Sci-fi and actiongenerally go well together on-screen. This subgenre is chock-full of classics, likeAliens,The Terminator, andThe Matrixfor a reason. However, its commercial appeal means that it’s also littered with failed attempts. When these films fall short,they can end up feeling more like a chore than a thrill ride.Some of the worst sci-fi action movies miss the mark due to clumsy storytelling, poorly executed special effects, or over-the-top performances. Others are simply narratively baffling or marred by bad dialogue.
With this in mind, this list looks at some of the most egregious cases of sci-fi action gone wrong. Despite ambitious premises or big-name stars, the following movies failed to deliver on their potential, earning their place in the cinematic Hall of Shame. While some have gained a cult following for their unintentional humor, most serve as cautionary tales of what happens when sci-fi action loses its way.
10’Future War' (1997)
Directed by Anthony Doublin
“I’m not from this world, and I have no home.” InFuture War, a man known only as the “Runaway” (Daniel Bernhardt) escapes from a spaceship and crash-lands on Earth, pursued by a mix of dinosaur-like creatures and cyborgs. He soon encounters a former nun (Travis Brooks Stewart) who decides to help him, creating an odd team trying to outrun creatures from another world. Despite (or perhaps because of) the film’s gonzo mix of escaped slaves, dinosaurs, and cyborgs, it all quickly devolves into a chaotic mess.
There are problems at every level.This is an amateurish and low-budget affair, even by direct-to-video standards. The cyborgs are unconvincing and the dinosaurs (weakly achieved through forced perspective) look like toys. The sets are laughably bad, too, including one warehouse scene where characters stacking blatantly empty boxes. For all these reasons, Future War was ripped to shreds on the comedy review show Mystery Science Theater 3000.
9’The Anomaly' (2014)
Directed by Noel Clarke
“You only have nine minutes.” In this one, former soldier Ryan Reeve (Noel Clarke) wakes up in the back of a van with no memory of how he got there. He soon realizes he has only nine minutes of consciousness before he loses control again. Ryan’s journey is a confusing and disorienting one as he pieces together clues each time he wakes up in a new location, surrounded by dangerous situations he can’t remember entering. The film’s premise is somewhat intriguing (if a little too reminiscent of Memento) but the execution leaves much to be desired.
Clarke’s performance and direction (he was also writer and co-producer) fail to keep up with the concept’s demands.The fragmented narrative becomes frustrating rather than engaging, with scenes repeating and explanations growing more convoluted as the plot unfolds. There’s grating overuse of slow-motion and way too many shots of the director/star in underwear. Bizarrely, stars likeBrian Cox,Ian Somerhalder,andLuke Hemsworthwere roped into this turkey.
The Anomaly
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8’Max Steel' (2016)
Directed by Stewart Hendler
“The steel in me… is strong.“Max Steelcenters on Max McGrath (Ben Winchell), a teenager who discovers he has strange abilities that can only be controlled with the help of Steel (voiced byJosh Brener), an alien companion. They form a powerful duo, taking on an evil force that threatens both Earth and Max’s newfound life. WhileMax Steelwas based on a popular toy line and seemed primed for action-packed adventure, the movie struggles with a weak storyline and tepid action sequences. On top of that, the interactions between Max and Steel simply lack the required chemistry.
While the visual effects are passable, directorStewart Hendlerdoesn’t bring much excitement to the film, and the script does little to develop Max’s character or his relationship with his new techno-organic sidekick. No one in the cast or crew seems like they were particular inspired or committed to this project. As a result,Max Steelultimately feels like a hollow attempt at creating a sci-fi hero - simply put, a failed cash grab.
Teenager Max McGrath discovers his body can generate a powerful energy. With the help of an alien companion named Steel, they combine their powers to become the superhero Max Steel. Together, they must uncover the secrets of Max’s past and fight off threats to save the world.
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7’RoboCop 3' (1993)
Directed by Fred Dekker
“Crime has a new enemy… and it’s made of steel.“RoboCop 3sees the return of the titular cyborg officer as he fights against a greedy corporation threatening to evict residents from their homes to make way for new developments. This time,Robert BurkereplacesPeter Wellerin the lead role, which was already a letdown. Even worse, the movie abandons the grit and satire ofthe original film, instead going for a watered-down, family-friendly approach. It doesn’t work, with the result being that this installment appealed to no one.
The violence here is just boring, severely hampered by the PG-13 rating. Then there’s the weird, lame scene where RoboCop gets airborne. It’s a genuine mystery howFrank Millercould have co-written such a stinker. In the final analysis,RoboCop 3misses the mark entirely, failing to recapture the original’s cleverness and turning a once-iconic character into a generic action hero.
6’Ultraviolet' (2006)
Directed by Kurt Wimmer
“My name is Violet, and I was born into a world you may not understand.“Milla Jovovichleads this one as Violet, a woman infected with a virus that gives her enhanced abilities in a dystopian future where a government is hunting down others like her. She must battle her way through a series of stylized fights, all while protecting a boy (Cameron Bright) who holds the key to humanity’s survival. While it may aspire to be a sci-fiKill Bill,Ultravioletis a B-tier snooze-fest.
Everything here is generic, recycling ideas from countless other movies. Even with this liberal borrowing, the plot is still paper-thin, and the artificial aesthetic is off-putting. The fight scenes, which should be the film’s saving grace, lack energy. Consequently, the movie feels overlong despite clocking in at a lean 87 minutes. Unsurprisingly, Ultraviolet was both a critical and commercial flop,grossingjust $31.1m against a $30m budget.
