The appeal of Hollywood movies, like any works of art, is inherently subjective. Films may irk fans through poor effects, bad acting, or generally "bad" storytelling that fails to deliver on what otherwise could have been a good movie. But where some films rightly deserve the ire of the fans, others are often unfairly maligned by a tendency to nitpick issues and make mountains out of molehills.
These movies often get so misjudged that they end up being recycled on lists of worst movies of all time, despite coming nowhere close to that label. Especially when it comes to blockbusters, often, movies are hated not for what they are but for what they are compared to the hype they had. When taken at face value and as creators intended, many movies can be seen through fresh eyes in a better light as not deserving of the hate.
10 Matrix Revolutions Showcased Some Of The Franchise's Best Action
While none come close to the first Matrix movie, the sequels had their strengths that often get forgotten. Matrix Revolutions, especially, has been remembered in the minds of many as a terrible movie. However, although it failed to live up to its full potential, it showcased some of the franchise's best action.
On the one hand, seeing the survivors of Zion repel a machine invasion had great visual effects and built up the stakes. On the other, Neo's ultimate showdown with Agent Smith was brilliantly choreographed, and accompanied by a great soundtrack. It was the weakest of the first trilogy, but worth a watch.
9 Wonder Woman 1984 Had A Genuinely Wholesome Attempt
Wonder Woman 1984 was lambasted by critics and fans alike for several scenes and moments that were branded as missteps or bad choices. But the film was a solid superhero story, and even if the execution wasn't perfect, the idea behind the plot was an excellent match for Wonder Woman.
Especially ranked against the DCEU as a whole, the film had a refreshingly consistent upbeat tone and a somewhat wholesome conclusion. The film may have a few plot holes and feel underwhelming, but the story was a fitting one for the character and had a light tone.
8 Iron Man 3 Rivals The First Film
The sequel to the MCU's first movie, Iron Man 3, was a surprising improvement on the second film. Nonetheless, it has been remembered across pop culture circles as one of the worst Marvel movies to date, with fans criticizing things like the Mandarin twist and the overall feeling of excess.
But Iron Man 3 deserves another shot from those who hated it. Even if its true villain was evident from the start, it was good to see Tony doing some detective work, something the MCU has typically lacked. The action was great, the comedy was solid, and his rapport with Harley would make a good callback later.
7 Spider-Man 3 Gave The Webslinger A Conclusion
Spider-Man 3 was Sam Raimi's concluding chapter to the story of Tobey Maguire's Spider-Man had some glaring faults. The depiction of Venom was far from the source material, and the film is riddled with cringe-worthy moments, namely the "bully Maguire" sequence.
But the film had some redeeming features, too, the most prominent of which was Thomas Hayden Church's portrayal of Sandman as a sympathetic villain. If that alone wasn't enough, seeing Harry don the Hobgoblin mantle, with a cool design, gave the character an interesting arc and finale.
6 Black Adam Was Hated By Critics From Day One
Black Adam was released to an immediate barrage from critics lambasting it as a shallow, action-heavy movie with no real story. But fans showered the film – along with its great cast – with support, and dug the popcorn flick nature of it. The film is a great callback to simpler cinema that just wanted to be fun.
For fans of DC, Black Adam served up the movie debut of characters like Black Adam, Doctor Fate, and Hawkman. Its action and effects were all good, and the actors did right by the characters. It might not be the greatest superhero movie, but it wasted no time getting to the point.
5 John Carter Of Mars Was An Underappreciated Story Dismissed As A Copy
Based on the original stories by Edgar Rice Burroughs, John Carter of Mars had existed for almost a century in print before Disney attempted a movie. Starring Taylor Kitsch, it followed a Confederate deserter who discovered a mysterious cave that transported his form to Mars.
Among the criticisms were claims that it tried to copy themes from Star Wars, with Carter having similar powers as a Jedi and being called a "Jeddak." But all of these features of Carter's story predated Star Wars by half a century, and the film was an entertaining science fiction meets adventure story.
4 Battleship Was Mindless Action – That Was The Point
2012's Battleship has been remembered by many as a film that bore little relation to its board game namesake, just cashing in on brand recognition. The movie received eye-rolls, especially from critics, for its Michael Bay-inspired action and explosions.
But there was never any reasonable expectation that Battleship was meant to be an Oscar-winning movie or have real depth. Instead, it was a great alien invasion movie, replete with odes to the US Navy, feats of past veterans, and a great ensemble cast – especially for its time.
3 Batman V Superman Finally Brought Us The Two Greatest Heroes In One Movie
Zack Snyder's Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice was so maligned that it won four Razzies, an award given to films voted as the worst movies of the year. But, after watching the Ultimate Edition, the movie made more sense and had a more coherent narrative.
The film certainly deserves criticism for missteps like its eponymous fight being too short and certain casting decisions. But taking it for what it is – namely, a superhero grudge match – it was entertaining and even contained one of cinema's most fantastic fight sequences.
2 Dark Of The Moon Is The Most Epic Transformers Sequel
Although Transformers was widely beloved in its original cartoon, the "Bayformers" – the fan term for Michael Bay's movies – have been less than stellar. Panned for the overuse of explosions and its flash-over-substance approach, all sequels have been lumped in as equally poor.
Although films like Revenge of the Fallen more than earned their negative reception, Dark of the Moon deserves praise. Not only did the movie have a genuinely impressive scale and effects, but it was also one of the best action movies of its decade, and in execution, it felt like a Call of Duty movie.
1 Van Helsing Was An Excellent Revival Of The Universal Monsters
2004's Van Helsing has one of the most unfairly negative reputations in the history of modern cinema. Many fans have criticized it for its campy nature, hammy acting, and excessive combination of all the core Universal monsters mushed into a single narrative.
But the movie is best when taken in full context, serving as a fun popcorn flick at a time when fantasy adventure was precisely in line with it. Van Helsing serves as something of a kindred spirit of a movie with things like Brendan Fraser's The Mummy franchise, both just meant to be fun.