Everyone has their own taste, but there are some movies that we can all hopefully agree are just bad. These are ones that have ridiculous plots, awful acting, and inept direction. If you’re someone who sees the glass as half-full, though, you should be able to admit that some good can be wrought from bad movies. Even if these movies were awful, their results weren’t so bad.
5 Good Things That Came Out of Bad Movies
After Earth
The downward trajectory of M. Night Shyamalan’s career was painful to watch. “After Earth” might not be the worst addition to his filmography, but the sci-fi film, starring Will and Jaden Smith, is still a colossal misfire that audiences stayed away from. Shyamalan wisely scaled things back significantly with his next film, the well-received “The Visit.” Then, “Split” shocked and delighted audiences. Going through rough patches is common for directors, but not all of them can get out of them.
The Emoji Movie
Remember when movies, particularly animated ones, were a way to escape your daily life and all the sights and sounds you’re exposed to ad nauseam? Well, “The Emoji Movie,” an 86-minute excuse to show kids how awesome various apps are, might be the nadir of cross-promotional cinema. Savaged by critics and gifted with multiple Razzies (including Worst Picture), “The Emoji Movie” could be the end of forced branding in children’s films.
The Room
No film in recent memory has been as synonymous with “so bad, it’s good” as Tommy Wiseau’s misguided melodrama, “The Room.” Ostensibly the story of a man dealing with his fiancée’s infidelity, “The Room” has earned its cult status through inexplicable scenes involving drug dealers and football, and for some of the most ridiculous dialogue you’ve ever heard. In doing everything wrong, “The Room” somehow ends up doing everything right.
Gigli
Back in 2003, Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez was arguably the most influential couple in Hollywood. Tabloids couldn’t get enough of them, but audiences clearly had their fill by the time “Gigli” rolled into theaters. A bomb for the ages, “Gigli” seems to have been the wake-up call Affleck needed to get his career back on track. He most notably found a second wind as a director, making multiple critically-acclaimed films, including Best Picture winner, “Argo.”
Batman & Robin
When “Batman Begins” came out in 2005, it wasn’t clear if it would be a blockbuster. How did it get to the point where the bankability of one of the most iconic superheroes of all-time was in doubt? We can thank “Batman & Robin” for sullying the brand almost irreparably. Joel Schumacher’s film was a campy nightmare and put a halt to any further Caped Crusader plans. The franchise was revived with Christopher Nolan’s inspired and grittier take on Batman, and the new Batman trilogy changed the way we view comic book movies forever.