TOP 10 WORST MOVIES OF 2018

admin January 12, 2019 1330 No Comments

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Hello, everyone! With the year of 2018 officially over, it’s time to exam the “best” and “worst” movies that of that year. Indeed, there was a lot of movie releases seeing in 2018 In total, I’ve personally seeing (and reviewed) over 85 new movies that were released in the year of 2018, some were very recognizable, while others were “sleepers” that flew underneath the mainstream radar. There were also a lot of movies that made big money at the box office in 2018 as well as some that gained critical praise from both critics and moviegoers. And yet (in amidst those movies), 2018 saw a number of pretty “bad” films. Whether by a flat story, bad acting, weak writing, or poor execution, these movies were just plan horrible with little to no interest in purchasing a ticket to see it theaters or to buy / rent it for its home release a few months later.

Naturally, I have a “Best” movies of 2018, but let’s get the bad ones out of the way first. Here’s my personal top ten worst movies of 2018. But before I begin, here are some other “horrible” (I mean honorable) runner-ups that almost made it on my top ten worst move list of 2018.

 

Runner-Ups


(Click on the picture for full review)

 

THE MEG

“Bigger Isn’t Always Better”

THE CLOVERFIELD PARADOX

“A Generic Paradox Unto Itself”

RED SPARROW

“A Flightless Bird”

A-X-L

“A Bland and Forgetful Film”

THE SPY WHO DUMPED ME

“A Tonally Unbalanced Spy Parody”


And now my top ten!!!

10 – Overboard

Rating: 2.4 Out of 5

Review: Overboard

As to be expected with today’s current Hollywood, remakes are still “all the rage”, with each major studio trying to new material to “reimagine” for new generation of moviegoers (tweeting the story here and there for the modern times. Thus, it comes at no surprise to see a remake of 1987’s Overboard in 2018. While the movie’s Latin flavor adds a new twist and the film’s cast does what they can with the material given to them (elevating the pictures slightly on their own acting merits), the movie itself is totally unnecessary from start to finish, filled with numerous un-humorous gags, conventional plot devices, derivate material, and just a slapdash of a hodgepodge remake that really doesn’t bring anything new to the table from what’s come before. In the end, Overboard is just another unwanted remake from Hollywood, a forgetful footnote in the industries assemble line of recycle, realtering, and revamping old movies ideas into newer ones.

9 – Kin

Rating: 2.4 Out of 5

Review: Kin

The idea of taking inspiration from a short film and expanding upon it into a feature length movie is an admirable goal, especially if it’s the same director who created the short film is handed the reigns to craft a motion picture of their work. Such is the idea of the film titled Kin, a coming-of-age tale of two brothers that’s has elements of a crime / revenge drama and sci-fi. Unfortunately, while the film does have its moments (sprinkled throughout), a solid opening first act setup, and a strong performance from Reynor, the movie just can’t rise to occasion, being tonally mismanaged in its unevenness, a sluggish second act pacing, a weak / shoehorned sci-fi aspect, a lackluster (and frustration) third act, and some mediocre performance from majority of the cast. Many movies out there have a clear and precise presentation mindset to know how they want to be perceived by their viewers. Kin, however, just simply doesn’t know what it wants to be (a family story of brothers, a crime drama, a sci-fi tale, etc.) ….and that’s the true problem with the film….in its entirety.

8 – Peppermint

Rating: 2.3 Out of 5

Review: Peppermint

The infamous coined phrase “revenge is a dish best served cold” suggest that revenge is more satisfying if enacted when unexpected or long feared, inverting traditional civilized revulsion toward “cold-blooded” violence. The movie Peppermint, however, is just a cold dish that lacks convention in its undertaking (as a whole). The film, which starred actress Jennifer Garner, definitely has a good setup and finds the actress a “perfect fit” for the role. That being said, the rest of the movie fails to impress, riddled with problems including a bland script, poor dialogue, uneven pacing, clunky directions, flat / uninteresting characters, and just simply a well-rounded predictable narrative formula. Basically, the film’s director (the director behind the original Taken) tried to emulate that very same influence in the movie, but fails miserably and the feature is just left with a very uninspiring tale of a vigilante out for revenge. In the end, Garner shines, but Peppermint does not.