UltraViolet
5’The Adventures of Pluto Nash' (2002)
Directed by Ron Underwood
“Welcome to Moon Beach. Hope you’re ready for a fight.“Eddie Murphystars in this one as a nightclub owner on the moon who finds himself battling ruthless gangsters and a larger conspiracy to take over his establishment. Set in a futuristic lunar colony, the film tries to mix action, comedy, and sci-fi but falls flat across the board.Murphy’s comedic talents are utterly wasted, to the point that the humor feels forced and most of the jokes don’t land.
The supporting cast is similarly stacked with talent, including the likes ofRosario Dawson,Pam Grier, andJohn Cleese, but the film fails to draw anything memorable out of them. Consequently,The Adventures of Pluto Nashisborderline painful to watch. It was a thermonuclear box office bomb,bringing injust $7.1m on a $100m budget. DirectorRon Underwoodhas sinceadmittedthat “the film was not very good” and Murphy has joked about it,saying, “I know the two or three people that liked this movie.”
The Adventures Of Pluto Nash
4’Future World' (2018)
Directed by James Franco and Bruce Thierry Cheung
“This world belongs to those who survive it.“Future World(no relation toFuture War) takes place in a post-apocalyptic world, where a prince (Jeffrey Wahlberg) ventures into the wastelands in search of a cure for his ailing mother. Along the way, he encounters ruthless warlords, cyber-enhanced assassins, and a fierce android girl (Suki Waterhouse). Despite its ambitious setup, the film suffers from shallow characters and a confused tone.
James Franco(who co-directs and has a supporting role) tries to combine Mad Max-style aesthetics with sci-fi elements, but the result feels clumsy and derivative. Perhaps he went in a little too deep withThe Disaster Artistbecause he appears to be channelingTommy Wiseauwith this project. In terms of the visuals, he overuses Steadicam, resulting in a never ending stream of annoyingly wobbly shots. The rest of the potential is undermined by glacial pacing and disjointed action. The only vaguely enjoyable moments are the supporting appearances by Milla Jovovich andSnoop Dogg.
3’Highlander II: The Quickening' (1991)
Directed by Russell Mulcahy
“There can be only one… or maybe more.” Few movies havedestroyed their franchise’s mythologyas swiftly or spectacularly asHighlander II: The Quickening.This sequel tried to expand the original’s lore by introducing an alien backstory and setting much of the action in a dystopian future. However, this baffling shift in tone and plot left fans confused and disappointed, clashing terribly with the established canon. Connor MacLeod (Christopher Lambert), and Juan Sánchez-Villalobos Ramírez (Sean Connery), return to save the world, but the movie’s general strangeness makes it hard to follow or invest in.
The action sequences are OK, butthe story and visuals are an utter disaster. It’s like whatEd Woodwould have conjured up if he’d had access to CGI. This movie offers little of entertainment value, unless you’re a fan of Sean Connery sporting a ponytail and awkwardly swinging a broadsword. Not for nothing, the movie holds a 0% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Highlander II: The Quickening
In Highlander II: The Quickening, immortal warrior Connor MacLeod faces a new threat in a dystopian future. As he uncovers the origins of his immortality, he battles to save humanity from environmental disasters and powerful enemies.
2’Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever' (2002)
Directed by Wych Kaosayananda
“There’s only one way out of this.” Another movie that’sactively unpleasant to watch,Ballistic: Ecks vs. Severfollows two government agents (played byAntonio BanderasandLucy Liu) who are manipulated into a high-stakes battle with each other, unaware that they are on the same side. The plot attempts to weave in espionage and high-tech weaponry but quickly devolves into a series of repetitive action scenes with minimal story progression. The acting is shaky and the characters lack the depth to make their conflict engaging.
Indeed, Banderas and Liu don’t appear to be having fun. They’re simply going through the motions, probably aware that they were making a disasterpiece. The stars are surrounded by endless explosives (many of which they casually walk away from, as one would expect in a B-tier 2000s action flick), but the action sequences themselves are monotonous and poorly choreographed. With a total of 119 reviews and a 0% rating,Ballistic: Ecks vs Severis the all-time worst reviewed on Rotten Tomatoes.
Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever
Two highly skilled operatives, once adversaries, are forced to team up to take down a common enemy. Their explosive collaboration pits them against a powerful organization in a high-stakes game of espionage, action, and betrayal.
1’Battlefield Earth' (2000)
Directed by Roger Christian
“Man is an endangered species.” When it comes to terrible action sci-fi, nothing can top the disastrousBattlefield Earth, adapted from anL. Ron Hubbardnovel. It takes place in the year 3000, where Earth is controlled by an alien race known as the Psychlos.John Travoltastars as Terl, a high-ranking Psychlo who underestimates humanity’s resilience. The film follows a group of humans who rise against their alien oppressors, their exploits shot with head-scratching camera angles and heavy-handed symbolism.
It’s tough to decide whether the directing or the writing is the true dumpster fire, but the answer is that they are both worse.The dialogue features countless cringe-worthy lines(“I am going to make you as happy as a baby Psychlo on a straight diet of kerbango”, one character says with a straight face) and the whole plot depends on the villain being unbelievably foolish. On the directing side, the frantic editing and amateurish scene transitions absolutely do not look like something from a film with a budget of $44m. Taken together, these elements add up to one of the worst movies ever made.
