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Since its nascence in 1818 with Mary Shelley‘s novel Frankenstein (though some experts dispute this distinction), science fiction has remained a genre like no other. In skilled hands, sci-fi looks toward the future while making uncanny, often uncomfortable observations about the here and now. Some of the greatest cinematic sci-fi: Blade Runner, Metropolis, Alien, the original Star Wars, will forever remain timeless and thought-provoking. There’s also plenty of lesser sci-fi with considerable escapism and replay value.
There’s some really terrible science fiction out there, too. There are sci-fi films that technically touch on technology and science, but fail to make it add up to much of anything, except maybe annoyance on the part of the audience. According to critics on the Tomatometer, these ten unfortunates represent the absolute worst of science fiction on film. Believe it or not, these all are lower-rated than Mac and Me.
10. ‘The Adventures of Pluto Nash’ (2002) — 5%
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There’s nothing more disappointing and depressing than a laugh-free comedy. Wait, strike that: there’s nothing more disappointing and depressing than a laugh-free comedy starring a comedic genius.
The Adventures of Pluto Nash is most infamous from a financial perspective, a massive flop that failed to recoup eight percent of its budget over its entire run. Set in 2080 and starring Eddie Murphy as a nightclub owner on the moon who’s at odds with the mob (admittedly, a fun idea), Pluto Nash does have some defenders today. No one’s making the argument that it’s good, just that it maybe didn’t deserve to flop as hard as it did. Frankly, nothing can make up for its foremost sin: that it just isn’t very funny.
9. ‘Rollerball’ (2002) — 3%
Is this the worst science fiction sports movie of all time? Critics say it is. A remake of a better, smug and hardly great 1975 film that even star James Caan would go on to openly criticize, Rollerball mutes the one interesting element of the original: social critique.
The 70s film was set in a dystopian future, where a violent sport is used to control the populace. The remake is set in the present, and focuses more on action, that’s poorly executed and headache-inducing. In a half-star review, Roger Ebert called the picture “an incoherent mess, a jumbled mess in search of plot, meaning, rhythm and sense.” The real kicker here: Rollerball was directed by action royalty, Die Hard and Predator helmer John McTiernan. Owch.
8. ‘Battlefield Earth’ (2000) — 3%
Unlike, say Pluto Nash, Battlefield Earth is a notorious flop that doesn’t really have any visible defenders today. This a deeply awful film on every level, though it’s surely so-bad-it’s-good, at least at times. Based on Scientology L. Ron Hubbard‘s book of the same name about a human uprising against seemingly superior aliens in the year 3000, everything in the execution here is awkward, sometimes shriekingly hilarious.
Battlefield Earth swept the 2000 Razzies with seven wins including Worst Picture. It was later awarded Razzies’ “Worst Drama of Our First 25 Years” and “Worst Picture of the Decade,” setting a new record for Razzies won for a single film.
7. ‘Baby Geniuses’ (1999) — 2%
Baby Geniuses is, and this isn’t any kind of exaggeration, a disturbing experience. Blame the Uncanny Valley effects, the exhausting assault of diaper jokes, the shock of seeing a magnetic, iconic screen presence like Kathleen Turner in a mess about an evil billionaire capitalizing on baby talk, myriad other reasons. Talking toddlers worked like a charm in the animated Rugrats (enormously popular at the time). In live action, it’s about as freaky as Suspiria.
Today, many observers look at 1999 as one of the greatest years in the history of cinema, maybe even the best. And a lot of people also consider Baby Geniuses the very worst movie of that year.
6. ‘Left Behind’ (2014) — 0%
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When there’s a good script and good filmmaking involved (and frankly, even sometimes when there isn’t) Nicolas Cage consistently reminds us why he’s one of the most beloved and talented living actors. Based on the religious book series of the same name, Left Behind tells of a rapture and those, you know, left behind. During a low point in Cage’s career (his gifts have thankfully been recently reappraised following Oscar-caliber work in movies like Mandy and Pig), Left Behind all but silences the actor’s mystifying intensity. He plays a pilot, and spends most of 110 minutes landing a plane. That’s it.
It isn’t fair to outright knock faith-based movies. A recent example of one that worked was last year’s stirring and endearing sports movie American Underdog. Left Behind is, unfortunately, a movie where a message is mired in mediocre movie-making.
5. ‘Alone in the Dark (2005) — 1%
Uwe Boll‘s $20 million-budgeted (that seems modest, but the movie looks way cheaper) video-game adaptation is often ranked among the worst films of all time, a standout among the filmmaker’s less-than-critically-adored pantheon.
Christian Slater as a paranormal investigator and Tara Reid as an archeologist have negative chemistry, and the action scenes are stunningly inept Even by video-game movie standards, Alone in the Darkis astonishingly lacking.
4. ‘Max Steel’ (2016) — 0%
No matter how misguided or poorly constructed, no superhero movie can be as bad as a superhero movie that has no idea what it wants to be. Or how to make sense. According to critics, the ineptitude of Max Steel makes Batman & Robin look like There WIll Be Blood. Yes, this is the worst superhero movie ever, according to the Tomatometer.
If there is one element of Max Steel that isn’t atrocious, it’s Maria Bello in a supporting role. Still, even an actor of her caliber can’t save this nightmare. If movies like Catwoman and Batman & Robin are so bad they’re good, Max Steel is a baffling experience that borders on depressing.
3. ‘Highlander II: The Quickening’ (1991) — 0%
Long recognized for having one of the most laughable movie titles of all time, Highlander 2: The Quickening furthers Highlander‘s sci-fi saga of immortals, wasting a strong cast including Christopher Lambert, Sean Connery, Virginia Madsen and Michael Ironside amidst some truly atrocious filmmaking. Naming it the worst movie of 1991, Roger Ebert called The Quickening “laughably incomprehensible.”
Highlander 2: The Quickening is one of many Highlander sequels, but there can only be one that stands out as the most infamous. That’s this one.
2. ‘Superbabies: Baby Geniuses 2’ (2004) — 0%
Oof. The worst movie of one of the best years for cinema ever, 1999’s Baby Geniuses was a critically panned exercise in misery. The 2004 sequel (it’s probably worth mentioning 2004 was also an uncommonly strong year for great film overall) is considerably worse.
More Uncanny Valley effects that will haunt your nightmares, halfheartedly crude gags and phoned-in adult performances are just a few of the noteworthy offenders in this groaner about enhanced toddlers trying to thwart a media mogul (Jon Voight)’s nefarious scheme to alter minds.
1. ‘Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever’ (2002) — 0%
According to critics via Rotten Tomatoes, this embarrassingly incompetent cyper-espionage dumpster fire is the single worst movie ever made, in any genre. World-class performers Antonio Banderas and Lucy Liu are trapped in a box-office disaster that’s technically an action movie, but plays out like it’s intentionally designed to lull us to sleep.
Is Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever worth seeing? Is it so bad it’s good? The answer is, probably not. More than anything, it’s boring. And that’s just a damn shame.
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