7 – A Wrinkle in Time

Rating: 2.3 Out of 5

Review: A Wrinkle in Time

When Disney usually does a movie, many critics and moviegoers look forward to it; eagerly waiting to see how the illustrious movie studio would capture cinematic magic with its latest feature of children’s entertainment. Unfortunately, 2018 saw Disney fail (miserably I might add) with the film A Wrinkle in Time. Based on the timeless classic novel of the same name, the movie featured several big named actors / actresses (i.e. Chris Pine, Mindy Kaling, Reese Witherspoon, and Oprah), a famed director (Ava DuVernay), and the ideals of female empowerment and diversity within its characters. However, while the movie had a good visual appeal (with CGI effects and costume designs) and familiar does of good vs. evil (light vs. dark), majority of the movie fell flat, consisting of extremely clunky dialogue, an uneven flow, underdeveloped characters (both major and minor), inexperienced acting from its younger cast, perplexing narrative stances, confusing plot holes, and a rushed (and otherwise) lackluster ending. It also doesn’t help the fact that Disney spent roughly $250 million (in both production and marketing) for the feature, losing $80 million, with A Wrinkle in Time considered to be a box office bomb. Plus, the movie gets super annoying when you hear “Charles Wallace! Charles Wallace Charles Wallace!” every two minutes.

6 – Duck Duck Goose

Rating: 2.2 Out of 5

Review: Duck Duck Goose

 2018 saw several animated movies, including Incredibles 2SmallfootHotel Transylvania 3: Summer VacationTeen Titans GO! To The Movies, which made either found critical success or a sizable return at the box office (or even both). What did not make a “splash” in the animated world of children’s entertainment was Duck Duck Goose. The film, which was pulled off from its theatrical release of April 2018 and was quietly release on Netflix in July the same year, was utterly forgetful and generic as they come. From a lazy story, odd dialogue, lackluster script, weak jokes, and uneven vocal performances, the film just feels hallow run-of-the-mill DTV (direct to video) release. There’s really not much remarkable or even memorable about this movie, which was probably why the feature was pulled from a theatrical release. Ultimately, Duck Duck Goose is just a lame duck. Plain and simple.

5 – Fifty Shades Freed

Rating: 2.0 Out of 5

Review: Fifty Shades Freed

E.L. James’s Fifty Shades trilogy was an overnight success, capitalizing on the romance erotica nature for women to become a bestselling novel series. The film adaptations of them, however, not so much. Fifty Shades Freed, the third and final installment of the trilogy, great emphasizes that notion wholeheartedly that feels most anti-climactic as a proper ending. Coupled with a weak narrative, silly writing, terrible dialogue, tamed sex scenes, clunky characters (in both development and in understanding), and bland performances, this film just flounders and fails to impress, lacking enticing chemistry or even some vague entertainment value. In short, Fifty Shades Freed is a flat out terrible and downright uninspiring (and unfulfilling) conclusion to its already equally bad (and laughable) predecessors. To be quite honest, the ending of the Fifty Shades trilogy is the same way that it began…. trying to convince us (the viewers) that the awkward sexual courtship of Anastasia Steele and Christian Grey is worth caring about.

4 – Action Point

Rating: 1.9 Out of 5

Review: Action Point

At the dawn of 2000s era, MTV’s Jackass was popular TV show, gaining a cult followers of delinquent / rebellious young adult teens who relished the often-dangerous pranks and crazy angst that Johnny Knoxville (and company) could drum up. Flash forward to 2018 and Knoxville is at it again with the movie Action Point. While this wasn’t his first attempt at making feature-length (see the various Jackass movies and Bad Grandpa), Knoxville himself is probably one person in the film that shines, but he can’t carry a movie that only as a shell of a story. Basically, the film is just a cheap endeavor of trying to relive the “glory days” of Jackass’s stunts. The movie itself is bland, thinly-written, uninspiring, formulaic, and just downright unfunny, never taking shape and feels too vague to even warrant a full feature-length motion picture (and a theatrical release to boot). To simply put it…. Action Point is flat-out boring and stupid.

