One of the most popular subgenres of science fiction, dystopian movies examine the many possible futures in which humanity has been enslaved by extraordinarily powerful forces. These anti-utopias are usually ridden with poverty, chaos, war, and illness. They oftentimes include a supernatural element of some sort.

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Dystopian movies may be riddled with a fatalist sentiment, but it's their heroes and their ideals for a better future that make them so appealing. While many films have managed to capture the fear and hope that exists in the genre, others have failed to even deliver a compelling story and make a mark in the history of sci-fi.

10 Babylon A.D. Had A Talented Cast But A Terrible Script

Vin Diesel as Hugo Toorop, a professional smuggler and former Marine

In 2008, Vin Diesel starred in Mathieu Kassovitz's post-apocalyptic action flick, Babylon A.D. Based on Maurice Georges Dantec's dystopian novel, Babylon Babies, the film follows a Marine-turned-mercenary who is tasked with transporting a young woman from a convent in Kyrgyzstan to New York City.

Despite boasting a talented cast that included Michelle Yeoh and Gérard Depardieu, Babylon A.D. failed to impress critics and audiences with its weak script and poor world-building. While it made back its $70 million budget, the film barely made any profit (a mere $2.1 million) and even managed to score a baffling D+ on CinemaScore.

9 Robot Jox Is Considered An Underdeveloped Precursor To Pacific Rim

Gary Graham as Achilles, a giant robot pilot in Robot Jox

Robot Jox was director Stuart Gordon's attempt at tackling the mecha genre and capitalizing on the Transformers craze of the late 1980s. The film is set in a post-nuclear future where nations have decided to settle international affairs via robotic fights. These robots are controlled by an elite group of pilots called "robot jox."

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Robot Jox premiered in 1990 to abysmal reviews and box office numbers, receiving criticism for its ambiguous tone and underdeveloped themes. Despite not gaining much attention initially, the movie has slowly gained a dedicated cult following over the years and has even been compared to Pacific Rim for its similar concepts.

8 Silvester Stallone's Judge Dredd Failed To Impress Audiences

Silvester Stallone as Judge Dread in the movie of the same name

Silvester Stallone's characters may be some of the most popular in cinema, but his portrayal of Judge Dredd in the eponymous 1995 film is certainly not one of them. In the movie, the titular character works as a mix between a police officer, judge, jury, and executioner in a crime-ridden Earth near the turn of the 22nd century.

Upon release, Judge Dredd received some praise for its visual style and action sequences, but it was ultimately deemed unoriginal and noisy overall. It was also blasted for its lackluster performances, particularly that of Stallone, who was nominated for Worst Actor at the Golden Raspberry Awards but lost to Pauly Shore.

7 Transmorphers Tried To Capitalize On Another Franchise & Failed

A giant robot in Transmorphers shooting an enemy

Days before Michael Bay's first Transformers movie premiered in the United States, independent studio The Alysum—best known for the Sharknado movies—released its low-budget mockbuster, Transmorphers. A satirical take on the iconic robot franchise, the film follows a group of humans trying to retake Earth from a race of gigantic robots.

Transmorphers was marketed as the ideal flick for fans of bad movies, but most critics agreed that its pacing and story had too many issues to be overlooked. In spite of these unfavorable reviews, the movie received a prequel in 2009, titled Transmorphers: Fall Of Man, that performed slightly better than the original.

6 Robocop 3's PG-13 Elements Turned It Into The Worst Entry In The Franchise

RoboCop, Dr. Lazarus, and Nikko getting ready for battle

Directed and co-written by The Monster Squad's Fred Dekker, Robocop 3 remains the least successful entry in the Robocop film franchise. The science-fiction movie starred Robert Burke as a cybernetic, highly-capable police officer doing his best to protect civilians from a dangerous militarized squad known as the Urban Rehabilitators.

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Robocop 3 was one of the worst films of 1993, receiving heavy criticism for its silly plot, terrible CGI, and change of lead actor. Critics and audiences also denounced its pivot to a PG-13 rating, as it stripped the film of the franchise's signature graphic violence and dark humor. The movie currently holds an astonishing 6% approval on Rotten Tomatoes.

