Schlockbusters: Big-Budget Movies that Should Have Been Awesome but Weren't

[That-Guy]

What were some big summer (or often winter) movies that you THOUGHT were going to be amazing and then turned out to be awful? Not just recent ones... I'm talking all-time here.

Some ones that severely disappointed me:

Batman & Robin
Transformers 2
Terminator Salvation
Hulk
Last Action Hero
Fantastic Four
Superman Returns

 

[Wiseman]

Titanic

 

[Nivek]

Unbreakable
Terminator: Salvation
Daredevil
Godzilla '98

 

[Boom]

War of the Worlds

I'm still reeling over that one.

 

[Figs]

What were some big summer (or often winter) movies that you THOUGHT were going to be amazing and then turned out to be awful? Not just recent ones... I'm talking all-time here.

Some ones that severely disappointed me:

Batman & Robin
Transformers 2
Terminator Salvation
Hulk
Last Action Hero
Fantastic Four
Superman Returns

I agree with most of these except Last Action Hero. When I first saw that years ago I was disappointed. Then some time later I rewatched it and really enjoyed it, the problem was the first time seeing it I was expecting something a bit more serious like other Arnold films like Commando or Predator(although every Arnold film has humour, usually in relation to his cheesy but awesome one liners). That movie can almost be considered a spoof movie on some level, it was basically having fun with the action genre and wasn't set out to be super serious like I originally thought.

 

[Doctor Jones]

Spider-Man 3 obviously.

Wasn't awful but dowright disapointing.

 

[dark_b]

spiderman 3,terminator salvation,superman returns.

 

[That-Guy]

War of the Worlds

I'm still reeling over that one.

Yeah, that was one where I said to myself "Oh no, not War of the Worlds AGAIN?" But then I saw the trailers and thought it looked cool so I got all excited.

Big mistake.

 

[Nivek]

That movie can almost be considered a spoof movie on some level, it was basically having fun with the action genre and wasn't set out to be super serious like I originally thought.

I always though it was a spoof. Love the soundtrack, though...

 

[Sawyer]

The first two Harry Potters are rather lame when stacked against the other films.

 

[Kargo Warrior]

Spider-Man 3 was a lot more disappointing than Transformers 2 and such because it promised a great movie,the trailers made it looking like a complex adaptation of the Spider-Man mythos kinda like The Dark Knight turned out to be.

Plus with Spider-Man 1 and 2 under Raimi's belt he was going to complete an awesome trilogy...only he didn't.

TF2 on the other hand promised nothing but thrashing metal and Megan Fox looking hot and even though it's one of the worst movies i have ever being bothered to watch,it delivered what it promised.

 

[craigdbfan]

SM3.

 

[dark_b]

I always though it was a spoof. Love the soundtrack, though...

it was spoof.

it just was not so ''direct'' in your face. it was not ACTION MOVIE withthout a story and using only scenes from other movies.
i think it was a pretty good action spoof movie and Arnold did a fantastic job at making fun of himself. the movie is very old so i dont know how it was marketed. was it promoted like a serious Arny action movie?

 

[Legion]

SM3, it's a terrible movie.

 

[Electrofarce]

Here's mine:

-Stealth
-Dragon Wars
-X-Men Origins: Wolverine
-Hulk
-Daredevil & Elektra
-Spiderman 3
-Aliens vs. Predators (Might not be considered a "blockbuster", but it sucked.)

 

[Spider-Vader]

You really thought Dragon Wars was going to be good? It looked really lame to me.

 

[Addendum]

Ang Lee's Hulk disappointed me in the theaters, but I liked it better on DVD.

Spidey 3 was just ok, but could have been better.

 

[ross2287]

Surprised no one's mentioned Lost in Space.

That movie was supposed to be huge!

 

[Addendum]

I hated the tv series, so I wasn't interested in a movie

 

[Catman]

Last Action Hero

How dare you?

 

[The Guard]

Surprised no one has mentioned any of the films in the new Star Wars trilogy.

 

[SuperFerret]

Unbreakable

Really? I think it's one of the best superhero movies ever made and the fact that it's so understated in tone adds to that. It may not be in your face awesome, but then again, most things that are, aren't.

 

[Episode29]

Unbreakable

Say what?


As for my own pics, I agree with many of the above (Godzilla, Spidey 3, etc). I'd argue that Armageddon had the potential to be far more entertaining than it was. Instead it was as stupid and head-ache inducing as Revenge of the Fallen. Speaking of which, toss that one and the first TF on the Sorry Pile. A few others: The Avengers, Jurassic Park III, Gone in 60 Seconds, Twister, The Mummy and Speed 2.

 

[Jolly Rolly]

I was dissapointed of the following:

Batman & Robin
Superman 4 Quest For Peace
Superman Returns
Last Action Hero
Matrix Revolutions (stupid video game CGI)
Armageddon
Men In Black 2
Terminator Salvation
Wolverine Origins
Fantastic Four 1 and 2
Godzilla (even more pissed that I paid to see it)
Punisher War Zone
Fast & Furious 4
Star Wars prequels (really awful acting looking back now)

 

[Nirvana]

Terminator Salvation and Superman Returns definitely come to mind.