Top 10 Worst Live-Action Movies
In this list we’ll be taking a look at the top ten worst live-action Movies. Since a few years ago it has become very popular to create live-action adaptations of all those animated movies that were a success at their time. But in contrast with the positive reviews that Maleficent has received, or the success that has reached The Beauty and the Beast since its premiere this year, here we’ll take a look at those films that didn’t achieve success.
10. The Legend of Tarzan (2016)
We all probably watched the Disney animated movie Tarzan when we were kids. It was so famous that a live-action adaptation called The Legend of Tarzan was released in 2016; it was distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures and directed by David Yates. This adaptation wasn’t that bad, it received mixed or average reviews. But both the critics and the fans thought that “The Legend of Tarzan has more on its mind than many movies starring the classic character, but that isn’t enough to make up for its generic plot or sluggish pace.”
9. Yogi Bear (2010)
The Yogi Bear Show is a famous animated television series about the misadventures of the Yogi Bear in Jellystone Park. Its live-action movie was released in 2010 and directed by Eric Brevig. But this was an absolutely bad idea; even though one of the movie’s stars was Justin Timberlake, it received generally negative reviews from critics. For example, one of them from Common Sense Media said “Dumber-than-average family comedy won’t even impress kids”.
8. Scooby-Doo (2002)
Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! is a very famous animated TV series. Scooby-Doo: The movie was its first and worst live-action movie; it was created in 2002 and directed by Raja Gosnell. Despite stars like Michelle Gellar and Freddie Prinze, Jr. were part of the cast, this movie was a completely bad idea. It was more a parody than a live-action of the original and received generally unfavorable reviews from critics. One of them, Robin Rauzi from LA, described it like “entertainment more disposable than the half-hour cartoons ever were”.
7. Garfield (2004)
As we all probably know, Garfield is a very famous American comic strip created by Jim Davis. The first live-action movie based on the comic was Garfield: The movie; it was released in 2004 and directed by Peter Hewitt. This movie received many unfavorable reviews from the critics, most of them because Garfield the cat was created with computer animation, though all other animals were real.
6. Popeye (1980)
Popeye the Sailor is a cartoon created by Elzie Crisler Segar. Its live-action movie adaptation was created in 1980 and directed by Robert Altmn. Although the film was starring comedian Robin Williams as Popeye, it received many unfavorable reviews. One of them, for example, was from the American film critic Leonard Maltin, who described the movie as boring.
5. The Flintstones (2000)
The Flintstones is one of the most famous American animated TV series. Although the first live-action movie based on The Flintstones created in 1994 received many positive reviews from the critics, its prequel The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas didn’t even reach it. Instead, it received many unfavorable reviews and was considered as a cheap-looking movie.
4. The Smurfs 2 (2013)
Another example that prequels or sequels may be a bad choice is The Smurfs 2. As we know, The Smurfs is a 2011 live-action movie based on the famous Belgian comic; it’s centered on a fictional colony of small blue humanoids who live in mushroom-shaped houses in the forest. Although the first movie wasn’t a success, but instead it received as negative as positive reviews from the critics, the producers decided to create the sequel that was a total failure. It was even considered on the list of worst reviewed films of 2013.
3. Speed Racer (2008)
This sport live-action movie was directed by The Wachowski Brothers in 2008. It’s based on the famous 60s Japanese anime and manga series we all probably know: Speed Racer or Mach GoGoGo . It was thought that the movie had everything to succeed: a hero aboard a fast car with great popularity since the 80s. But that didn’t happen; instead, the movie had just unfavorable reviews by the critics. Even more, tt was ranked as “rotten” and “overloaded with headache-inducing special effects, and neglected to develop a coherent storyline”.
2. Jem and the Holograms (2015)
Jem and the Holograms was a famous American 80s animated TV series based on the line of dolls from Hasbro. It was about music company owner Jerrica Benton, her singer alter-ego Jem and the adventures with her band “The Holograms”.Subsequently, a live-action adaptation of the series was made in 2015 with the same name, and directed by Jon M. Chu. But this adaptation was a completely disappointment for the fans of the original series, who gave it many unfavorable reviews. Even the critics cataloged it as one of the weirdest big screen adaptations of a cheap TV cartoon that they have seen.
1. Dragonball Evolution (2009)
A live-action adaptation of a Japanese manga as successful as Dragon Ball, claimed to be a failure even before it was released. So, in 2009 was filmed its first live-action movie with the name Dragonball Evolution, but it was a story totally removed from the original context of the saga. As we expected, the reception of this adaptation was a complete disaster; it received only unfavorable reviews from the critics and the fans, who said “Dragonball Evolution lacks the magic that made the books upon which it was based a cult sensation”.
