Your biggest disappointments in the theater...

[Zardoz!]

Ok, this is about movies that are bad, but not only do they have to be bad, they have to have disappointed you in a major way. I mean, you have to have had legitimate reason to have been expecting better than you got, hence the movie disappointed you as well as being bad.

Now that the ground rules are established....


Independence day: You know, I heard this was going to be a "serious" alien invasion movie, a hardcore SF film, and there have been serious alien invasion stories done as books, like "Footfall" and "The war against the Chtorr", so I was hoping it would be a serious SF invasion film.

Ok, so the first half kind of built my hopes up and looked good. Then the second half turns into "Star wars with f-16s" Dammit, it was looking good for a while...

The American Godzilla: Again, the first half looked good, and there'd been a lot of hype. Then, KER-PLOP! Here comes the second half....

You know, this was the closest I'd ever come to going up to the desk and asking for my money back....

Starship troopers: Having read the book the lack of power armor was a disappointment, and having an F bomb thrown in gratuitously  was really disappointing, not to mention pissing on Heinlein, who never used that particular term in any of his works.

[shortstack]

Hollow Man - the trailer showed clips of the very decent first half of the movie, but failed to hilight the 'impervious invisible guy' second half where he survives fire, explosion, etc. while his former friends chase him around the compound like he's frickin Predator or something.

[bettertomorrowamy]

Star Wars Episode 1:  ~cough~ Jar-Jar ~cough~

Star Wars A New Hope (the digitally reconstructed version):  Han doesn't shoot first and Han walks on Jabba's tail for goofs I guess. 

Star Trek Insurrection:  I thought it was the worst Star Trek movie ever until Nemesis came out.

[Junkyard]

 Brothers Grimm. There were a thousand possible good movies in that title, in those charicters. But what we got.... crap.

[bettertomorrowamy]

Brothers Grimm. There were a thousand possible good movies in that title, in those charicters. But what we got.... crap.

I agree.  With Gilliam and Damon you would think it would be watchable, but it's just boring.

[DoctorBlack]

Starship troopers: Having read the book the lack of power armor was a disappointment, and having an F bomb thrown in gratuitously  was really disappointing, not to mention pissing on Heinlein, who never used that particular term in any of his works.

But hey, graphic shower scene. There're very few movies that couldn't be improved with a graphic shower scene.

For me, I guess it's the Hills have Eyes. I've always been a big fan of schlock horror and have a pretty high tolerance for the grisly, but it was around the second murder/rape scene (might've been the third) that I tapped my buddy on the shoulder and gestured for the exit.

So, that's in its favour I guess; it helped me find my absolute limit.

[kodiakthejuggler]

Although Star Wars Episode 1 ultimately left me extremely disappointed, I was not at all disappointed when I saw it in the theater all those times. I loved every minute of it, and not until I hunkered down with it at home and really studied all its attributes did I become severely disappointed.

One recent movie that comes to mind is Spider-man 3. I really enjoyed Spider-man 1, and 2 was one of the best ever, so I went in to 3 with high expectations, only to be very disappointed with the direction the story went and the contrived inclusion of Sandman, and how we first think he killed Ben but in the end it was just an accident and all that crap. I was not at all pleased with that movie. The only saving grace was the way Peter Parker got so crazy because of Venom. That was worth the trip to the theater (and the special effects, of course).

[GalvaTRION]

Although Star Wars Episode 1 ultimately left me extremely disappointed, I was not at all disappointed when I saw it in the theater all those times. I loved every minute of it, and not until I hunkered down with it at home and really studied all its attributes did I become severely disappointed.

That fits me so well... my geekness completely washes over all of the problems the first time I saw each of the Prequels, 1998's Godzilla, Batman Begins, and a few others I'm sure I'll think of later. But then, by the time those movies come to video... I realize that I was duped.

However, there have been suvere disappointments in theaters that weren't glossed over by my own stupidity.

Miami Vice was a complete clusterfuck. My little brother, halfway through the movie, actually picked up on the rhythm of the film and began miming the actions on screen before they actually happened. He'd mime driving a car, then in the very next scene, they'd be driving in a car, or a boat, or a jet. He mimed talking on a cell phone, and the next scene they'd be talking on a cell phone. At one point he even mimed eating a sandwitch, and in the next freaking scene it happened. Sadly, that was much, MUCH more entertaining than the actual movie.

Mortal Kombat: Annihilation I remember being the very first time I went to see a movie in theaters, paid my own money, and had my hopes and dreams dashed upon the rocks. That's probably the worst sequel ever made for anything, ever. One long parade of characters appearing, introducing themselves in two lines or less, showing off a special move, and then either running off or dying needlessly so the next character can have his two minutes.

[Dim of the Yard]

One recent movie that comes to mind is Spider-man 3. I really enjoyed Spider-man 1, and 2 was one of the best ever, so I went in to 3 with high expectations, only to be very disappointed with the direction the story went and the contrived inclusion of Sandman, and how we first think he killed Ben but in the end it was just an accident and all that crap. I was not at all pleased with that movie. The only saving grace was the way Peter Parker got so crazy because of Venom. That was worth the trip to the theater (and the special effects, of course).

Seconded.  I went in wanting to like this one, but it felt like there were way too many cooks in the kitchen as far as the villain thing went, and all of the contrived plot points that were used to try to tie everything up neatly with a quaint little bow just went from bad to worse before the thing stumbled over its own shoes at the end and hit the ground hard.

[dignan]

One recent movie that comes to mind is Spider-man 3. I really enjoyed Spider-man 1, and 2 was one of the best ever, so I went in to 3 with high expectations, only to be very disappointed with the direction the story went and the contrived inclusion of Sandman, and how we first think he killed Ben but in the end it was just an accident and all that crap. I was not at all pleased with that movie. The only saving grace was the way Peter Parker got so crazy because of Venom. That was worth the trip to the theater (and the special effects, of course).

Seconded.  I went in wanting to like this one, but it felt like there were way too many cooks in the kitchen as far as the villain thing went, and all of the contrived plot points that were used to try to tie everything up neatly with a quaint little bow just went from bad to worse before the thing stumbled over its own shoes at the end and hit the ground hard.

Yeah, there were times during Spiderman 3 where I thought, "this movie is never going to end."

[GregMcduck]

The Lost World: Jurassic Park. I saw the first Jurassic Park when I was eight or nine. It remains one of the best theater experiences I ever had. So, of course I was excited about The Lost World, but, sadly, it just plain sucked.

Still, better then Jurassic Park 3.

[kodiakthejuggler]

Still, better then Jurassic Park 3.

I disagree.

[Raven]

Hollow Man - the trailer showed clips of the very decent first half of the movie, but failed to hilight the 'impervious invisible guy' second half where he survives fire, explosion, etc. while his former friends chase him around the compound like he's frickin Predator or something.

Somebody should riff this one.  LOL.

[bettertomorrowamy]

Still, better then Jurassic Park 3.

I disagree.

Yeah, both of those movies would be great without the dinosaurs.

[Tyrant]

The Cat In the Hat. I got forced into seeing it totally against my will. I'm sure it didn't help the experience that I was coming down with Strep Throat at the time and, halfway into the movie, gave up on it and took a nap while my husband and brother-in-law watched. A wasted ticket.

  The movie also made me realize the difference between kids' movies now versus then. Don't worry, I won't  launch into any rant about the good old days or anything, mainly because I grew up on the likes of classic Disney and 80's fantasy as movie experiences. But I have noticed that kids' movies these days have to be as 'wacky', 'zany', and 'irritating' as possible with at least one fart joke. This is the entire reason Jar Jar Binks exists. What happened?