagination, creates a fantastical world called Planet Drool. When his creations, Sharkboy (Taylor Lautner) and Lavagirl (Taylor Dooley), leap off the page and become real, they enlist Max’s help to save their world from the evil Mr. Electricdad (George Lopez).
The movie is a missed opportunity as, despite its thrilling premise, The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl 3-D relies heavily on unconvincing CGI. The story itself lacks a clear focus, and its underdeveloped characters fail to engage the audience. Its attempts to explore themes of imagination feel muddled by inconsistent narration. However many flaws it has, the film might hold some appeal for younger viewers who enjoy whimsical visuals and action sequences, even if delivered with unintentional humor.
7 ‘Captain America II: Death Too Soon’ (1979)
IMDb Score: 3.7/10
A sequel to the 1979 TV movie Captain America, Captain America II: Death Too Soon is a movie that sees Steve Rogers (Reb Brown) go after the villainous General Miguel (Christopher Lee). With his weapon that can rapidly age victims, Miguel threatens to target Portland for a huge ransom. But while the captain ages for a mere month, Miguel dies in an instant.
The low-budget limitations of Death Too Soon are on full display with Captain America’s pursuit vehicle. For instance, he doesn’t use a sleek motorcycle in the movie, instead, he rides a toy-like contraption with a clear plastic shield, offering a hilarious glimpse into the film’s special effects shortcomings. The film’s subpar production values, uninspired fight scenes, and predictable plot make it a hilarious example of a failed superhero movie.
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6 ‘Nick Fury: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D’ (1998)
IMDb Score: 3.7/10
While he’s yet to have a modern-day Marvel movie of his own, the admired S.H.I.E.L.D director Nick Fury was the star of the 1998 TV film Nick Fury: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. The over-the-top, campy action-adventure sees a retired and presumably rusty Nick (David Hasselhoff) dusting himself off when the world is threatened by Andrea von Strucker (Sandra Hess), the child of the infamous villain Baron Strucker (Campbell Lane). Andrea and her terrorist group aim to unleash a deadly virus upon Manhattan and it is up to Nick to save the world.
The movie embraces camp, but not in a good way. Hasselhoff’s portrayal is more comedic than commanding, missing the mark on Nick Fury’s iconic cool. What’s more, the special effects are laughably outdated, and the action sequences, with their terrible choreography, are more funny than thrilling. One-liners fall flat, and the plot is a predictable mess filled with generic villains. The movie fails to capture the essence of the character and squanders its potential for a serious spy adventure.
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5 ‘Superman IV: The Quest for Peace’ (1987)
IMDb Score: 3.7/10
It’s a real shame that Christopher Reeve’s time as Superman came to such a disappointing conclusion. The actor, who was utterly beloved for his performance as Clark Kent and his heroic alter-ego, deserved a far better send-off than the one he got in Superman IV: The Quest For Peace. Still, the film’s lackluster eco-friendly plot about attempting to frame Superman as a cause for deadly nuclear radiation is a simple way to destroy interest in the franchise.
Though the returning cast (Gene Hackman and Margot Kidder) provide strong performances, they’re let down by an incredibly weak plot and a laughable villain in the form of Nuclear Man. The film hugely underperformed at the box office, earning just shy of $16 million domestically from a reported budget of $17 million. Especially when compared to the still legendary previous films in the franchise, The Quest for Peace feels like a genuine disgrace to the man of steel.
Superman IV: The Quest for Peace
Release Date July 24, 1987
Director Sidney J. Furie
Runtime 90 minutes
4 ‘Catwoman’ (2004)
IMDb Score: 3.4/10
On the surface, Catwoman should have been a roaring (or meowing, if you prefer) success. Halle Berry was already part of a beloved superhero franchise (playing Storm in both X-Men and X-Men Two), and Sharon Stone seemed like the perfect choice to go toe-to-toe with the titular feline hero. The film follows Berry as Catwoman, who after being brought back to life through the power of cats, dawns the antihero persona in order to take revenge on the company that ended her life.
Unfortunately, however, the film didn’t meet anybody’s expectations. The fight scenes in Catwoman were flat and without tension, the plot was disengaging and often bordered on ridiculous, and the character was uncomfortably and aggressively sexualized. It’s surmounted a powerful legacy not only as one of the worst superhero movies of all time, but one of the overall worst movies of the 21st century. Looking back, it’s no surprise that Halle Berry’s take on the character is considered to be the worst on-screen Catwoman.
catwoman
Release Date July 23, 2004
Director Pitof
Runtime 104 minutes
Watch on Amazon Prime
3 ‘Captain America’ (1990)
IMDb Score: 3.2/10
Before Chris Evans brought the role of Captain America to life with his charm, honor, and shield-slinging abilities, Matt Salinger held the role in Captain America (1990). The film follows Cap as he wakes up after spending decades frozen in the ice to battle his archnemesis, The Red Skull. The plot is basic and, if we’re being totally honest, a tad childish. The film is easily one of the most often forgotten films that Marvel has ever created, with its notorious low quality being a prime reason for it being lost to the sands of time.
Red Skull’s whole evil plan is to kidnap the President, and Cap’s big plan to stop him involves little more than punches and the occasional shield toss. With a minuscule TV budget, Captain America’s many flaws and awkward action sequences are much more apparent and blatant when compared to other superhero films of the era. The film is cheesy and dated, but if viewed in the right mindset (a somewhat forgiving mindset, at that), it can be a thoroughly entertaining and even amusing watch.
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2 ‘The Crow: Wicked Prayer’ (2005)
IMDb Score: 3.0/10
The Crow: Wicked Prayer is the fourth entry in The Crow franchise. In it, Edward Furlong stars as an ex-convict named Jimmy Cuervo. After being brutally murdered by a Satanic cult led by Luc Crash (David Boreanaz) and Lola Byrne (Tara Reid), Jimmy is resurrected by a crow. Now a vengeful spirit with superhuman abilities, he embarks on a bloody quest for revenge against Luc’s gang.
Without a doubt, Wicked Prayer is a dark stain on the franchise. Its attempt to recapture the gothic vibe simply falls flat, with its first misstep being Luc Crash’s transformation scene — a sequence drenched in melodrama and executed with laughable incompetence. This sets the tone for the rest of the movie, proving it lacks the genuine gothic chills that made its predecessors successful. Hopefully, the reboot of The Crow franchise brings new life to the beloved superhero series.
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1 ‘Steel’ (1997)
IMDb Score: 3.0/10
Image via Warner Bros. Pictures
If you watch the Steel trailer, the 1997 superhero film starring Shaquille O’Neal, you’ll likely wonder how the producers managed to spend 16 million dollars on a movie that looks so cheap. The film follows John Henry Irons (O’Neal), a military scientist who transforms himself into a superhero when he discovers that a weapon he developed has fallen into the wrong hands. He soon takes it upon himself to become the unexpected hero that his community needs, getting ready to wage war against the villains of the world.
It may not be surprising that a superhero movie starring Shaq is the furthest thing from actual quality filmmaking, yet even then, the low qualities of Steel confound the mind. The film is not an easy watch, and it’s pretty easy to understand why it only made $1.8 million at the global box office. It isn’t entirely without charm, though, especially given that O’Neal had to perform all of his own stunts because they couldn’t find a stunt performer who matched his size and build.
Steel (1997)
Release Date August 15, 1997
Director Kenneth Johnson
Runtime 97 Minutes
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