IGN’s worst-reviewed movies of 2021 (so far) is an unfortunate list because nobody sets out to make a bad movie (as far as we know), but sometimes a project just doesn’t come together.
So let’s have a look at the films released (both theatrically and streaming) so far this year that were scored the worst of the worst by IGN’s critics. IGN rates its movies on a scale of 0-10. The “worst-reviewed” movies listed here all scored 5.0 or below. The IGN review scale labels any film scored 5.0 as “mediocre,” 4.0 as “bad,” 3.0 as “awful” and 2.0 as “painful.”
With that, here’s a sub-par project featuring Oscar-winners Denzel Washington and Jared Leto, a blundering book adaptation by the esteemed Russo Brothers, a true sci-fi stinker starring Bruce Willis, and more — all listed in score order. And when you’re done here, be sure to check out the Best Reviewed Movies of 2021 So Far as well.
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Chaos Walking
Grade: 5
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Read the review: “Chaos Walking doesn’t do nearly enough to take advantage of its talented cast or the thematically ripe Noise which plagues the men of its world. Tom Holland and Daisy Ridley could have been a compelling duo, but they aren’t supported by a creative team that can get on the same page about what the focus of the movie should be. With its charms few and far between, Chaos Walking is a tough sell, especially considering the cast’s significantly increased clout in the years since it was first filmed means getting the gang back together for the implied sequel will be next to impossible.”
Cherry
Grade: 5
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Read the review: “Cherry is big on style and features a bouncy, pricey soundtrack but its examination of the grim reality behind the veteran/addiction cycle feels rather routine. Holland breaks down many barriers here, performance-wise, and delivers the goods as a fantastic surrogate for societal ills, but the movie is plodding and, overall, an underwhelming patchwork of previous projects.”
City of Lies
Grade: 5
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Read the review: “A project like City of Lies is somewhat boxed in by the history it depicts. Given how it revolves around two murders still unsolved 25 years later, plus a web of innuendo and implication, it doesn’t really come with the ability to tie a bow neatly around its story for the sake of giving the audience a complete experience. But a bigger problem is how, even as its ambitions are laudable in casting a wide net over a variety of societal ills, the film can’t quite muster the will to follow through on those ambitions and instead succumbs too often to cliche when complexity was required.”
Concrete Cowboy
Grade: 5
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Read the review: “Concrete Cowboy, by first-time feature director Ricky Staub, has occasional bursts of exciting filmmaking, but it’s kept afloat largely by the innate charisma of its cast. The film focuses on the Black cowboys of modern Philadelphia, but despite hinting at tales of displacement and historical erasure, it fails to capture the struggles and lived realities of its subjects — or even their routines, for that matter.”
The Little Things
Grade: 5
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Read the review: “It’s disappointing to see a triad of talented actors like Denzel Washington, Rami Malek, and Jared Leto wasted in The Little Things, a straightforward and seldom surprising murder-mystery. Though Leto does his best to keep things interesting with a murder suspect so intent on appearing guilty that it borders on parody, John Lee Hancock’s neo-noir doesn’t do nearly enough to stand out from the litany of more unique and better-executed films released in the time since it was first conceived.”
Malcolm & Marie
Grade: 5
Read the review: “While amusing in parts and occasionally incisive, Malcolm & Marie fails to engage its own ideas. Instead of letting Zendaya and John David Washington explore the nuances of their characters, the film apologizes for any hint of complexity or contradiction and turns them into mouthpieces for statements on race, filmmaking, and criticism which it has no intention of unpacking.”
The Marksman
Grade: 5
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Read the review: “The Marksman is perfectly watchable old man reckoning cinema, held together by good performances by Liam Neeson and young Jacob Perez, but it’s ultimately not much more than an assembly line of non-surprises. Plus, it confounds matters by contriving the story in a controversial setting and then kind of sheepishly ignoring majorly important themes so it can deliver a run-of-the-mill action movie.”
Outside the Wire
Grade: 5
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Read the review: “Outside the Wire is too long, too impenetrable, and not fun enough to warrant its lofty man vs. machine gimmick. It’s fun to watch Anthony Mackie assume the role of a smart, cordial killbot, but the film’s occasionally exciting bits of action aren’t enough to breathe life into this muddled mess of a story.”
The Unholy
Grade: 5
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Read the review: “There are moments in The Unholy that strive for shocking, even sacrilegious. But [director] Spiliotopoulos lacks either the imagination or the guts to create something truly soul-rattling. Coming out on the high heels of Lil Nas X’s controversial “Montero (Call Me By Your Name),” this devil’s tale feels laughably tame. Despite the stalwart efforts of Jeffrey Dean Morgan, The Unholy is deeply mediocre, unfurling an uninspired story that lacks in scares and spectacle.”
Thunder Force
Grade: 4
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Read the review: “Melissa McCarthy and Octavia Spencer have sparkling screen presence, but can’t thrive under Ben Falcone’s utter lack of vision. Thunder Force doesn’t work as a superhero movie or a buddy comedy, as it refuses to revel in the big moments of either. Wasted is McCarthy’s moment to be a superhero who is as funny and personable as she is powerful. Instead, these superheroines, who break the mold in a variety of ways, are treated as if they’re just there for the jokes. Even as the film aims for an empowerment arc, Lydia and Emily are mocked for their age, their size, and the smell of their suits. (Apparently, a world-changing genius didn’t plan for costumes that would need to be cleaned.) All this makes for a movie that is more groan-worthy than groundbreaking, more flaccid than fun, and more exhausting than exciting. Simply put, Thunder Force hits with a whimper, not a bang.”
Cosmic Sin
Grade: 2
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Read the review: “Cosmic Sin is an excruciating watch, top to bottom, featuring an absolute mess of camera work, scenes where actors don’t interact with one another, and bottom barrel sci-fi leftovers. In the end, you might be left feeling sad more than anything else, and not because of anything the film is intentionally trying to make you experience.”
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What are the worst movies you’ve seen so far this year? Let’s discuss in the comments!