3 – The Hurricane Heist

Rating: 1.7 Out of 5

Review: The Hurricane Heist

Heist movies are a “dime a dozen” in the action genre, blasting the idea of energetic thrills and action frivolities to ensure throughout the film’s narrative from start to finish. That being said, The Hurricane Heist tries to do that “time honored” tradition of an action heist endeavor, but fails incredibly bad in pulling it off. The film, which sets its premise of a heist before (and during) the event of a category 5 hurricane makes landfalls is simply stood and pointless, with the film’s director trying to make the feature “cheesy fun” and something akin to a 90s action flick. However, the movie doesn’t even reach the lofty goal and just squanders any opportunity for cinematic entertainment. Plus, the movie itself is riddled with abysmal performances, flat characters, lame action sequences, a loosely (and thinly) connected narrative), an extremely predictable narrative path, dull and cringeworthy dialogue. All in all, The Hurricane Heist is totally forgettable release of 2018 and a terrible movie that blows…. hard.

2 – Holmes & Watson

Rating: 1.6 Out of 5

Review: Holmes & Watson

The comedic on-screen chemistry of Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly has proven to work with both 2008’s Step Brothersand 2006’s Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby being prime examples. Flash forward to 2018 and now we have Holmes & Watson, which sees to recapture the comedic chemistry of Ferrell and Reilly once again. Sadly, while the movie takes a comedy sketch of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s beloved character of Sherlock Holmes, majority of the movie is utterly terrible and almost downright deplorable. From start to finish, the feature is riddled with problem…. from the poor directing, weak script, clunky dialogue, unfunny jokes, outdated gags, a wasted opportunity for the entire cast, and just a plan and simple brainless entertainment that’s not even well…entertaining. It’s clear to see why this movie is being considered the “worst movie of 2018” by many. To me, it was utterly bad, but it wasn’t my personal worst movie of the year. In short, Holmes & Watson is so ridiculously stupid and painfully insulting to watch.

1 – The 15:17 to Paris

Rating: 1.5 Out of 5

Review: The 15:17 to Paris

So, what could beat out a Disney box office bomb, a bad remake of an 80s comedy movie, a lackluster Fifty Shadesfinale, and an utterly stupid comedy parody of Sherlock Holmes, and bad (and rather dull action heist endeavor…. well that would be the movie The 15:17 to Paris.

In truth, the movie has a lot going for it…. a film based on a true story, real-life courage / heroism in the face of danger, and directed by legendary film director Clint Eastwood. What went wrong? Well, pretty much all of it. The film, which takes real-life heroism on average citizens in the face of evil, is indeed palpable and Eastwood’s intent is certainly in the right place, the movie itself is just a completely mess. From its dull moments, uneven tones, boring script, thinly-sketched characters, laughable / cringe worthy dialogue, and questionable decisions, the film is poorly executed and fails to strike a chord within its own premise as well as bring an engaging cinematic story to the proceedings. The film is definitely a “black mark” on Clint Eastwood’s Hollywood career (and I think that mostly everyone will agree on that).

When it’s all said and done, no one can ever deny the unsurmountable courage and bravery that Stone, Skarlatos, and Sadler (and proximity by Moogalian, Norman, and several others) displayed that day on August 21st, 2015, especially in today’s world where acts of “hate crimes” (bigotry and racism) and acts of terrorism have risen. And to that, I salute to those individuals and those like them that show steadfast valor in the face of evil. It is for that reason (above all else) that The 15:17 to Paris is a colossal disappointment, with the tale being told deserving a better cinematic representation than what was given. Thus, The 15:17 to Paris is considered to be my #1 choice for being the “worst movie of 2018”.

 

There you have it…my top ten worst movies of 2018. Of course, I did skip some movies in theaters, so there some bad movies of 2018 that I didn’t see. So, what do you guys think? What was your top ten worst movies of 2018? Check back soon and I’ll be posting my personal top ten best movies of 2018…