What goes through your mind when somebody tells you a movie is “bad?” Do you care about critics’ opinions? What about the general consensus among a wider audience? Or what if it’s a close friend? I’m one of those people in favour of watching a film with as little background information as possible, which includes avoiding trailers and critics’ reviews. Of course, this is easier said than done for those who frequently saunter through the infinite depths of digital media. (Trailers come in the form of ads on pantloads of YouTube videos nowadays… sometimes too often!) But there are times when I’m too curious about a film, particularly those that don’t usually have a lot of praise among my social circle, which leads me to do a quick Google search on a film’s reception. And, unsurprisingly, there have been innumerable instances where I haven’t agreed with the overall critics’ ratings on Rotten Tomatoes, as I’m sure you’ve experienced as well.

In this post, I’ll be exploring a range of movies that have below 30% on Rotten Tomatoes from at least 10 critic reviews. My intention is to gauge how much I agree with these ratings from my personal perspectives and opinions. Feel free to leave your own reviews on Bibliocommons as well if you have thoughts on any of the films you’ve seen!

Movie #1: Dragonball Evolution (2009)

This first entry currently clocks in at 14% from 63 critic reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. For fans of the Dragon Ball universe out there, you may be scratching your head trying to figure out who some of the characters are. That’s what my watch party and I ended up doing for chunks of the film! Many of our other discussions were centred around how the film compares to the real lore of DBZ. From the character designs to their motivations, while the film certainly doesn’t mirror the manga or original TV show, it can be quite entertaining to watch if you pretend this isn’t a Dragon Ball movie intended for hardcore fans but instead acknowledge that it’s a radically different spinoff. Because hey, there’s nothing wrong with wanting to unwind with the familiarly unfamiliar — so let’s ignore that 14%!

Movie #2: Suicide Squad (2016)

I remember watching this in the theatres as a kid, and to be honest, I didn’t hate it — even though a few people around me likely didn’t share that opinion. It’s fun superhero action even though there were a few questionable choices that I don’t agree with even all these years later, particularly how the Joker portrays himself and his image (e.g. the “damaged” tattoo on his forehead was quite on the nose). Still, it’s enjoyable to passively watch the star-studded cast engage in entertaining superhero-ing (or perhaps “supervillain-ing” would be more fitting). I find anti-hero teams to be reliably engrossing, and this doesn’t deviate from some fun moments despite a few flaws I now recognize with the power of hindsight. If my opinion doesn’t sell it for you, maybe check out The Suicide Squad (2021), which has considerably better reviews compared to Suicide Squad‘s 26% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Movie #3: Birdemic: Shock and Terror (2010)

Alrighty, here’s a fun one. Admittedly, I first heard about this film solely due to its reputation, which I perceived to be a mix between its amusing silliness and overwhelming negative reception. But at the end of the day, movies are meant to entertain us, right? Even if the film doesn’t showcase the world’s best acting nor do the CGI birds look anything but goofy, I wouldn’t consider it an egregious offense for audiences to take in the movie as it is and simply have a good time soaking in the feathery fun of Birdemic.

Birdemic: Shock and Terror (2010) currently has 19% on Rotten Tomatoes from 16 critic reviews. Would I disagree that this isn’t the most riveting film out there? No, I wouldn’t. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t riveting in its own memorable way!

Movie #4: Hook (1991)

Robin Williams is one of my favourite actors and comedians of all time. There’s a lot of films he’s been a part of that I absolutely adore, such as Good Will Hunting (1997), Dead Poets Society (1989), and Happy Feet (2006). That’s why it almost pains me to gloss over the seemingly overwhelming criticisms against Hook, particularly on Rotten Tomatoes, where it only has a 29%! But like Happy Feet, Hook is a classic family experience. Some parts of the movie, including certain shots and dialogue, haven’t aged very well, although seeing older films from that time is still a magical experience because of the likes of Williams, the score, and the straightforward yet engrossing plot.

Movie #5: Meg 2: The Trench (2023)

This film’s predecessor, The Meg (2018), was an electric movie that I remember watching in theatres. There were a few memorable moments, such as the glass-chomping scene, that added a wow factor to the film’s tone. Seeing the size of an extinct shark on the big screen (and in 3D; I remember watching it and seeing stuff fly towards the screen, which added to the buzz!) was quite an experience, one that had my eyes glued onto any glimpse of the megalodon in awe. The Meg was an enjoyable summer flick! Sadly, I didn’t feel the same vibes with Meg 2: The Trench.

