Max Payne
Another film that proves why fans are so disappointed with film adaptations of popular video games is “Max Payne.” This 2008 film is based on a highly successful shooting game franchise of the same name. By the time the movie was released and reviews were in, it was clear to everyone that this wasn’t going to be a fun ride.
The movie was panned by critics for having an illogical plot and terrible acting, while the fans hated it because there were almost no similarities between the film and the video games that it was supposedly based on. Even the game’s maker, Scott Miller, was a huge critic of the film, citing that the film’s story makes him shake his head in bewilderment.
The Leisure Class
One of the more recent films that have received a 0% rating on Rotten Tomatoes is 2015's HBO comedy film, "The Leisure Class." The movie revolves around a con man who tries to marry into a rich family. The main actor in the movie is Ed Weeks, a relatively unknown English actor who played for five years on Fox's show "The Mindy Project."
While the idea behind "The Leisure Class" was sound, its execution is one of the worst of all time. This is especially bad in today’s decade, where films are expected to rise to a certain minimal standard. It looks like the film's director, James Mann, won't be offered to do any more films in the near future.
One Missed Call
"One Missed Call" was a 2008 supernatural horror film that became the worst-reviewed film of 2008 and received the rare 0% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The film was a remake of the 2003 Japanese horror film of the same name, which received mixed reviews from critics. Usually, remakes are based on that movie being a top performer. In this case, it seems that the decision was arbitrary.
"One Missed Call" managed to make around $25 million over its budget, despite having horrible reviews. It was criticized for having bland performances and predictable jump scares and was considered the second-worst film of the last decade. 2008's "One Missed Call" went on to win a Mouldy Tomato Award, making it officially one of the worst films ever made.
Mortal Kombat: Annihilation
One of the earliest examples of just how bad films that are video-game adaptations can be is the sequel to 1995's fantasy martial arts film "Mortal Kombat." The movie was the number one best-selling film for its first three weeks and earned $122 million worldwide. This prompted the studio to make a sequel called "Mortal Kombat: Annihilation."
"Mortal Kombat: Annihilation" was very different than its predecessor and was overwhelmingly hated for having some of the worst acting and dialogue of all time. The film was much less profitable than the first movie, which led the studio to cancel a third sequel. It received a 2% approval rating from 41 critics on Rotten Tomatoes.
Highlander II: The Quickening
The original 1986 "Highlander" was an iconic fantasy action-adventure film that helped turn Christophe Lambert into a worldwide star. The film was initially panned by critics and received moderate financial success but has since garnered a dedicated cult following. It also spawned several sequels, with the first, "Highlander II: The Quickening," being considered one of the worst.
The sequel contained gaping plot holes and was panned by both fans and critics of the franchise. In fact, the film was so bad that it had multiple different versions of it released just to try and make up for the original release’s horrible editing. "Highlander II: The Quickening" received a 0% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with many calling it a joke and urging fans to avoid it.