Sci-fi and actiongenerally go well together on-screen.
This subgenre is chock-full of classics, likeAliens,The Terminator, andThe Matrixfor a reason.
However, its commercial appeal means that it’s also littered with failed attempts.
Image via Open Road Films
Others are simply narratively baffling or marred by bad dialogue.
There are problems at every level.This is an amateurish and low-budget affair, even by direct-to-video standards.
The cyborgs are unconvincing and the dinosaurs (weakly achieved through forced perspective) look like toys.
The sets are laughably bad, too, including one warehouse scene where characters stacking blatantly empty boxes.
He soon realizes he has only nine minutes of consciousness before he loses control again.
There’s grating overuse of slow-motion and way too many shots of the director/star in underwear.
Bizarrely, stars likeBrian Cox,Ian Somerhalder,andLuke Hemsworthwere roped into this turkey.
They form a powerful duo, taking on an evil force that threatens both Earth and Maxs newfound life.
On top of that, the interactions between Max and Steel simply lack the required chemistry.
No one in the cast or crew seems like they were particular inspired or committed to this project.
Teenager Max McGrath discovers his body can generate a powerful energy.
Together, they must uncover the secrets of Maxs past and fight off threats to save the world.
This time,Robert BurkereplacesPeter Wellerin the lead role, which was already a letdown.
It doesn’t work, with the result being that this installment appealed to no one.
The violence here is just boring, severely hampered by the PG-13 rating.
Image via Open Road Films
Then there’s the weird, lame scene where RoboCop gets airborne.
It’s a genuine mystery howFrank Millercould have co-written such a stinker.
While it may aspire to be a sci-fiKill Bill,Ultravioletis a B-tier snooze-fest.
Teenager Max McGrath discovers his body can generate a powerful energy. With the help of an alien companion named Steel, they combine their powers to become the superhero Max Steel. Together, they must uncover the secrets of Max’s past and fight off threats to save the world.
Everything here is generic, recycling ideas from countless other movies.
Even with this liberal borrowing, the plot is still paper-thin, and the artificial aesthetic is off-putting.
The fight scenes, which should be the film’s saving grace, lack energy.
Consequently, the movie feels overlong despite clocking in at a lean 87 minutes.
Unsurprisingly, Ultraviolet was both a critical and commercial flop,grossingjust $31.1m against a $30m budget.
Hope you’re ready for a fight.
Consequently,The Adventures of Pluto Nashisborderline painful to watch.
It was a thermonuclear box office bomb,bringing injust $7.1m on a $100m budget.
Despite its ambitious setup, the film suffers from shallow characters and a confused tone.
Perhaps he went in a little too deep withThe Disaster Artistbecause he seems to be channelingTommy Wiseauwith this project.
The rest of the potential is undermined by glacial pacing and disjointed action.
The only vaguely enjoyable moments are the supporting appearances by Milla Jovovich andSnoop Dogg.
The action sequences are OK, butthe story and visuals are an utter disaster.
It’s like whatEd Woodwould have conjured up if he’d had access to CGI.
Not for nothing, the movie holds a 0% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Image via Orion Pictures
In Highlander II: The Quickening, immortal warrior Connor MacLeod faces a new threat in a dystopian future.
2’Ballistic: Ecks vs.
The acting is shaky and the characters lack the depth to make their conflict engaging.
Indeed, Banderas and Liu don’t appear to be having fun.
They’re simply going through the motions, probably aware that they were making a disasterpiece.
Two highly skilled operatives, once adversaries, are forced to team up to take down a common enemy.
When it comes to terrible action sci-fi, nothing can top the disastrousBattlefield Earth, adapted from anL.
Taken together, these elements add up to one of the worst movies ever made.
NEXT:The 10 Worst Disaster Movies of All Time, Ranked
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Image via Warner Bros.
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In Highlander II: The Quickening, immortal warrior Connor MacLeod faces a new threat in a dystopian future. As he uncovers the origins of his immortality, he battles to save humanity from environmental disasters and powerful enemies.
Image via Warner Bros. Pictures
Image via Warner Bros. Pictures