The grandeur of the first film just wasn’t there in its sequel, swimming away along with the excitement from the first movie. Meg 2 just wasn’t memorable. With everything already out in the water, it felt a bit formulaic to me; its story didn’t resonate well nor was I able to stay within the shark tank to even pay close attention to our finned friends. A 27% on Rotten Tomatoes is something I’d unfortunately can’t contest against, although I’d still recommend watching the 2018 version!

Movie #6: The Next Karate Kid (1994)

I’m a big fan of the Karate Kid universe. This might be an unpopular opinion, but my ardour also extends to The Karate Kid Part III (1989). I thought Thomas Ian Griffith played Terry Silver brilliantly; it was nice to see a James Bond-like villain, as many people have described Silver’s character as, in the Karate Kid universe. On the other hand, while I loved the first few seasons of Cobra Kai, the later seasons admittedly didn’t strike much of a chord with me.

In terms of The Next Karate Kid, I admit that I found some of the plot progression to be a bit forced, although I was relishing in the movie’s overall familiar fun! While the crane-kicking Ralph Macchio is notably absent from the movie, I thought Hilary Swank did a remarkable job at portraying a teen stricken with anger and grief. In fact, Macchio’s absence didn’t bother me at all; I recall bingeing the films and thought that adding a new cast of characters to follow Miyagi’s wisdom would be a nice change, as it was. A 20% on Rotten Tomatoes isn’t flattering, but I think it’s still a nice summer watch for those with some downtime.

Movie #7: Taken 3 (2014)

I occasionally flock to Liam Neeson’s movies whenever I feel like indulging in fast-paced movies that brim with satisfying action sequences. Of course, not all of Neeson’s roles consist of being the action hero of the genre; for instance, remember his role in The Lego Movie (2014) as the cop? Comedy to the max! But if you do want to watch some flashy gunfighting, Neeson’s movies are certainly among the go-to films to look out for, along with the John Wick movies and the two Sicario films.

With a 12% on Rotten Tomatoes, Taken 3 doesn’t have the best action sequences, especially compared to the other two film franchises mentioned above, although it is fast-paced entertainment that’s less of a rescue operation (compared to Taken and Taken 2) and offers a more complex plot. I thought Taken 3 was the weakest installment of the trilogy, although 12% is a tad bit harsh.

Movie #8: Leatherface (2017)

Ouch, a 27% on Rotten Tomatoes for one of horror’s most recognizable slashers! The film serves as an origins story to Leatherface’s character, one that does evoke some sort of pathos. While watching it, there were instances when I forgot that this is a movie about Leatherface, although its ending has that “a-ha!” moment that made me want to rewatch the actual Texas Chainsaw films. Altogether, I don’t refer to Leatherface as a “bad” movie, although I wouldn’t consider it a deeply memorable one either.

Movie #9: Saw: The Final Chapter (2010)

Also known as Saw 3D, this gory franchise’s seventh installment sits in the single digits on Rotten Tomatoes at 9%. Watching anything after the original Saw (2004) is a bit mindboggling, mostly in the sense that the plot becomes too convoluted. Of course, Saw is known for its torturous traps; however, the magic of the first film seems to have shifted long ago. Saw (2004) was the perfect blend of thriller and horror, ending off with such a “Holy cow!” twist that’s up there in my favourite horror movie moments. The big twist in Saw 3D follows an apparent tradition of unexpected turns, although none, in my opinion, ever matches up with the wow factor of the first movie. While Saw (2004) had me on the edge of my seat, most moments in the other Saw movies, including Saw 3D, were mostly about the shock factor in terms of innovative traps and outlandish twists. It’s a good watch if you’re in it for those elements!

That’s all for today, folks! Do you agree that these movies are “bad?” If you watch them, remember to leave a review on them! Click through our catalogue to dig through some other films, in case there are good/“bad” movies out there that you’d want to watch! Oh yeah, and spoiler alert: If you found this post interesting, then keep your eyes peeled — because my colleague Alison will publish an awesome post in the coming weeks that will be a must-read read for film connoisseurs! I’ll end it off with a short list of my personal favourite movies (in no particular order); perhaps you can get some insight into what I find interesting and also review the films in my list. I’d be interested in how you’d rate these films out of five!