5 Ultraviolet's Unoriginality Made It A Critical & Box Office Failure

Milla Jovovich as Violet Jat Shariff, a biologically-enhanced supersoldier

After making a name for herself in the science-fiction world with Resident Evil and The Fifth Element, Milla Jovovich starred as the protagonist in Kurt Wimmer's 2006 dystopian film, Ultraviolet. In the movie, Jovovich plays a genetically-enhanced supersoldier tasked with protecting a boy that carries the antidote to a deadly virus.

The poster child for atrocious action movies, Ultraviolet is infamous for its terrible performance at the box office and even worse critical reception. Every aspect of the film was earnestly hated on, from its incomprehensible and derivative plot to its unremarkable action sequences, cheesy dialogue, and laughable special effects.

4 Left Behind Was Panned For Its Sensationalism & Bad Acting

Nicolas Cage as Rayford Steele, a commercial pilot whose wife has recently become a Christian

In 2014, Vic Armstrong directed the second adaptation of Left Behind, a 1995 Christian novel that recounts the events of the Rapture and its consequences for those who remained on Earth. The film's cast included Chad Michael Murray as an investigative reporter, Nicolas Cage as a commercial pilot, and Cassi Thomson as the latter's non-believer daughter.

Left Behind was panned by critics and most audiences, with both Christian and non-Christian publications bashing its sensationalism, terrible acting, and shoddy writing. These negative reviews led the film to receive three nominations at the Golden Raspberry Awards for Worst Picture, Worst Screenplay, and Worst Actor (for Cage's performance).

3 Barb Wire Has Gained A Large Cult Following Since Its Initial Release

Pamela Anderson as Bard Wire, a club owner and bounty hunter

At the height of her career, Pamela Anderson starred in her first theatrical release, the 1996 film, Barb Wire. Based on the Dark Horse comic series of the same name, the film focuses on the titular character, a mercenary and bar owner who finds herself embroiled in a conspiracy during the Second American Civil War.

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A box office disaster, Barb Wire failed to make back its modest $9 million budget, only earning $3.8 million during its entire run. Though it was initially critiqued for its plot similarity to Casablanca and overly silly scenes, the film has amassed a large cult following over the years due to its campy tone and performances.

2 Future World Failed To Live Up To Its Well-Known Ensemble Cast

James Franco and Suki Waterhouse as a Warlord and an android in a post-apocalyptic world

Not even a large ensemble cast full of recognizable names such as James Franco, Suki Waterhouse, Lucy Liu, and even Snoop Dogg could save Future World from crashing and burning upon release. The film, which centers around a group of misfits in a post-apocalyptic wasteland, was co-directed by Franco and earned a mere $163,000 after its direct-to-video release.

Future World earned a 0% approval on Rotten Tomatoes due to its lack of creativity and less-than-compelling characters and was unfavorably compared to more successful efforts like the Mad Max film series. Critics also found the movie's disjointed storylines and erratic camera direction far too difficult to follow throughout its runtime.

1 Battlefield Earth Is Considered One Of The Worst Films Of All Time

John Travolta as Terl choking a human rebel played by Barry Pepper

Set in the year 3000, Battlefield Earth follows a group of humans intent on reclaiming Earth from a race of humanoid aliens known as the Psychlos. The film is infamous for its ties to Scientology, as it was based on a novel by the movement's founder, L. Ron Hubbard, and was produced by John Travolta, a well-known follower. Travolta also starred as the Psychlo security officer, Terl.

Not only did Battlefield Earth bomb spectacularly at the box office—making $29.7 million against a $73 million budget—but it also gained the contempt of critics and audiences alike. The movie's bizarre color palette, overabundance of tilted shots, appalling acting, and questionable message easily explain why it has been labeled one of the worst films of all time.

Next: 10 Best Post-Apocalyptic Movies, Ranked