The worst movies of 2023

The worst movies of 2023

While most of the films in 2023 were finished before the writers and actors' strikes got in the way, some of them were still major stinkers. While this may not bode well for 2024, let's hope that some of the best ones were saved for later.

Photo: Netflix

Some were box office hits

Beyond great hits like 'Barbie', 'Oppenheimer', 'Past Lives', and 'Super Mario Bros: The Movie', there have been some spectacular misfires. Here are 2023's worst movies:

Photo: Apple TV+

Ghosted

It was a viewership hit for Apple TV+, but unanimous negative reviews mean something went awry. This Chris Evans and Ana de Armas action/adventure flick had potential but ultimately fell flat.

Photo: Apple TV+

Fast X

Indifference can be worse than bad reviews, and this saga installment was so forgettable that most have already moved on. Some believe that without Jason Momoa's heavy-lifting in promotions, the backlash would have been even worse.

Photo: Universal Pictures

Napoleon

Even though Joaquin Phoenix and Vanessa Kirby were praised for their acting, the rest of the film just didn't click. For a major release with so much hype and such interest in the content, both audiences and critics have given it a mere 58% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Photo: Apple TV+

Heart of Stone

Then there's this one - a film people either forgot immediately after watching or didn't know existed. Not even Gal Gadot and Jamie Dornan could save this pretentious yet hollow spy story.

Photo: Netflix

Expend4bles

Critics in particular hated this movie, giving it just a 14% on Rotten Tomatoes. "This is a dumb-as-rocks exercise in violence and stupidity, which represents a low for a franchise that was already scraping the bottom of the barrel," wrote Adam Graham of Detroit News.

Image: Lionsgate Movies/Youtube

Your Place or Mine

It had the makings of a decent rom-com, but Ashton Kutcher and Reese Witherspoon are no Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. The plot felt too forced and clichéd. In this genre, you're either original or forgotten, which is what happened to Aline Brosh McKenna's film.

Photo: Netflix

Magic Mike's Last Dance

Was this installment even necessary? Watching Mike seduce a millionaire's wife hardly justifies a third movie in the series. Not even the film's scenic views can redeem what should be the saga's final chapter.

Photo: Warner Bros

Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey

This movie makes one thing clear: after 95 years, popular creations enter the public domain. With the likes of Mickey Mouse and Bugs Bunny's protections expiring in 2024, we can expect more titles like this... but please, please may they be better than this one.

Photo: Prime Video

Best. Christmas. Ever!

Don't let the name fool you, this 2023 release on Netflix might go down as the worst Christmas movie ever. Despite it starring Heather Graham, Jason Biggs and Brandy, the plot of full of holes and it is just general non-sense. Some viewers even say forget about Christmas, this is the worst movie of any genre ever.

Image: Netflix/Youtube

Children of the Corn

Richard Whittaker from 'The Austin Chronicle' called the film "ridiculous and implausible," a sign it won't leave a lasting impact, except for tarnishing a classic horror franchise forever.

Photo: Instagram - @elenakampouris

It's hard to believe that the usually selective Adam Driver would sign up for a story that feels like a mishmash of sci-fi classics shaken together but missing the mark.

Photo: X - @65movie

Love Again

What seemed like a great idea — pairing Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas on screen — turns out not to be. This romantic comedy fails to impress, despite having Sam Heughan and Céline Dion. The plot of a widowed woman finding love again through a mix-up in messages could have worked, but...

Knights of Zodiac

A legendary anime like this deserved better treatment of its original story, as its 21% rating on Rotten Tomatoes indicates. Even with a hefty $60 million budget, much of which went into CGI, it still fell short. This time, Pegasus just didn't provide enough strength.

Photo: TOEI

Life Upside Down

Not even Bob Odenkirk could save this indie flick about three unlikeable couples in LA during the pandemic. Even the description gives bad vibes. As NPR critic Tim Cogshell wrote, hoepfully this will be the last of the small-budget films made during COVID "and that'll be good."

Image: IFC Films/Youtube